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I found this advice on the Web today, and I thought it was really encouraging for all of us wanna-be writers!
14.) What is your advice for aspiring Muppet writers?
It's the same as it is for aspiring non-Muppet writers: Write. And keep writing… then, after you've done that… re-write. And keep re-writing. You really have to develop your craft and keep working at it. One difficult thing that you have to deal with when you're just starting out (and even when you're a veteran) is that the majority of material you write will never see the light of day. But that doesn't mean you've wasted your time. Every unused spec script (a script written "on speculation") will teach you something new for the next time. Here are a few helpful hints.
Don't just stay in front of the TV or the computer… live life so you have something fresh to write about.
Get the basics down – figure out how to tell a story and how to build a character.
Don't just write a book or a script from scratch. Start with an outline – but don't be afraid to change it as you write.
Don't sweat the script format stuff too much. It's more important to develop your style and ability. You can figure out how to indent, center, etc. at a later date.
Stay open to criticism and be prepared to learn from your mistakes.
And for people who want to specifically write for the Muppets, my advice is to really know the characters. All Muppet humor is dependent upon the characters and the way they interact. We do verbal jokes and sight gags – but what really makes them funny is knowing our characters and how they will react to certain things. The jokes Fozzie tells aren't funny – but we laugh because Fozzie is trying so desperately hard to be the funniest stand-up bear comic in the world with the oldest material known to man. If he was just a guy who kept telling bad jokes, he would be annoying – but his earnestness and innocence in the face of abject failure make him both lovable and funny.
Craig Shemin
Muppet Writer
Creative Services
The Jim Henson Company
14.) What is your advice for aspiring Muppet writers?
It's the same as it is for aspiring non-Muppet writers: Write. And keep writing… then, after you've done that… re-write. And keep re-writing. You really have to develop your craft and keep working at it. One difficult thing that you have to deal with when you're just starting out (and even when you're a veteran) is that the majority of material you write will never see the light of day. But that doesn't mean you've wasted your time. Every unused spec script (a script written "on speculation") will teach you something new for the next time. Here are a few helpful hints.
Don't just stay in front of the TV or the computer… live life so you have something fresh to write about.
Get the basics down – figure out how to tell a story and how to build a character.
Don't just write a book or a script from scratch. Start with an outline – but don't be afraid to change it as you write.
Don't sweat the script format stuff too much. It's more important to develop your style and ability. You can figure out how to indent, center, etc. at a later date.
Stay open to criticism and be prepared to learn from your mistakes.
And for people who want to specifically write for the Muppets, my advice is to really know the characters. All Muppet humor is dependent upon the characters and the way they interact. We do verbal jokes and sight gags – but what really makes them funny is knowing our characters and how they will react to certain things. The jokes Fozzie tells aren't funny – but we laugh because Fozzie is trying so desperately hard to be the funniest stand-up bear comic in the world with the oldest material known to man. If he was just a guy who kept telling bad jokes, he would be annoying – but his earnestness and innocence in the face of abject failure make him both lovable and funny.
Craig Shemin
Muppet Writer
Creative Services
The Jim Henson Company
