I'm sorry it's been so long since I posted anything new. I've been very busy writing gags. I spend a lot of time reading newspapers and magazines, watching news on TV and listening to news on the radio. I also read news online and the stories on newyorker.com. I try to keep up with what's going on in the world and that's where I get a lot of my material. I'm also trying to focus more on personal experience, because the best humor is based on truth. I take my writing very seriously.
Of course there's rejection. Plenty of it. The fact that I keep persevering, coming up with new material, editing it, slanting it, perfecting it, sending it out again and again, it all must be very important to me.
I also read books about comedy writers and how they work and come up with material. A book I'm reading right now is "And Here's the Kicker," by Mike Sacks. I really like reading non-fiction books about comedy writers. It gives me ideas and lets me know I'm not alone.
I'm also grateful that I can write gags full time. It gives me the freedom to devote large chunks of time to read and write without feeling rushed. It's a luxury in a way.
Well, that's it for now. I wish great success to all my readers. Any comments, email me at: gagsbyhelene@gmail.com.
