Kevin is a Cactus: The Seven Rules of Comedy
Sep 15, 2026
Online event
This energetic workshop teaches the seven rules of comedy and shows how writers can use surprise, timing, rhythm, and character to create memorable humor in any genre.
This energetic workshop teaches the seven rules of comedy and shows how writers can use surprise, timing, rhythm, and character to create memorable humor in any genre. Using rules from Vaudeville, Stand-up, and late-night television, Tom walks you through the science of comedy and how written and spoken comedy is a craft that can be learned... as long as you aren't a cactus. This event will be recorded, and a replay will be available for 30 days after the live event.
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Virtual
7pm-8:15pm Eastern Daylight Time
$30 standard/$15 for premium members
Learn more about your speaker
Tom Phillips is the Head Writer at Air Castle Entertainment, where he earned Two Anthem Awards for his work in animation. He is the author of The Curious League of Detectives and Thieves, a mystery-adventure series for middle-grade readers, which was nominated for the prestigious Mark Twain Award. A lifelong storyteller, Tom grew up as a dyslexic kid who clung to every tale his mom or older sister shared. Today, he writes books that are just as fun to read aloud as they are to read alone. Stories that invite reluctant readers in and keep them turning pages. Tom is also an accomplished video editor and artist, with credits including editing for the acclaimed Reading Rainbow. He lives in Burbank with his wife Autumn and their maltese dog, Falcon.