RADIO COMEDY WRITING QUESTION: I've only been in radio a few years, but recognize your name as one of the gurus of radio. I am hoping you can spare me just a couple moments of your time. In case you're curious, I got your e-mail address off the Daily Comedy Exclusive prep site. I am looking to either do freelance work or get a job with a prep service or morning show team writing comedy, bits, song parodies, etc. My question is, How do I network? I have a tape with some bits on it. I'd love for you to give it a listen, but I understand if you are too busy. The bits are raw...I'm in a small market, I work alone, and I've had to teach myself production. I'm primarily a writer/idea man, and I'm proud of these bits in that respect. If you can't or won't listen to my tape, I am hoping you can at least point me in the direction of any reference books, publications or websites from which I can contact and/or apply to professionals and companies that might be interested in my services. I am a morning show co-host, but I'm not necessarily looking for air time. I mainly want to work as part of a team (preferably one consisting of people I can learn from). Just having collaborators would be a new experience for me! I desperately want to go places in this business, and look forward to ANY help you can offer. DAN REPLIES: Sure, feel free to send me a tape. My address is: Dan O'Day 11060 Cashmere Street Los Angeles, California 90049 >how do I network? Submit written bits & ideas to DCE; get your name in front of as many fellow radio people as possible, as frequently as possible. Contact the various comedy services to inquire about their submission policies. Most comedy services are always looking for people to help fill their daily or weekly quotas. You'll find them listed in the R&R Program Supplier Directory. (Some of the bigger ones are All Star Radio — whom you already know, obviously — American Comedy Network, and Premiere Radio.) Submit scripts and/or recorded bits to some of your heroes in much bigger markets. Again, even the most successful comedy-oriented radio people always need as much good material as they can get. Attend radio conventions, conferences & seminars. Submit your airchecks to aircheck compilers (e.g., California Aircheck) in the hopes of more people hearing your work. Make yourself visible to the rest of the industry. (You might want to check out our audio seminar, RADIO SELF-PROMOTION: "Guerilla Tactics for Jocks and PDs." Find good radio comedy and immerse yourself in it; have friends send you tapes from other markets, if necessary. (I know that my work has been greatly influenced by both Nichols & May and The Credibility Gap. The former I heard only on record; the latter I heard live on the radio in Los Angeles, three times a day, five days a week.)