Comedy & Copy: 9 Copywriting Gems From Jen Spyra's Comedy Resume
There’s so much overlap between comedy and copy.
The biggest one is: We intuitively know whether copy — or comedy — is good.
But we can’t always explain why.
I’ve attended comedy shows where the performer openly admits: “I’ll be trying out some new material tonight.”
The delivery is unpolished. Their punchline is followed by crickets.
It’s cringe, as the kids say.
But when a joke lands, it appears effortless.
We laugh, feel a sense of camaraderie with other audience members, and don’t give a second thought about what made it funny.
It’s the same with copy.
When we read good copy, we don’t question it. We experience it.
The words flow, the design is clean, and the message is clear—oh, sweet macadamia, do we feel it.
While I was going down this comedy and comedy writing hole, I watched Jen Spyra, a comedy writer, explain her resume in a short video.
Once again, the parallels between good copy and comedy are uncanny. Let me sum it up for you.
9 Copywriting Gems From Jen Spyra's Comedy Resume
Here’s the video, if you’re curious.
9 copywriting lessons from Jen Spyra’s history as a comedy writer:
1) You don’t need to lead an extraordinary life to write extraordinary copy. You can get your ideas & inspiration from everyday events and news.
2) Comedy writers work in pairs and teams. It’s okay for you to do that as well!
3) Rejection is normal. Jen pitches about 60 jokes a day, and almost half get rejected. We can’t expect all of our ideas to be gold. It’s not even realistic for professional comedy writers!
4) Shorter is better. Shorter headlines, shorter sentences, and getting to the point. As Jen says, “You are always trying to comb out extra words.”
5) To build comfort and skill with writing, it needs to be a regular habit.
6) Helping others with their writing helps you get better at your own. Don’t shy away from helping colleagues or friends with their copy if you feel you have something to offer.
7) Choose a place to keep all your half-formed ideas; Google Docs, Asana, Post-it, whatever. You need a place where ideas go to gestate, sit, or never see the light of day. That’s part of the creative process.
8) Your other talents may translate to writing good copy. In Jen’s case, doing improv taught her how to be a better comedy writer.
9) Be a sponge! Reading lots of material can help with your writing. Read content you enjoy and that others find quality as well.
