As comedians we can get pretty focused on how many Laughs Per Minute (LPM) our jokes are getting. But are you aware of how many words per minute (WPM) you speak? In this episode, we dig into a few ways you can eliminate 90% of the guesswork when estimating the time for a joke.
We talk about:
- Delivering material as if it’s a real show (even when only your dog is watching)
- What to do when you find yourself saying “uhm”, or “err”
- Adjusting estimates for laughs and pauses
- The difference between reciting and “performing” material
- How to add time using a cool hours and minutes calculator tool
- Why there’s no substitute for hitting an open mic
- A ninja trick for using your phone’s headset as a microphone
- Why learning how many words per minute you say on stage is important
- Creating a “default template” to see what a minute of material actually looks like
- Why writing out your set can help you SEE what needs to be cut or edited
- It can be tricky to know how long brand new jokes take to tell.
- The tip I learned from watching a sculptor on YouTube
- Why it is not what you say (but what you don’t say) that creates art
