Humor Writing
Humor Writing for People Who Aren’t Funny By Joe Bunting Being funny just seems to come naturally to some people. We all know the class clowns, office jokers, and court jesters who make us laugh. We know our favorite TV sitcoms and comedies who crack us up. And we, serious writers, may be thinking to ourselves, “I could never be that funny. I could never be that clever.” And maybe we’re right. But what if we could be funny in our own way? What would it take to find our own humor voices?
Anyone Can Be Funny Anyone can cause a reader to snicker and leave an audience in stitches. And every writer should take the time to learn humor writing because it’s the difference between flat writing and dynamic communication. There’s a reason why most public speakers open up their talks with a joke. When you get people laughing, you make a connection with your audience. Same goes for writing.
Tricks for Humor Writing
#1: State the Obvious Think Jerry Seinfeld or Brian Regan. What’s something so absurdly evident that no one’s seemed to notice? Talk about that. For example, my friend Bryan Allain shares this: “When you think about it, a spoon is really just a tiny bowl with a handle.”
#2: Be Subtle A well-told joke is understated. It allows the audience to fill in the blanks. It makes them feel like you’re letting them in on a secret. The trick to this kind of humor is to not over- explain the punch line.
#3: Surprise Your Audience Professional comedian Ken Davis once told me the secret to being funny: Set up a scene for your audience and then pull the rug out from under them. Spend 90% of your story convincing the listener you’re going in one direction, and then spend the last 10% going in a completely different one. It’s all about the set-up.
Surprise Your Audience, Pt. 2 The trick to all of this, of course, is to not try being funny. As with anything, in order for humor to seem effortless, it requires a lot of practice. I recently heard that Chris Rock spends five nights a week, doing standup at small clubs, bombing every single show. He uses these small audiences to test out his material and fail fast, so he can create something great for the big weekend show.
#4 Play With Words Be specific and use vivid imagery. Why describe something as ugly when you could say it’s an abomination? Why use the words yell, say, talk, or point when you could say screech, yammer, chit chat, or gesticulate? Why say a man did something when you could say an arsonist did it? Some words and phrases, like chuckle bucket, just sound funny.
Play With Words, Pt. 2 Create unusual metaphors. “He was taller than Yao Ming in stilettos.” “He was taller than an elf dancing in sequined platform heels on Stonehedge.” “She relaxed like soggy toast.” “Her hair was a fierce lion’s mane, sticking out in every direction.” “It would take quite a tractor to clear the rocks in his head.”
Play With Words, Pt. 3 Use puns!
#5 Don’t Assume You Need to Be Crude! The best types of humor are those that create laughs in a tasteful way! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm XiItk49Gw
Quick Assignment Activity: Now that we know some ways to add humor in our writing, you need to tell us something funny involving spoons. You can write about anything you want as long as there are spoons in the picture.