Yes. The answer’s yes. Emphatic. You can start earning money today.
Thanks to the almost year-round existence of topical comedy, you can listen to the news, come up with a joke about it, send it to a producer and hear it go out on BBC Radio in the next couple of days.
As far as I know there is no other type of writing that offers the instant prospect of financial gain from your writing.
Back in those far off days when people used to read magazines, famous novelists and authors said they first started earning money sending articles and short stories to publications. Even if you’re a fast writer that’s still probably a minimum of three months from idea to publication.
And as for those Hollywood screenplays languishing in a folder at the back of your laptop… some of you are probably counting off decades there.
But as I said on Tuesday, the market is shrinking. If you do manage to get that joke onto that topical radio show congratulations. Beginner’s luck. There’s a BBC cheque for £20 heading your way.
Unfortunately these things don’t scale. Even if this is your calling and you’re brilliant at it you won’t be selling 10 jokes a week for at least a year. And in that time you’ll be putting in so many hours that we’re talking less than minimum wage in terms of payment.
But jokes are the first step on the comedy writing career ladder. If you want to write comedy, they’re what you need whatever you end up writing – screenplays, sitcoms, funny books.
Next week I’ll be looking at jokes: how to write them, how to add them to your scripts, who you can sell them to.
Meanwhile if you’re serious about developing your comedy writing career I’m happy to chat to you online about your best options.
You can find out more about my free 30 minute coaching sessions here:
Writing coach