Writing Habits
Good writing will always save substandard art. But great art can never compensate for poor writing. Your ability as a humor writer will define you as a cartoonist. Therefore, it's important to address your writing as seriously as you address your illustration.
First, set aside a specific time for writing. Whether it's a little bit every day or an extended stretch on one given day, you need to get into the rhythm of creative writing. Once it becomes part of your routine, your brain will automatically prepare for the activity.
Make It a Habit
Embrace your own writing rituals. What makes you comfortable when writing? Do you write best at the computer or on a sheet of paper? Where do you do your best writing? Determine the factors that contribute to your success and repeat them.
Avoid tying yourself into an unnecessarily complex ritual. Sometimes you can spend more time gathering objects and waiting for specific times and places than you do actually writing. Stay flexible. Remember these rituals are there for you — not the other way around.
Warm-Ups
Take a few minutes to warm up. Like any activity, you'll use your time more efficiently if you don't dive into it cold. Try this warm-up technique:
Write down some random subjects on small pieces of paper and put them in a box.
Write some random situations on small pieces of paper and put them in a different box.
Choose a slip of paper from each box.
Write a simple gag based on the juxtaposition.
In two minutes — whether you've written a gag or not — choose two new slips.
Begin again.
Repeat for about ten minutes.
Of course, you can develop your own warm-up technique. The important thing is, keep the activity light and quick. Don't get bogged down in trying to work out complex gags. And don't obsess over one topic. If it doesn't flow, move on.
Writer's Block
Writer's block is horrible. It happens to everyone, so don't let yourself get frustrated. The key to fighting writer's block is identifying it early and taking steps to snap out of it.
Sometimes free association can help break through writer's block. Start writing whatever pops into your head and then follow your thoughts around. Write freely, without direction. If everyday anxieties — bills, rent, relationships — are at the root of your block, this may help to satisfy your subconscious urge to address these issues, at least momentarily.
Sometimes a mere change of scenery is all it takes to break out of a block. Take a walk or move to a different room of the house. If you typically work in a quiet setting, go down to the coffee shop. If you write in the morning, try again later that night. You just may stumble into a new writing ritual that works even better than your current one.
Finally, don't be too quick to declare yourself blocked. Writing is seldom a quick and easy process. It takes time. Stick with it for a solid forty-five minutes before you start to fear a block. Then, take a short break — maybe a walk around the neighborhood — and return for another attempt.
