Subjects / Stand-up comedy

Best books to learn Stand-up comedy, in order

Comedy is craft before courage: joke structure and writing routines first, then stage presence and delivery, then the working-comic material on bombing, recovering, and climbing the open-mic ladder. The books can't make you funny on stage — but read in order, they make the stage survivable.

Build your own Stand-up comedy list →Browse all paths

Reading paths for stand-up comedy

Write & perform stand-up comedy

Beginner8books60 hrs5 stages

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Frequently asked questions

How should I approach learning stand-up comedy?
Comedy is craft before courage: joke structure and writing routines first, then stage presence and delivery, then the working-comic material on bombing, recovering, and climbing the open-mic ladder. The books can't make you funny on stage — but read in order, they make the stage survivable.
What's a good book to start stand-up comedy with?
A strong starting point is Step by step to stand-up comedy by Greg Dean. The ordered reading paths above show exactly where it fits and what to read next.
What should I read after stand-up comedy?
Once you have the fundamentals, explore closely related subjects like Storytelling, Public speaking, Writing.

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