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

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.

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.

No joke: this is good

It's a nice look at the 3000 year old history of comedy. Less of a formulaic approach to writing it and more of a toolkit for when it's not working.