The subject of today‘s Q&A is Emily Wilson 

What’s the best bit of advice you’ve been ever been given from a seasoned comic? 

To put in the hours, and just keep writing and getting on stage. The only way to get better is to do it all the time. Oh, and also ‘be funnier’. Someone told me that once and it really helped!

And what has proved to be the least useful? 

Probably any notion of figuring out a joke on stage. If I find something off-the-cuff by accident, that’s fantastic. Those are the magic moments I live for. But I think different processes work for different people and, for me, I need to know exactly what I’m saying before I go on stage. I guess that makes me kind of like a robot in a way, which is really cool.

Is there one thing that keeps cropping up when people talk to you about Edinburgh in August? 

When I tell people I’m doing the Fringe, their first question is always, ‘what are you gonna do about your voice?!’ They ask me this because I lose my voice all the time, so the idea of me doing a show where I talk and sing for an hour for 25 nights in August kinda makes you go, ‘good luck with that, girlfriend’! I’m working with a vocal coach for this reason. Apparently having three Negronis after every show ‘doesn’t help’?

 What’s your favourite word that begins in ‘e’? 

‘Eat’. Examples of how I like to use it include, ‘time to eat!’ and ‘what should we get to eat?’ and ‘let’s eat!’

 I guess that makes me like a robot in a way, which is really cool

Is there one act you absolutely HAVE to see in August? 

I am embarrassed to say that the only acts I really know in the Festival are fellow New York comedians. That being said, I’m extremely excited to meet new artists and see all the fantastic shows that will be on this year. I’ve heard the best of stories about the memories made and the shows you discover at the Fringe; I can’t wait to experience it myself. And it will also be fun to support my New York friends like Mary Beth Barone, Catherine Cohen, Zach Zucker and Marcia Belsky while across the pond!

Picture yourself in early September: what would constitute a successful Fringe for you? 

Being able to buy a ticket back to New York! Ha ha, just kidding. Although I haven’t bought a return flight yet. Do most people wait to do that? Hope so! In my mind, a successful Fringe means that in early September I’m already locking in where I’m going to run my show next. Fixed (my show) means so much to me, and I’m really looking forward to bringing it to The One And Only Place where so many great shows and comedians have been polished, shaped and honed.

 What percentage of your early stand-up performances is likely to appear in your Fringe debut? 

Zero. But my early singing performances? Well honey, that’s what my whole damn show’s about! I literally show footage of me singing on The X Factor when I was 15 in my Fringe show. But I don’t think anybody ever needs to hear the jokes I used to run at open mics in cold, humid New York City basement bars . . .

 Which other new comedian do you feel a special kinship with? And do you reckon it’s reciprocated? 

Mary Beth Barone, since we’re both newcomers from the New York scene who have never been to the Fringe. We’ve had a couple convos after shows here in New York à la ‘I’ve heard it’s going to be so insane.’ ‘Me too. Do you know where you’re living yet?’ ‘Nope!’ ‘Me neither!’ And I think when you’re away from home base, and in an environment as intense as the Fringe, having people you know there to connect with is wonderful. Plus, I think she’s so, so hilarious and original, and I can’t wait to check out her show. I’d like to think these feelings are indeed reciprocated . . . 

Which side of your family do you get your funny bones from? 

If I say my dad’s, my mom will be insulted and if I say my mom’s, my dad probably won’t care. So, my mom’s!

What will you do to keep fit and healthy (relatively speaking) during August? 

Genuinely thank you for asking me this because I’ve been wondering the same thing, and now I have a reason to have to devise some sort of plan. I will try my best to get decent sleep, stretch and hydrate. I’ll let you know on August 30th if I managed to do any of those. I will definitely be overdosing on Wellness Formula, which is a Vitamin C supplement that my director/co-writer Sam Blumenfeld turned me onto. Sam will be in Edinburgh with me for the whole run of the Fringe as well, so I suspect we’ll be keeping each other in check, vitamin/hydration/rest wise. And in terms of exercise . . . I’ve done a limited run of my show here in New York and have been physically wiped after just three consecutive nights, so I think cardio is off the table for me. But I WILL be bringing my two-pound weights to do Arms & Light Weights Peloton classes with Hannah Frankson and Leanne Hainsby. Yes to you crew!!!

Which word of six letters or more will crop up the most in your Edinburgh show?

‘Famous’. Yuck, never mind. Don’t go with that one. How about ‘Republican’? Is that any better?

Emily Wilson: Fixed, Pleasance Courtyard, 3–29 August, 10.25pm.