How to Kill in Comedy: Find Your Comedic Character, 20 best joke formulas, Slay the Audience

Fantastic instruction on comedy. I'm about 3/4 of the way through and it's been fantastic. Great instructions and exercises. I've noticed how my favorite comedians use the techniques. It gives you the whole structure for stand up comedy and not just writing one off jokes. Highly recommend if you're trying to learn

The information in this book is legit. It will definitely make your act funny if you are just starting out or funnier if you have been doing comedy for awhile and want to make your current act funnier. I'm just starting back up after not doing standup for 16 years. Steve breaks down the four parts of comedic character which really made things clear to me about why things are funny and how to be a comedian and not a comic, there is a difference! The formulas in the book are amazing, I used the formulas in the book to make my act funnier and I have been getting laughs at open mics. I still have a long way to go but the information in this book is setting me in the right direction. Highly recommended! I would rank this book number 1 in the top 3 books on standup comedy with number 2 being Comedy Writing Self Taught by Gene Perret and number 3 being Comedy Writing Secrets by Mel Helitzer.

Wery good book for beginer comedians.

This is a great book for those in the world of comedy, those venturing in, and those who believe they are funny. This could be the break you were waiting for.

I’ve been doing comedy since 1993, I’ve had lots of success . Headlined thousands of comedy shows , tv appearances etc….. too much to list. However , I have never experienced someone as gifted as Steve North. He’s a comedic genius who can analyze you or your act and quickly define your “comedic character” . I couldn’t do it because I’m too “ in the box” . Steve figured out who i am , which allows me to write lots of material easily because it’s about me. I read this book daily . It’s POWERFUL information worth reading and re- reading. I’m constantly getting texts from comedy club owners and managers telling me how great my shows were. Thanks Coach North

"A comic tells jokes. A comedian is a funny person (i.e. full-bodied, believable, flawed but oblivious character)." I first stumbled upon Steve's philosophy on standup in his Youtube videos and it cerebrally made a lot of sense to me, so I got the book. It was super helpful to see examples of different personas in relevant acts now and how the 4 parts of a persona exist in all of the standup megastars. Now when I watch standup, I more fully understand why some acts are just far more engaging than others. I feel like this is the crux of why some standups succeed while others fail--they could be equally great joke writers, but if one performer's persona is vague or forgettable, then their set is forgettable and they are just a joke jukebox. It's amazing that something as almost philosophical/amorphous as this concept can be codified, and Steve does that in the book.

Dudes and dudettes, I must be honest. I haven't read this book. Barely touched it. But I did have enough attention in my head to read the first 3 pages. My ADHD brain was able to retain the following: that a comedian is someone who gives a bunch of strangers the experience of an intimate and spontaneous conversation with a true lunatic. I read a few more pages and then basically took it to heart, and I swear, all my friends think I'm so much funnier now. I swear. RESULTS PROVEN! Bam! This book was so good!! Worth it already! 5/5, would recommend. I'm getting around to reading the rest, now. Although it's 12:45am right now and I probably won't get far, again, but that's okay! This book was made for guinea pig brains like mine. You'll still be killin it!

Conceptual genius with practical teeth to make comedy real. It’s not only my favorite comedy coaching book I’ve ever read, it’s my first.

It’s a great book to learn the skills for writing, reading, performing and understanding stand up comedy. It’s a base to learn.

Just starting out and the book was somewhat helpful. Needed to have more on building your persona.

All comedy books have their place. The key is to learn what you can from what you read and apply it. I found this book useful to help shape some of my early writing, to teach me the different comedy structures and to show me the different aspects of developing a comedy persona. The exercises are worth doing if you are serious about starting standup and it is great book to get you writing original jokes and to help you develop your style.

As someone who does stand up this is one of tge best books for me. It breaks it all down and will have you writing joke’s straight away. I use this book all the time and it has become an important tool in generating material. It has great excercizes for all the different joke structures which is exactly what you need to start honing one liners. I originally got the book on kindle and loved it so much I had to get a paperback copy as I use it alot. If you are struggling to create material this is tge book for you. Reading it once will accelerate your comedy writing (something which can take comedians years with out proper guidance). I have read alot of books on comedy and this book is the first one I recommend to anyone wanted to learn how to write jokes. It literally does what it says on the tin. Don’t waste time, buy it now and start killing in comedy!

This book is amazing. Best book I could buy to develop my comedy. I learn so much! Thank you ❤️