The Map to Being a Successful Humorist - Mel Helitzer and Max Shatz
"The two qualities shared by all successful humorists are (a) consistency and (b) targeted material. If you are consistent, you can make people laugh repeatedly-the ability to write funny isn't a one time thing." (Helitzer and Shatz)
In Comedy Writing Secrets we look at the MAP acronym. This stands for:
These three attributes must be balanced with each other in order to make a successful performance. The material has to be geared towards the particular audience. The audience must complement the material and performer. "The performer has to present the right material to the right audience int he right way."
The audience is the most important part of this acronym. This is why most comedians have that humble feeling in the back of their minds at all times. If it were not for the audience giving them legitimacy, they would be out of a career. You must cater to this attribute before anything else.
The second most important attribute is the performer itself. Think about ghost writers. They write material for comedians all the time because the performers can mold to fit that material. He/she must adapt to material when they are performing onstage. The other reason it's second is because the audience has to know who you and what you present "in the first thirty seconds" of your performance. This 30 second period lets the audience get comfortable with your comedic persona and eventually the rest of your act. This is why consistency matters.
The third attribute, material, comes last because while it is essential to the other two mentioned, it is dependent on your comedic persona and the audience you are delivering to. "Only after you know your audience and the characteristics about the performer's persona that need to be consistent, are you ready to start writing material."
This is why so many people have troubling material when they start. There is no focus! That is the first step to writing material that can fit you and your audience is to channel the focus that you want to see onstage. Think about all your favorite humorists. Why are they appealing to you? While you think about that, what is something you haven't seen on the stage before that you wish was there? How can you provide it?