There’s a lot of money to be made in Hollywood as a comedy writer. All you need is a pen and a notebook. This blog post will teach you how to get started, where to find work, and which genres to specialize in.
Where Can I Work?
This is perhaps the most important question to ask yourself as you’re looking to break into the field. Simply put, you can work anywhere as a comedy writer. There are just a few provisos. First, you need to be able to write comedy. Second, you need to have a computer or iPad to write on. Third, you need to have an internet connection to do your research. Finally, you need to be able to articulate yourself well enough to convince producers that you’re the right person for the job. Luckily, the last two requirements are more easily met than you might think. As for the first requirement, you can take a comedy writing course on Udemy, which will teach you how to write comedy.
The Genres Are Endless
The best part about being a comedy writer is that you can specialize in so many different genres. Some of the most popular ones include:
- Action
- Comedy
- Drama
- Horror
- Thriller
Depending on your interests, you can choose from a variety of exciting courses to take on Udemy to learn how to write any of these genres. What’s more is that, as a comedy writer, you will be able to find work in virtually all of them.
The Pay Is Good And It’s Getting Better
Comedy writers earn some of the best salaries in the industry. As for the latest available data, it averages around $60,000 per year. What’s more is that, according to the Bureau of Labor, the demand for comedy writers is predicted to increase by 26% by 2026.
To give you some sense of the vastness of the market, here are some of the largest employers of comedy writers in Hollywood:
- United Media
- Sony Pictures
- Warner Bros.
- Paramount Pictures
- Hollywood Media Group
- Comedy Networks
- AOL
- BET
You might be wondering how you can make that kind of money. The best way is by specializing in genres that are in demand and by becoming an expert in those genres. For example, if you’re interested in drama, you could take a course on screenwriting or take on writing for television. You will learn a lot from these courses, but you will also be able to put it to use right away by writing for television shows. In addition, if you’ve got a passion for horror, you could take a course on horror movie making or take on writing for television shows or films in the horror genre.
The More You Know, The Better You Will Be
When it comes to comedy writing, experience definitely pays. Fortunately, you don’t need a lot of experience to get started. All you need is a computer or iPad and the willingness to learn. As for the amount of experience you need to have, the more, the merrier. What’s more is that, the more you know, the better you’ll be at what you do. Here’s the thing about comedy writing: there are just so many possibilities. You will never run out of ideas for comedy jokes and stories. You’ll just need to learn to filter them efficiently so that you can pitch them to Hollywood producers. The good news is that, with every new idea you have, you will have a chance to learn something new. That’s what makes this such a dynamic and rewarding field. You’ll never be bored of coming up with new ideas for comedy.
Overall, if you want to make serious money, you should try to focus on becoming an expert in one or two genres. This will make it much easier for you to get work, and it will also make it much easier for you to know what to pitch to Hollywood producers. Having said that, the more you know, the more you’ll be able to contribute to the field. So, don’t be afraid to spend a little money on a good education.