How to write a roast that actually lands.
The craft notes behind every roast that earns the standing ovation. Structure, timing, what to keep in, what to cut, and the unspoken rules every good roast follows. The full guides are coming soon. In the meantime, here are the three rules that show up in every speech that works.
Read the Three Rules →
Three rules every roast that lands actually follows.
Lead with affection.
The audience needs to feel that you care about this person before the first jab lands. Warmth first, then the knife. Without it, every joke after sounds mean instead of funny.
Trade volume for vivid.
One sharp, scene-setting line lands harder than five general ones. Pick the moment everybody in the room remembers and build the joke from there.
End on warmth.
The last line is the one people remember. Bring the room back to why you actually care about this person. The laughs earn the sentiment, the sentiment earns the standing ovation.
