Gene Perret

Articles by Gene Perret

How to Write Badly to Write Better

In a previous column, I noted that the magic bullet for writing success is to Be Good At What You Do. If you want to be a writer, learn to write. That earlier article practically guaranteed that if you became a good writer and continued to become a better writer that the profession could not ignore you.

The question you might be asking, then, is 'How do I become a good wri... (read more)

Surefire Formula for Writing Success

Archangel Shecky makes an arrogant pronouncement that he can teach infallible, irrefutable, unassailable, one-size-fits-all formula for success. "Who is this blowhard who makes such an astounding claim?" you ask. I'm glad you did. He's the lead character in my most recent book, and instructional novel called Breakfasts with Archangel Shecky.

He claims to be an a... (read more)

Writing to a Quota

Whenever I do interviews or seminars concerning my book, The New Comedy Writing Step by Step, interviewers and writers invariably ask "What's the first thing a person should do if he or she wants to become a comedy writer?" My response is a two-parter and although it's aimed primarily at comedy writing, it applies equally as well to all writing.

It might seem that the first part ... (read more)