How to write like Peter McGraw, author of Shtick to Business and The Humor Code
“Cappuccino and go.”
Dr. Peter McGraw is the world’s top academic expert on the science of humor. I devoured his fascinating 2014 book The Humor Code (and wrote about it here) when it came out.
But when McGraw announced that he was releasing a business book about what leaders can learn from comedy, I was intrigued on a second front. Much of my own writing has explored how innovation tends to happen when you import ideas from different fields. That’s exactly what McGraw’s new book, Shtick to Business does — and masterfully so. This book can give a leg up to any leader — not on how to be funny, but on how to improvise, how to test ideas, how to get and keep attention, and much more.
What rituals do you have as a writer?
PM: I go to a comfortable coffee shop, have a delicious cappuccino (I am drinking one right now), and go.
What’s your writing toolkit?
PM: A cappuccino, laptop, and noise cancelling headphones.
I also enjoy writing with pen and paper. I don’t care what pen I use, but I like yellow legal pads or an 8” x 5” notebook (especially when I am on the go).
What was your process for putting together SHTICK TO BUSINESS?
PM: The book contains “serious” lessons from the masters of comedy. After I decided to write the book, I created a set of manila file folders one for each lesson that I was considering. Then I filled each folder with printed articles, notes, and scribbles on cocktail napkins.
After I had enough information in the folders, I decided which lesson could stay and which should go — and began making piles that would become chapters. I would then use those piles as the starting point for chapters.
How did you use the principles of the book in your life (if applicable) while you were writing it?
PM: I used the lessons from Shtick to Business all along the way. There are too many to mention, so I will give you an example. In Chapter 5, which is called Write it or Regret it.
In that chapter, I write about how writing can help clarify ideas and present the value of the “one pager” in deciding how good an idea is. I wrote the one pager for the book and if you look at it (available as part of a free workbook on my website) you will see how closely the book lines up with those initial ideas. One pagers are the best starting point for any big project that you are considering.
Where do you go for inspiration?
PM: Where I am currently: Joshua Tree — a magical place. Back home in Boulder, there is a trail run that I do once a week without my phone. I do some of my best thinking on that run.
Who’s your favorite writer, and why?
PM: Why choose? I have favorite writers depending on what I am looking for. For example, I like Earnest Hemingway for his commitment to the craft (and his robust life). I like Michael Lewis for his ability to make complex ideas accessible. I like Agatha Christie’s ability to create mystery. I like Confucius for his wisdom — and ability to write short.
What’s the first book you remember loving?
PM: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.
What’s your best piece of advice for writers?
PM: Writes write. Write every day.
What do you want written on your tombstone?
PM: I don’t want to a tombstone. Cremation, please.
