The Premise:
Conversations with 21 top humor writers and their craft.
The Good:
This is an outstanding book for anyone who has ever thought
about becoming a professional humor writer.
Mike Sacks interviews top humor writers—some luminaries and
some obscure—from a wide variety of disciplines, including TV, movies, books,
magazines and syndicated columnists. Most of the conversations include stories
about how the writers got their start, where they find inspiration and what
aspiring writers can do to break into the business.
Also included are “Quick and Painless Advice” sections,
which provide helpful tips on submitting work, finding an agent or getting
hired fulltime.
The Bad:
The only criticism is that the book is a bit light on female
and minority writers, but the industry is notoriously dominated by white males,
so it’s not really a fair criticism of the book itself.
The Verdict:
Buy it. Read it. Go back to it over and over again whenever
you have writer’s block or want some inspiration.
