90% of What You Write is Crap

In the world of comedy, the general consensus is that 90% of what you write will not be good enough. Whether you are a new comedian writing stand-up, a writer creating a Letterman Top 10 list or a Best-Selling author penning short stories, you’ll typically only use 10% of what you write.

The same applies to other types of writing. The key is to realize that this standard applies to all levels of skill. From the layman to the paid professional, the people only putting out their best work are throwing away 90% of what they’ve written.

So what does that mean for you as someone incorporating humor into their work? Well it helps to realize that you won’t necessarily come up with that great line on the first, second or even ninth try. But if you write 10 of them, chances are you’ll find a line that’s good enough.

Tagged as: comedy, creativity, featured, humor, pareto, writing

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