First thing — Who are you writing for? I’m going to assume you want to hammer out a killer set that will highlight your own comic sensibility, and you’re not merely punching up your kid’s Bar Mitzvah speech. Although that’s alright, too.

It’s essential, though, that before you write, you must determine what you want to say and where you’re coming from. Understand your own point of view. Otherwise, you’re just annoying people.

So, how do you see the world? Personally, I see the glass as half-full. Why can’t my glass be all-full? My glass sucks!

See? I made a joke! That’s my joke; you can’t have it.

Find a topic other people can relate to. Can you find the funny in your pathological fear of death? But there’s my comedy persona again. That’s all I know — now what about you?

Your point of view will inform your comedy. Keep notes. The world’s going to hell…a smorgasbord of comedy. Something’s bugging you. Write it down!

Listen to the people around you. Every day, they’ll say things that are surprising or silly or just plain dumb. I just saw my niece and I asked her, “Is that a new tooth?” She said, “No! But it used to be!”

I said, “That 6-year-old has awesome timing!”