Comics say it’s the greatest high. You step into the light, take a swig of water, pick up the mic, then reduce a crowd of people to a mass of helpless laughter. Sure, the risks are great—silence, heckling, humiliation—but on a good night a stand-up feels richer than Notaro and Rock combined.

You “kill” or “die” depending on your material. Here you will learn techniques for writing and performing stand-up comedy, as well as how to market yourself.

Whether you favor shtick or sophistication, we’ll show you how to write standup material that makes ‘em laugh, and laugh some more.