Laurie Kilmartin shared a list of joke transitions that are commonly used in the writer’s room at Conan. I am fascinated by this. I’ve never been good at writing joke jokes. On stage I mostly tell stories and a few observational bits. But good old fashion set up, punchline? It’s so hard for my brain to work like that. I’m jealous of people who can do it.
I love that she posted this list. Inspiration isn’t always magic. When you feel stuck you don’t have to climb a mountain to recover your passion before you work on something creative again. Some times you just need a list and an understanding of the structure and rules of what you’re creating. Some times art is just math. Set up + transition leads to joke.