Buy new:
$14.95
FREE delivery Friday, May 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$14.95
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Friday, May 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Thursday, May 16. Order within 18 hrs 40 mins
In Stock
$$14.95 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$14.95
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day easy returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$9.47
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Shipped fast and reliably through the Amazon Prime program! Book may contain some writing, highlighting, and or cover damage. Shipped fast and reliably through the Amazon Prime program! Book may contain some writing, highlighting, and or cover damage. See less
FREE delivery May 22 - 24 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery May 19 - 21
$$14.95 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$14.95
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

John Vorhaus
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Comic Toolbox How to Be Funny Even If You're Not Paperback – July 1, 1994

by John Vorhaus (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 558 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$14.95","priceAmount":14.95,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"14","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"95","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"L5Q%2BJjtCaB8ZkuMlDBgLKXzQk9amoO2vmPqKZMQ3xco2DssskIe3%2BQgTNJaFZNhX6QoObgUGZmZbkCP%2F3%2BHDRMcD8f48zCwj5q61fOx%2BYwnlJRiKaKVDw8eLHPCewpEgJJ3Q5EFM6eY%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$9.47","priceAmount":9.47,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"47","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"L5Q%2BJjtCaB8ZkuMlDBgLKXzQk9amoO2v%2F0x4gBwRhpnVpA2kNcdeEtIqNQnzAOJFm9gwHAEXdLXmPdu1YbilTEfqCkDOb97p3o8l%2BA44%2FDpLOcaN%2FpZuGSl6f2n1LWeOD1XvnJc0zFJN%2BT9incsBPvQha1jwX3KXvzb0mGG2kPjdioq2Ul8JkXX5rLuIHWp8","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

A workbook approach to comedy writing as creative problem-solving. It offers tools of the trade such as Clash of Context, Tension and Release, The Law of Comic Opposites, The Wildly Inappropriate Response, and The Myth of the Last Great Idea to writers, comics, and anyone else who wants to be funny.
Read more Read less
  Report an issue with this product or seller
Previous page
  1. Print length
    191 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Silman-James Press
  4. Publication date
    July 1, 1994
  5. Dimensions
    6.18 x 0.54 x 8.87 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1879505215
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1879505216
  8. See all details
Next page
Books with Buzz
Books with Buzz
Discover the latest buzz-worthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and nonfiction. Explore more

Frequently bought together

The Comic Toolbox How to Be Funny Even If You're Not
$14.95
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
How To Write Funny: Your Serious, Step-By-Step Blueprint For Creating Incredibly, Irresistibly, Successfully Hilarious Writin
$15.99
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Serious Guide to Joke Writing: How To Say Something Funny About Anything
$14.23
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Choose items to buy together.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Silman-James Press; First Edition (July 1, 1994)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 191 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1879505215
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1879505216
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.18 x 0.54 x 8.87 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 558 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
John Vorhaus

John Vorhaus

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

John Vorhaus is now known to one and all as the man who brought Radar Hoverlander - con artist extraordinaire - to life in the "sunshine noir" mystery novel, THE CALIFORNIA ROLL, and its acclaimed sequel, THE ALBUQUERQUE TURKEY. His other novels include UNDER THE GUN and WORLD SERIES OF MURDER, the latter available exclusively through Kindle.

John is also well known as the author of THE COMIC TOOLBOX: HOW TO BE FUNNY EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT. This seminal book on writing comedy for television and film is now in its fifth printing, and continues to be a definitive source of information and inspiration for writers from Santa Monica to Scandinavia. Its companion volume, CREATIVITY RULES, is similarly a crucial book for writers at any stage of development.

Not content to rest on those laurels, Vorhaus is also the author of ten books on poker, including the KILLER POKER series and, with Annie Duke, the revolutionary DECIDE TO PLAY GREAT POKER. "As a poker player," confesses Vorhaus, "I'm a pretty good writer."

An international consultant in television and film script development, Vorhaus has worked for television networks, film schools, production companies and film funding bodies in 32 countries on five continents. He worked in Moscow, running the writing staff of the Russian version of Married... with Children, and in Tel Aviv, consulting on the Israeli version of The Golden Girls. He has also built sitcoms in Romania and social-action television in Nicaragua.

Vorhaus is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University and a member of the Writers Guild of America. He has consulted to Walt Disney Feature Animation and taught at such institutions as Northwestern University, the American Film Institute and the Writers Program of the UCLA Extension. He tweets for no apparent reason @TrueFactBarFact and secretly controls the world from johnvorhaus.com

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
558 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Buffy's Mom
5.0 out of 5 stars Great advice beyond comedy
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2014
Verified Purchase
I bought this book along with two by Gene Perret with a view to transforming what is currently a journalistic expose into comedic creative nonfiction. All three will be invaluable but I found once I opened John's book The Comic Toolbox (I like to read several books simultaneously) I just couldn't put it down.

While I'm learning more about how "jokes" are constructed from Perret's Comedy Writing Workbook, what I'm getting from John--which was entirely unexpected--is a broader look at how comedy fits into my writing overall. The chapter on Comic Characters gave me a fresh perspective on describing the flaws, humanity and unique world-view of the three people whose interaction lies at the heart of my book. What I especially like are the copious examples plus exercises to try along the way.

Unlike a minority of reviewers I did find the book an engaging, funny read. What better example could this author set (given what he says about delivering on the promise of a title) than be amusing himself?

In the past 24 hours since receiving The Comic Toolbox I've been busy highlighting, making notes in the margins, taking part in the exercises and writing up longer notes in my writing journal. Truly, this is a "keeper" and will be a valuable resource for writing in a more fresh and engaging way, generally, while I aim to master the skill of writing humorously.

Wasn't it Victor Borge who said, "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people"? I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who--quite aside from those looking to carve a career in sit-coms or stand-up comedy--seeks to persuade others to pay attention to what they are saying or writing, in business or life generally. You won't be disappointed!
6 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
transponder
5.0 out of 5 stars This book actually TEACHES
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2019
Verified Purchase
I've read a handful of books on comedy writing in the past few months, and this book is the only one worth the money and the time. It is intelligent, insightful, and useful -- which the other books in general were not. Most writing on comedy that I am familiar with is either incredibly obvious (and no help in getting a humorous tale underway) or bafflingly and pointlessly academic (ditto -- and I read philosophers: I do not have trouble with intellectual content per se). This book, by contrast, hits the sweet spot of analysis and how-to, of what-makes-it-go and how-you-can-get-there. Job well done. (It must be said that Vorhaus doesn't understand the Wodehouse magic, specifically the Jeeves-Wooster relationship or what defines the characters of Jeeves and Wooster (who is not, *pace* the author, a class snob -- that's sheer projection and carelessness on the author's part.) I would also have liked more reference to English comedy -- Are You Being Served?, for instance, has been well known to American audiences for about a quarter century -- which would illustrate his points as well as American ones, and underscore the universality of the principles he talks about. Overall, a strong book, and recommended.
20 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Jacqui Murray
4.0 out of 5 stars If you're not blessed with the humor gene, Vorhaus can help
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2012
Verified Purchase
I bought this book because I wanted to see if there were guidelines for humor. I like steps, a plan, Rules A, B, C that will insure I achieve the right end result. And the book's byline--"A funny idea is worthless until you understand the mechanics of its construction and execution. Meet Mr. Goodwrench."--made it sound like I'd found my blueprint.

Besides being a successful comic writer for most of his life with credits for a variety of sitcoms, Vorhaus taught at a variety of Film-oriented schools including the American Film Institute. What he does in the book is distill his lifetime of comedy writing into a how-to toolkit on creating humor. He starts by analyzing humor, explaining why some lines are funny and others aren't, with lots of examples. You can't get bored reading this book because the moment it starts to feel like a textbook, it breaks out into a joke (What do you get when you cross a Jehovah's Witness with an agnostic? Someone who rings your doorbell for no apparent reason). Here are some hints that made sense to me in my quest for humor:

mix truth with pain (A man falls off a cliff. As he plummets to his death, he's heard to mutter, 'So far, so good.')
be willing to risk making yourself look stupid
for every ten jokes you tell, nine will be trash
the comic premise is the gap between comic reality and real reality (for example, in the comic strip Peanuts, there's a gap between Snoopy's 'real' reality--he's a dog--and his 'comic' reality--he's a World War I flying ace
humor through exaggeration (Jerry Lewis is the supreme bumbler)--and be bold about it
clash of context--a forced union of incompatibles--i.e., lunar golf course, Madonna sings opera
the wildly inappropriate response--For example, a backyard barbeque with militant vegetarianism, at a baseball game cheering for the vendors
the law of comic opposites
tension and release

Each chapter, he not only explains the comedic tool, he encourages the reader to practice the tool. For example, in the chapter, The Comic Premise, readers must write a mundane task (i.e., going to a store) and what would make that out of the ordinary (shopping for Uzis). Here's one example I liked: a mundane event--the Magna Carta; out of the ordinary rejoinder--written by e.e. cummings.

In a nutshell, Vorhaus breaks comedy down into its bits and pieces. Yes, some people are blessed with the comic gene, a funny bone that turns life into a laugh tape, but the rest of us need help. Since I'm a firm believer that every story goes better with a sense of humor (I get a lot of my funny-isms from my naturally-talented husband), you'll want to spend a couple hours with this book.
54 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Harry Palms
5.0 out of 5 stars Ima Fool
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2023
Verified Purchase
I made a mistake.
I read the title as The Comic's Toolbox (as in performer) instead of what it actually is: The Comic Toolbox (as in author).
I've read about half , so far. It's a very good book and it has some wonderful, informative, and helpful nuggets of knowledge. I especially like the author's style of brainstorming aspects of character to accommodate developing comedic potential.
Any furthering of the understanding of comedy will benefit the aspiring standup comic, and this book defiantly falls within that category. (Who else hears a giant "but" coming?) - - - But, the targeted demographic of this book is not the purveyors of standup comedy.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Sue Laliberte
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, very useful
Reviewed in Canada on August 13, 2023
Verified Purchase
A fun and informative read. Well done
Report
Meshare Obaid
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 4, 2023
Verified Purchase
Great
Report
Kati
5.0 out of 5 stars Must have
Reviewed in Germany on November 25, 2022
Verified Purchase
Dieses Buch ist ein Must have für Alle, die wissen wollen, wie Comedy funktioniert. Es gibt nicht nur Infos über die Grundstrukturen jeder guten Comedy, sondern auch jede Menge Übungen, um seiner eigenen Kreativität auf die Beine zu helfen.
Report
Paulo
5.0 out of 5 stars Bom livro
Reviewed in Brazil on September 15, 2020
Verified Purchase
Um bom livro pra quem besta interessado em aprender os mecanismos da escrita cômica
Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in France on September 23, 2020
Verified Purchase
Funny, informative, practical and well written. Now I need 15 more words to fill up the word quota - Amazon doesn't like it concise.
Report