Winging It

I'm friends with a stand up comedian. When you have friends who do stand up, you often see the same material performed multiple times. It's a great way to watch how someone hones their craft, and it gives you a whole new level of respect for how hard it is. When the bit is new, I've seen my friend take the stage and "wing it". This has occasionally resulted in some pretty uncomfortable stage time. Then I've seen the same material worked at multiple shows, until its absolutely routine. At that point, when she goes up, she seems completely relaxed, her set almost unrehearsed. And it usually kills. But that's the set that looks like it took no effort—like she was "winging it". One of the more vexing things about craftsmanship is that sometimes, to get it to the level you are striving for, there's almost no perception of the work it took to get there.