Tommy Kramer Coaching Tip #598: Real to Silly is Better than Silly to Real

The best Content is about real life situations, shared in little bursts. If you start with an unreal situation, there’s no emotional buy-in (unless you couch it as fantasy or exaggeration).

But going from Real to Silly is better than going from Silly to Real. (Knowing when to stop is the key to this – and I’ll share some thoughts about how to attain, or at least, sharpen this skill in a future tip.)

The last line in the opening scene of a TV sitcom is a good example. The great writers know this is almost always the first line that “kills” (meaning it worked exceptionally well). On the radio, it’s really hard to come up with another one that lives up to the first one that “ignited” itself in your brain. But I hear air talent trying to top themselves, come up with another GREAT one all the time. So here’s a little composition tip: the best rhythm is that things have to breathe a bit, then surprise you again. Hope this helps you!