How I Make My Meagher Living as a Stand Up
I’ve made my living entirely from writing and performing for most of my adult life. First, as a musician, and now as a Comedian. A lot of people (especially those newer to the industry) have asked how I do it, so I thought I’d outline a few of the things that helped me along the way. This is by no means a definitive guide, just a few realisations and revelations I wish I’d come to sooner, or known at the very start.
You are not special, No one is asking you to do this, you are not owed a living
You want to be rich? be a banker. You want to be famous? be a serial killer. Comedy will offer neither of these things in 99.9% of cases.
You have chosen to do this, and your career path is by no means set in stone. most guys will get a few club gigs and that is it. Some never make it out of the open mic scene. You want people to like you? prove you are good. Do not wait for other people to make your opportunities, make your own. This is a business, and must be treated as such. You are your brand, so present professionally and have confidence in your abilities. No gigs? put on your own. Bad material? Write more. Gig often. Create always. Most importantly, never start a project of your own thinking ‘Will this make me money?’ Make good things first, then sell them. You won’t know something’s worth until you make it, and if you try to pander, it will be shit.
You are what you say you are
If you perform every night at open mics, post about it all the time, and get consumed with the minutia of petty squabbles in comedy forums, you are telling the world you are an open mic comedian. Open mic comedians do not get paid. Day after day on facebook I see people posting pictures of themselves in small rooms doing badly, or writing about no one being at a show. With this, you are telling the world you aren’t any good. You are placing yourself publicly on the bottom rung.
Gigging is a way to build a network of friends and business partners. Don’t double up, the drinks after shows are where the business happens. 1 hour of socialising with good driven acts is worth infinite stage time. The ‘Grind’ is a lie, pick the right shows with the right people, not the most shows. Work Smart.
We all know that you don’t smash it every night. for every full theatre there’s an empty pub, and bad gigs at every level, but don’t show the world that. Bookers and other comedians should see nothing but good rooms and smashing it. If people think you’re good, you are.
Social Media is a relentless, remorseless god.
How you present yourself is key. There’s an old adage, ‘He who is often seen is important’. post good press shots of yourself regularly, and make sure people know it’s you. Don’t be petty or argumentative, as it will turn bookers off. Make videos, Write, make yourself seen.
The hardest part is not over saturating. If you’ve shows you want people to come to, use your social media to show them WHY they should come. a good rule is 3 posts of fun to one post of promotion. Engage with your audience, ask questions, and post fun things. make them feel they want to interact with you, rather than you are begging them for attention. The right balance of confident without cockiness is very hard to achieve, but worth striving for. Look at people who’s socials you interact with regularly, and see how yours compares.
Make a lot. I used to think you should be a bit more discerning with releases, but now my attitude has changed. Make lots, release lots. if it offends you in a few years, take it down. You never know what might hit, and you should lean into the things that do. tiktok, youtube, spotify, whatever. Just get it out!
Diversify
Just being a stand up is not enough. You are up against amazing Polymaths who can do everything. pick a few good auxiliary skills and add them to your tool box. A lot of my work is generated because I can fill multiple roles within a project. Write articles, record podcasts, learn to edit, learn about sound and music. the more you can do yourself, the more control you’ll have, and the more hireable you are. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SELLING OUT. If you can use your creative skills to make money, do so. It’s 100 times better than working in Sainsbury's, and work generates other work.
Be Available
‘Yes’ is the answer. Play good gigs wherever you can, chose work over life. if you don’t the people who do will take that job. Be available to contact whenever and wherever. Take risks, no one ever succeeded without it.
This comes with a downside. My work is everything, and relationships and personal connections are often strained. Creative jobs have odd hours and lots of travelling and away time. You must be ready for this. For better or worse, art comes first.
Don’t be afraid to ask
This was a big one for me. Art requires patronage, time, and support. If, like me, you are from a working class background, you are starting at a disadvantage. There’s a reason that Comedy is almost exclusively a Middle Class playground, you need a support network, and you need money. Don’t be afraid to negotiate high, ask for help, and engage patrons. The rich kids don’t think twice about it, and neither should you. The worst that can happen is they say no, the best thing is you get to make a project you care about.
Love what you do
Money is important. Without it, life gets very difficult very quickly. If money means a lot to you, this is probably not the career for you. Lean months are always going to happen, and being self employed means days off are rare. You must do this because you love it, first and foremost. If you want to be famous, don’t do this. If you want to be rich, don’t do this. If the reason you live is to make things, then do. It’s a sacrifice, but hopefully a worthy one.
