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Dave Cohen - The BBC Comedy Writer's Guide: How to Make Any Novel Funnier
Manage episode 507079730 series 3592843
Dave Cohen is a veteran comedy writer, performer, and author with an impressive career spanning BBC sitcoms, radio comedy, and children's television. His writing credits include iconic shows like "My Family," "Not Going Out," "Have I Got News For You," and "Spitting Image." Dave is perhaps best known for writing nearly 100 comedy songs for the BAFTA-winning children's series "Horrible Histories," which brilliantly combines education with entertainment. As a former stand-up comedian and co-host of the "Sitcom Geeks" podcast, Dave brings decades of practical comedy writing experience to his educational work. His books, including "The Complete Comedy Writer" and the Barry Goldman comedy novel series, offer aspiring writers insider insights into the craft of humor. His latest book, "Funny Up Your Fiction," addresses a gap in the market by teaching authors how to add comedic elements to any genre of novel.
In this episode:
- Dave's journey from stand-up comedy to BBC sitcom writer and children's television success
- The inspiration behind "Horrible Histories" and how comedy songs teach history more effectively
- Why most comedy writing advice focuses on jokes when character is actually the key
- How to add humor to any genre without compromising the story's integrity
- The fundamental difference between writing gags and developing comedic characters
- Why lack of self-awareness is the secret ingredient to funny characters
- The "plotter, pantser, and passenger" approach to novel structure and character development
- How to overcome the fear of writing comedy and avoid common comedy writing mistakes
- Why serious drama and comedy use the same structural foundations
- The importance of character authenticity: comedy characters must believe in themselves completely
Resources mentioned:
- "The Complete Comedy Writer" by Dave Cohen
- "Save the Cat" writing method
- "Funny Up Your Fiction" by Dave Cohen
Book recommendation:
Connect with Dave Cohen:
- Website: https://www.davecohen.org.uk/
- Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/sitcom-geeks/id1014489955
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Chapters
1. Introduction to the show and Dave Cohen (00:00:00)
2. Dave's background in comedy writing (00:01:13)
3. Shows Dave has worked on (00:03:08)
4. Discussion of "The Complete Comedy Writer" book (00:05:27)
5. Key elements of storytelling in comedy (00:07:13)
6. Differences between sitcom and novel writing (00:10:38)
7. Dave's transition to novel writing (00:15:18)
8. Dave's approach to plotting and structure (00:17:49)
9. Use of the "passenger" technique in writing (00:21:56)
10. Discussion of Save the Cat method (00:23:44)
11. Introduction to "Funny Up Your Fiction" book (00:25:15)
12. Adding humor to different fiction genres (00:28:09)
13. Tips for making characters funny (00:32:18)
14. Advice for aspiring comedy writers (00:36:02)
15. Book recommendation (00:45:33)
128 episodes
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