Customer Reviews

What Are You Laughing At?: How to Write Funny Screenplays, Stories, and More

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Wow, I got ripped off by this book. Only pages 1-14 had anything to do with "how to write comedy." The rest of the book (pp. 15-262) is basic how-to stuff about writing in general: what are the different genres, character, dialog, etc. If you are any kind of writer at all, or have read other books or taken classes on writing, then 95 percent of this book will be repetition for you. And even the humor writing parts are very basic: I found out the same information by doing Google searches. Wish I could get my money back.

For anyone who has ever dreamed of being funnier, especially in the writing field, WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT? by Brad Schreiber is a wonderful resource and the definitive how-to book on learning to write with humor. Whether fiction or non-fiction, for stage, TV or film, there is a lot of material in this book for the aspiring writer to sink their teeth into, including enlightening excerpts in prose and screenwriting from the top authors and scribes, writing exercises to bring out the funny person hiding deep within, and plenty of advise on what to do, and more importantly, what NOT to do to make the reader laugh...preferably out loud. By the time you finish this book, you will no longer believe that being funny is a matter of nature vs. nurture. Not a born comedian? Sit back, relax, and learn from the masters.

The author is himself a journalist, screenwriter and consultant, and with that kind of background, he really knows his stuff. Schreiber teaches humor writing for major Los Angeles writer's programs, and much of what he has developed in those classes is offered here in this book. From the first chapter, where he introduces comedic structure and the nature of humor, to differing forms of humor such as jokes and insults and short stories and aphorisms, to finding ways to inject humor into non-fiction formats, this book covers every aspect of comedic writing for those who are serious enough to want to be funny and improve their craft.

Other chapters cover humor in dialogue, writing quirky and memorable characters, grasping the importance of the rhythm and sound of good humor writing, using other forms of writing such as poetry, songs, letters and more to convey humor, and making the best of themes and settings to bring out humor in certain situations. We learn the power of juxtaposition, embarrassment, shock and surprise and other elements that bring out humor in characters. We get a first-hand glimpse at some of the ways the great humor writers play upon themes of commonality, and individuality, to turn simple dialog between two people into hilarious insight into the human condition.

This is really not just a screenwriting book, although the emphasis does seem to be on visual forms of writing such as scripts and stage plays. There is so much wisdom, and wit, and good common sense advise that this book finally convinced me that having a great sense of what is funny is not something you must be born with. It is something you can learn.
MARIE JONES, BOOK REVIEWER, ABSOLUTEWRITE.COM

Produce winning comedic screenplays using fiction and nonfiction alike with Brad Schreiber's What Are You Laughing At?: How To Write Funny Screenplays, Stories, & More. Included are over 70 excerpts from top screenwriters and pairing them with writing exercises and details on the differences between writing comedy for TV versus stage. There are eleven modes of comedic dialogue, 13 common problems screenwriters encounter and valuable insights into the rhythm and sound of words in What Are You Laughing At? Brad is himself a L.A. screenwriter, so his tips come from an insider's hand.

So someone once asked me, "Pamela, do you write comedy?". "Not on purpose", I replied.

But now, with the help of a really funny guy who wrote a really helpful book, I can make a good go at it.

Like Brad Schreiber himself, this book is intelligent, witty, accessible, inspiring, and fun.

It offers overviews of various forms of humor, theories of humor, examples of humor, excerpts from humorists, practical advice on writing funny, and even provocative exercises that guarantee at least a giggle, most often a guffaw.

As a story consultant myself, I recommend Brad's book to my writing clients.

As a reader, I recommend Brad's book to anyone -- writer, speaker, performer -- who wants to lighten their life and the presentation of their message with humor.

"What are you laughing at"...I am sure that Brad Schreiber is laughing at me for buying his book. It is not the quality of the book that disappointed me. It is the fact that 90% of the book has nothing to do with comedy. It deals with general fiction, non-fiction, character, dialog, etc. There are plenty of good books to cover those topics. You wonder why there is no inside look for this book. The reason is if you just see the table of contents then you know what I am talking about. I bought this book looking at the good reviews. What's up with that. Did any of you read the book? They sold me a "cat" telling me its a "cute dog"!. If you don't trust me you are welcome to buy this book and come back to write how you got ripped off!

In an area that seems to be covered by every type of "expert" Brad Schreiber's "What Are You Laughing At" is a rare find indeed. The book offers numerous insights into writing for any genere from stage to screen to personal letters. The book is an invaluable tool for the comedian in all of us whether you want to be a professional comedian, comedy writer or just want to add some solid humor to your next business meeting this book is a must.

Writing humorously, whether in screenplays or playwriting, fiction or nonfiction, does not come easily for many writers. Here's an engaging and informative guide to the craft of writing humor by an expert writer and teacher. Schreiber includes examples from his own experience (and from his own classes on humor writing)and a wide range of literary genres along with useful writing exercises. This is more than just one more useful book on the craft of writing, it is one of the most engagin books of its kind. All kudos to Schriber for his fun volume.

I must admit I was a little put off by the title and the cover art, but the reviews were quite good so I persevered. My first impression was that the title and cover were selected to mask a bland book and I almost didn't buy it. Boy, was I wrong. Brad Schreiber goes right for the juggler, or should I say funny-bone, by jumping head-first into the subject of comedy, on page 1, as opposed to other books which bore you with useless information for half the book before getting to the meat. By page four, (that's page 4, not chapter 4) I already had developed a unique idea that turned a bland, mildly amusing scene in my screenplay into a side-splitting hilarious one. It's something I would have never thought of without first reading this book. Even if you are not currently or don't plan to write a screenplay, this book is a good read because it effectively explains why we, as people, see things as funny. It's easy to know "when" something is funny, but not so obvious is "why" it's funny. Even the old-time greats like Bob Hope, Jack Benny, and Milton Berle used to spend hours analyzing jokes to see why they worked or didn't work. Schreiber has effectively answered these questions and more in an easy to read and enjoyable format. I highly recommend this book.

This Brad Schreiber has written an amazing book. After reading it, I am sure all the world will know about him soon. It's brilliant! I couldn't put it down and my jaw ached all the way through from the laughing. He really understands what humor is and puts it across in such a simple and easy to understand way. Some writers just have "IT" and Mr.Schreiber has it in spades. I am getting one for all my friends this Christmas and I will be on the lookout for his next book. I recommend it highly to anyone who loves humor.

From the moment I saw the cover of this book, I knew it would be a truly funny read about how to write funny material! Schreiber covers his subject matter very seriously -- he's got great information for every genre imaginable -- and he presents it in an easy manner with clear examples and exercises. I've written for tv, film, books, and magazines, as have many of the people who laud this new book on the front, back and inside. For me, it'll be my favorite writing reference tool after "Strunk and White."