17.3 – How to Write Like Dan Soder

Instructor:
Jerry Corley

Most comedians learn to write jokes that are relatable—but relatability alone isn’t enough to create lasting impact.

In this lesson, you’ll explore how starting with truth is only the first step in building powerful comedy. Using examples inspired by Dan Soder, you’ll see how relatable, self-aware material can generate consistent laughs—while also revealing what may be missing when a joke doesn’t escalate.

Soder’s style highlights an important distinction in comedy writing: he often turns the joke inward, using self-deprecation and personal shortcomings as the primary target. While this creates strong connection and likability, it can limit the level of tension, conflict, and stakes within a bit.

This lesson will show you how to push beyond that first laugh.

You’ll learn how comedians like Bill Burr and George Carlin take similar relatable ideas and expand them by introducing friction—challenging behavior, exposing hypocrisy, and building toward what Carlin called the “unassailable truth.”

You’ll explore how comedy evolves when you:

👉 Move from self-deprecation to identifying a target or antagonist
👉 Build tension through contrast, conflict, and point of view
👉 Raise the stakes so the audience feels something beyond recognition
👉 Push a premise far enough to create an “Oh sh*t… that’s true” moment

You’ll also examine the psychology of the comedy audience—why people come to a live show not just to laugh, but to be given permission to step outside the norms of everyday behavior and thinking.

Throughout the lesson, you’ll work through structured exercises that take a simple, relatable premise and expand it in multiple directions:

👉 Inward (self-target / Soder-style)
👉 Outward (other-target / Burr-style)
👉 System-level (cultural critique / Carlin-style)

These drills will train you to recognize where your material may be stopping short—and how to push it further without losing the laugh.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll understand that comedy isn’t just about telling the truth—it’s about how far you’re willing to take it.

📜 Transcript is available by clicking the transcript icon 🎬 on the video control bar.