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Mistakes Comedy Writers Make and How to Fix Them

August 19, 2026
Dive into the world of comedy writing. Amanda Graham explores the biggest mistakes in comedy scripts and how you can avoid them. For new and seasoned writers.

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Mistakes Comedy Writers Make and How to Fix Them

Scheduled

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Time

1 pm EDT / 10 am PDT

Duration

2 Hours

Cost

$35

Subject

Screenwriting

Topic

Craft

Comedy writers make a lot of mistakes. Like, they start writing before their lives are messed up just enough to begin. Or not using comedy writing for what it’s really intended—revenge. Or … heaven forbid, they start dating comedians.

This isn’t about that. We can talk about that over beer afterwards.

This session’s about the craft. The biggest mistakes in comedy scripts and how YOU can avoid them. For new and seasoned writers.

Some of the mistakes we’ll talk about…

1. Underdeveloped storyworld: Weak storyworld = weak jokes. We’ll learn to build a solid world that’ll cradle your characters, theme, and storylines.

2. Not character-led: Ignore your characters at your peril. We’ll go through the evil ways you can squeeze out all the juicy goodness and belly laughs from them.

3. They stop before it gets funny—Ouch. Yeah, this one hurts. But it’s true. We'll help you make your scripts one-jillion* percent funnier.

Want to know more? And hear the rest of the list? Come to the session.

You'll be able to avoid the mistakes that drive competition readers, development producers, script editors, and directors batshit crazy. And you'll make your writing a lot stronger. 

*One jillion is not a guarantee. 

Questions about registration? Check our handy FAQ page.

Events are recorded and emailed to all who register.

*NOTE: If you want the recording sent to you, do not check off the box in the Zoom Events registration process that restricts us from obtaining your email address and do not unsubscribe from Symposium emails.

Confirmation emails come from Zoom Events—search your inbox for noreply-zoomevents@zoom.us—not Pipeline Media Group.

Host

Amanda Graham
Amanda Graham has written 23 eps of BBC tv and edited scripts and ghostwritten pitch decks for 92 film and tv development projects including for the BBC and Channel 4 and the Zero Gravity Group. She has two of her own projects with Olivia Colman and Ed Sinclair's indie South of the River, one with Colman and Tristram Shapeero […]

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Mistakes Comedy Writers Make and How to Fix Them

August 19, 2026
Dive into the world of comedy writing. Amanda Graham explores the biggest mistakes in comedy scripts and how you can avoid them. For new and seasoned writers.

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