Re-visiting the power of headings

Turn your clutch of notes into actual stand-up

This is a re-write of an earlier article. I’ve re-written some bits for clarity.

I am always very excited to share this technique with people. It's a simple way to enhance and edit your stand-up material.

First I'll give a detailed explanation of the exercise, and a more concise summary will be at the end.

Writing is winning 🏆

When I am teaching my beginners class I always encourage free-form writing. I have lots of writing exercises that encourage quantity over quality, with the mantra “writing is winning”. I believe free-form writing encourages authentic comedy, as opposed to “joke writing” which often encourages hack material from fledgling stand-ups.

Winner

Although as the student show closes in, we do need to think about editing down people’s clutch of mad notes. I’m never concerned because this editing exercise can help turn free-form writing into actual stand-up.

This is unedited material from my student Jake.

I really like going to crossfit… ok …I like the open showers after crossfit, its cheaper and probably cleaner than going to a sex club. Obviously I don’t have sex there. At my local cross fit box we have very abusive trainers. I keep accidentally booking classes with a lady called Anne-Sophie, she’s a cross between a yoga mum and a chav. She constantly berates me for not focusing on exercises “JAKE YOU ARENT FOCUSING ON EXERCISE”:. She really delights in being mean to members. I have found myself in a Stockholm syndrome situation; I’ve learnt not answer back to her anymore. I have accepted that it’s an important part of my muscle growth journey.

Give each section of your material a clickbait-ish heading

The headings should be so juicy that if your set was presented as only the headings, people would want to click through to hear the whole bit. Or at least think of a really enticing heading that sums up what your material is about.

I can’t tell you how important it is to know exactly what your joke is about! This stops meandering unconnected ideas - if it doesn’t add, it distracts. Also, the bit might not be about exactly what you think it’s about.

I write more about this here:

Identify the emotional core of your joke, and write better jokes

Tips for your headings:

1. The heading should summarise what the funny/interesting part is of the joke.

2. The headings should be detailed and specific.

3. This is the same as the Improv term “game” which I talk more about in this article:

Lessons stand-ups can learn from improvisers #1: Game

3. The headings can be any length, and they don’t have to be in the classic Buzzfeed style (and you won’t believe number 10!).

4. Anything that isn't related to the heading should be moved to another heading, unless it's a deliberate tangent.

Wow, a lot of penis in the news today

If you can't think of a good enticing heading, then maybe the material is… shit? Don't feel bad about that, what are the chances that everything you write is gold? But don't throw it right in the bin, this exercise could help you find a much better angle. Keep asking yourself, what am I trying to say here?

Let’s have a go giving Jake’s material an evocative heading. The first thing that strikes me is this is 2 bits of material. Lets focus on one at at time. Brainstorm as many headlines as you can.

Crossfit is cheaper than a sex-club

The best part about cross-fit is when it’s over and you get to perv at everyone in the shower room.

I only like to exercise if I get to look at strange peen after.

I was about ready to throw this bit in the trash compactor, but that last heading gave me a chuckle. Just writing these headlines has given me some ideas.

Let's try and re-focus the first part of Jake's material with this new angle.

I hate cross-fit, but as a gay man I am contractually obliged to do it as your percentage body fat is inversely proportional to how much love you are worthy of. (This could be it's own heading). It's not all bad, in the shower room after you get to ogle at least 17 different peens. I keep a log book like a bird-watcher. “June 16, lesser uncircumcised south west pointing” (come up with better, more specific mapping jokes later). In fact now I refuse to exert myself unless I get to see genitals. It's working out great, hardly any of my friends ask me to help them move any more.

This is a pretty good start. let's move on to part 2.

Abusive cross-fit instructors make your muscles bigger, I hope?

I’m in an abusive relationship with my cross-fit mommy, I hope it pays dividends on my physique.

Hurt me cross-fit mommy! Make my muscles big and strong!

No amount of abuse my cross-fit trainer throws at me can come close to the mental abuse I inflict on myself

I will put up with any amount of mental or physical abuse for abs

WTF am I doing?

I had lots of fun writing these headlines and they gave me plenty of ideas. There's some crossover between this bit and the last but I'm not going to finesse these bits as they're just examples to show you this exercise really works.

…my cross-fit gym is run by bullies. And that's why I chose it. No pain no gain, right? No belittlement, mental abuse, self-harm and inferiority complex brought on by a society that values low body fat percentage over emotional well-being (cry a little). I'm ok. I just remember what my cross-fit trainer mommy told me “YOU CALL THAT A PLANK YOU FUCKING LOSER, TUCK YOUR LEGS IN YOU WORM!”. But it's working for me! (Lift shirt to reveal drawn on abs)

Again this is a pretty good start, inspired by having a solid heading(s) that tell me exactly what this material is about.

Exercise summary

1. Break your material in to bits (sections) and brainstorm as many clickbait headings as you can for the bit. You don't have to choose just one as your final heading. It's not like you'd say the heading out loud (unless you wanna?), It's just for the exercise.

2. If you can't think of a heading you like at all, maybe this bit isn't that good yet? Come back to it another time.

3. Make sure everything under a heading is related to it (or a deliberate aside). Move anything else to a new heading or delete it entirely as maybe it's just waffle.

I really hope this helps you. Please comment below if you liked it or if anything was unclear.

Shows Berlin

• Thu 16.04.25 @ 8pm - The Improvised Stand-Up Show - Link
  @ 9.30pm - Dennis Racket Deconstructs Smoke Break – Slacker & deconstruction improv - Link

• Thu 17.04.25 @ 9.30pm - Action Jackson - Armando improv - Link

• Fri 18.04.25 @ 9.30pm - Roadkill - Road Trip improv - Link

• Sat 19.04.25 @ 9.30pm - It’s That Time Of The Month - Improvised variety show - Link

Teaching plugs Berlin

• Beginner’s Stand-up in April is sold out! May classes are now available - Link

• I’m teaching Level 3 Improv with Comedy Cafe Berlin - Link

• Vouchers for my classes/coaching make cool presents! Link

World Wide Web Plugs

• Berlin Stand-Up School - berlinstandupschool.com

• Comedy Cafe Berlin - comedycafeberlin.com

• Linktree - carolineclifford.com