Gift of the gag: Five top tips for the would-be stand-up

You can earn a decent living through stand up but it takes time. The circuit is competitive (experts predict that by 2018 more than two thirds of the world’s population will be doing stand-up) so you really have to put the work in to get better and stand out from the herd.

When I started I thought I’d improve by just turning up to a gig every few weeks. After getting worse instead of better I gradually realized I needed to up my game. The one thing that all successful comedians have in common is that they’ve all grafted.

Most comedians have dealt with more knocks than a Jehovah’s Witness. Not every gig will go to plan, especially at the start. Even when you learn the ropes not every promoter will like what you do. You’ll need to develop a thick skin or else you’ll end up with The Samaritans on speed dial.

Not every idea you have will be funny and not every routine you write will work. You’ll need to be as prolific as possible to get the best results.

I’ve lost count of how many ideas that I didn’t write down and disappeared into the ether. Sure, most of them were utter tripe but that’s not the point.

When you’re trying to find a creative spark you need all the help you can get and if you don’t write stuff down you’re making it harder for yourself.

Trial and error is the way forward. A surprisingly common process for me is:

1. Write material.
2. Feel slightly smug about material because it’s FUNNY and CLEVER.
3. Material turns out to be neither.
4. Return to Step 1.

Don’t be afraid to experiment at the beginning. After all, nobody knows who you are and you’ve got nothing to lose. When your comedy starts paying the bills then it becomes more of a risk to go onstage with nothing but a llama outfit and a Cuban accent. Try stuff out, ask yourself how you really feel about the subjects you’re tackling. Be honest.

The comedy circuit has more than it’s fair share of delusional characters and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But self-awareness will help you improve. If a gig didn’t go well then ask yourself, why? Nine times out of ten you’ll find something you could’ve done better. Without self-awareness I couldn’t have become Latvia’s most successful female comedian.

Laughter is the best medicine! Well Funny workshops are delivered by a professional comedian and focus on how we can use humour to feel happier and healthier. As part of Get Creative Day, The Comedy Trust are offering the chance to attend a FREE Well Funny workshop in Liverpool on Saturday 2nd April. Full details of how to sign up here*

*Places will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis.