The Hidden Tools of Comedy

The Serious Business of Being Funny

By: Steve Kaplan

Narrated by: Sean Pratt, Steve Kaplan

While other books give you tips on how to “write funny,” this book offers a paradigm shift in understanding the mechanics and art of comedy and the proven, practical tools that help writers translate that understanding into successful commercial scripts. The Hidden Tools of Comedy unlocks the unique secrets and techniques of writing comedy. Kaplan deconstructs sequences in popular films and TV that work and don’t work and explains what tools were used (or should have been used).

©2023 Steve Kaplan (P)2023 Dreamscape Media

A great book on writing that will also make you funnier

I think this book has incredible advice for all types narrative writing. It will make your writing funnier, but it will also just make you a better storyteller.

It really brakes comedy down to a formula

This book really gives you the tools to understand capital C Comedy, which is about so much more than witticisms or “being funny.” The author breaks down examples of the tools throughout modern TV & film as well as older vaudeville and even Roman cavea comedy principles. Some quick exercises in here too. Try watching the referenced shows/films along with the chapters to get the most out of it this book.

Read this if you write comedy

Incredibly insightful book. I have learned so much about comedy. He articulates it well and really does reveal the hidden tools of comedy in way that makes it approachable for anyone to write.

The tools are very helpful to me. I had now idea!

If you really want a conceptual set of tools, this might be of some help. It is authoritatively authoritative in an understandable unambiguous unauthoritative way.

Entertaining and insightful

Narrator Sean Pratt is the absolute best. Everything he reads is super entertaining. This book is no exception. I’m just a normal guy, not an actor or screenwriter, but I love comedies. This book was funny and insightful and will make watching comedies even more enjoyable.

A book to see the funny around us

This book goes far beyond formulas and presents a different way of looking at the human condition from which fragility and humor emerge. After listening to it, we realize that we live in an ocean of comedy.

Excellent tools for writing comedy!

I loved how this book provided so many concrete examples of the concepts discussed! I feel like I’m much better equipped to become a better writer.

There are MUCH better books

For $43 this book is uninsightful, what was insightful isn't articulated at all well, and drudges on without making you feel like you've learned anything. There are mucher better books out there for standup/sketch/story writing.

Boring

Boring and repetitive. One of the worst audiobooks I had listen and the narrator is so dull

boring not helpful

this is not a good book. his examples of comedy are not funny. one of the worst books I ever bought.