Be Master of Your Domain
Comedians tend to take what they are offered. A club owner will say, “I'll give you $100 to middle for me next weekend.” And most comedians will simply accept. Most areas of show business don't work this way. You need to set your price, and stick to it.
That's in a perfect world, of course. The fact is that there are other comedians that will happily take that spot if you turn it down.
When you write something great, get excited about it! Make sure that your excitement and commitment shows in your work. And when you get the chance to pitch your work, be confident in your ideas and sell it. Many comedians give very flat readings when they are pitching a script.
So what's the answer? How do you change things? You must be in control of your own career and not at the mercy of someone else. That doesn't mean that you should turn down the gig. Take it, but realize you are getting more from the experience of the stage time than the club owner knows. He thinks he's using you, but in reality you are using him — and getting paid to do so. As you develop a following and recognize that people are coming to see you, that's when you can start negotiating your price for future shows.
