From robdelaney.com, some advice on "how to make it in comedy:"
I don’t know how to make it in comedy. I’ve made my living solely through comedy since September of 2010, so I’m a novice; a “whippersnapper,” if you will. But due to my egregious, unwarranted number of followers on Twitter, people think I am more successful than I am and write me every day now, asking me how they can make it in comedy. I used to reply, but I don’t anymore. So I will set down here what little I know and if you want, you can follow it, or print it out and stick it up your ass.
1. Read all the time.2. Write all the time.3. Perform all the time.4. Move to New York, Los Angeles or London if you have the means. There are more opportunities in these places so why not infinitesimally improve your odds?
5. Find a community, like the UCB, the ImprovOlympic, the Groundlings, Second City, etc. Yes, you’ll learn stuff and be exposed to more comedy, but just as importantly you’ll meet the people who will one day hire you.
6. Don’t quit. This one’s hard, but patience is a indispensable ingredient.
7. Work harder than anyone around you.
8. Be nice.
That’s it. Do it or don’t.
My favorite comedy has elements of alchemy, in turning painful life things into funny, relatable stories... By telling the truth, even if you squeeze it into a funny mold, its essence is still stuff that you really care about.
Read the NYT ArtsBlog on Delaney's new project here.