Elevate Your Comedy: Intermediate Sketch Techniques for the New Year
If you have already spent time writing basic, premise-driven sketch comedy, the new year is the perfect time to elevate your craft. Moving from beginner to intermediate sketch comedy means transitioning from simple “what if” scenarios to more complex, character-driven, and structurally nuanced scenes. This evolution involves honing your comedic voice, focusing on specific comedic tension, and embracing the absurdity that makes sketches truly memorable. The goal is no longer just to get a laugh, but to build a world where the laughter is earned through escalation and character commitment. Ditch the Simple Premise for Character-Driven Conflict
Beginner sketches often focus entirely on a one-note premise, such as “a restaurant where the waiter is rude.” While functional, an intermediate approach digs into the why and the who. Instead of just a rude waiter, create a waiter whose rudeness stems from a deep, misguided commitment to “tough love” to help customers lose weight. This shift turns a premise into a character study. The comedy arises from the character’s unique worldview, not just their action. When crafting new material, start with an interesting character in a stressful situation, rather than just a funny idea, and let the dialogue and conflict emerge naturally from their personality. Mastering the Art of Escalation
An intermediate sketch must escalate, meaning the stakes must get higher, the situation more absurd, or the character’s reaction more intense as the scene progresses. A common mistake is to have a great premise but nowhere to go after the first thirty seconds. To avoid this, apply the “Yes, and” rule, but turn it into “Yes, and… therefore.” If a character accepts a ridiculous premise, they must deal with the consequences of that acceptance in the next beat. The escalation should feel inevitable yet surprising. Map out your sketch to ensure that the final beat is significantly more intense or absurd than the first, creating a satisfying, high-energy climax. Focusing on Specificity in Scene Description and Dialogue
Specificity is the enemy of boring comedy. Intermediate sketches thrive on detailed, often bizarre, specific choices. Rather than having a character say they “did something bad,” have them explain that they “accidentally replaced the company mascot with a haunted Victorian doll.” Using specific nouns, brands, locations, and phrases makes the world feel real and increases the comedic potential. This applies to scene descriptions as well. A “messy office” is generic; a “desk overflowing with shredded documents and half-eaten yogurt containers” is a scene. Exploring Alternative Sketch Structures
Moving beyond the standard A-B-A-B conversation structure allows for more creative freedom. Intermediate sketch writers should experiment with non-linear narratives, montage-style sketches, or stories told through alternative mediums like corporate presentations, infomercials, or breaking news reports. A great exercise is taking a standard, one-scene premise and forcing it into a new format, such as telling the story of a breakup through the lens of a QVC product demonstration. This forces you to think differently about pacing and the delivery of information. Embrace the Absurd and Themed Writing
Intermediate comedy often embraces high-concept absurdity. This is the art of taking a truly bizarre, surreal premise and playing it with complete sincerity. The comedy comes from the characters treating the surreal as mundane. Furthermore, challenging yourself with a theme for the new year—such as writing entirely within one specific genre (
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