Callbacks, Misdirection, a Third Thing: Using Classic Stand-up Joke Structures in Humor Writing

Like every genre, stand-up comedy has its tropes. Comedians often use familiar joke structures to prime the audience to laugh. In this course, stand-up comedian and author, Sally Chaffin Brooks, will cover classic stand-up joke structures (the rule of threes, callbacks, tags, and more) and show you how you can use them to elicit laughs from your readers. Using examples from both stand-up performances and written works, you’ll leave this course with a better understanding of how and when to employ these time-tested joke patterns in your own writing.

Instructor: Sally Chaffin Brooks is a writer, stand-up comedian, and podcaster. A reformed lawyer, Sally has released two chart-topping comedy albums (Brooks Was Here, Street Bird) and co-hosts the comedy podcasts The Ridiculist and Dumb Love. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and son, and heads to the mountains as often as possible. To learn more, please visit www.sallychaffinbrooks.com and connect with Sally on Instagram @thesallybrooks or TikTok @thesallybrooks