How Do You Write Your Humor?

[Matt Willard]

Normally I follow a mechanical process. After I write and revise an article, I slip in jokes near the ends of paragraphs. (Dave Barry advised on doing this so there's some buildup.) Here's how I write a joke, based on the sequence of steps from The New Comedy Writing Step By Step:

1. I figure out the set up.
2. I examine each word of the set up and ask questions about them, and ask questions about those questions, looking for the unexpected twist or comparison.
3. When I have the twist/comparison I want, I rephrase it in a subtle or exaggerated way.

This takes some time, I admit, but it's a useful procedure when a joke doesn't immediately pop up. Maybe you have a quicker way. How do you write your humor?

[KTC]

I write the first word, then the second, then the third...and so on until I'm done. I don't outline or plan anything that I write, especially not humour.

[Cliff Face]

I just let myself be weird, and wit flows forth.

The trick is letting yourself be weird in public - being loud and obnoxious doesn't cut it, because virtually every teen is already covering that base, and to be weird you need to be different. Personally I find sitting quietly and judging people based on their shoes inspires me to comedy, and everybody looks at me funny, so I must be doing something right. :)

Or you could just sit and meditate in front of that poster of the cat hanging from a washing line that says, "Hang in there, pal," or whatever.

But seriously, I just let the humour come to me. It's not something I have to grab for - indeed cannot grab for, as witnessed last night when my sister asked to come up with a joke that starts: "I'm busier than..." and involves a hooker in some way. Complete blank.

Well, maybe, "I'm busier than a hooker in LA." But my sister didn't laugh, so I'm counting that as a fail.

The point is, I wouldn't use a single formula for bringing comedy into my writing - I'd much rather read what I've already written and see one of the many patterns available than to try and write "to" that pattern.

Cliff

[cray]

the formula is simple….

first, get to know each audience member personally. spend a least one year as their friend (i'm not talking about facebook either). during that year take detailed notes on things that make that person smile, chuckle, giggle or laugh.

using your notes, write something amusing for them to read.

repeat this process for everyone.

[Matt Willard]

Hmmm. I personally think I could stand to do more...well, stuff. The life experience I get has helped with my speed. I just need to do it more.

[Dr.Gonzo]

I try not to plan anything. That's plan. What I do is just look for the funny in situations, and save them for the right time. There's a massive difference between planning and storing. I store everything for a time when a connection is there for it to shine. You plan a joke too much and it'll seem scripted and forced. Be natural; don't put too much thought into anything in the first draft - fly by the seat of your pants - and then refine in the editing process.

I don't really use 'jokes' in my writing. I'm more interested in crazy situations that snowball into the Land of Bizarre. Think Chuck Palaniuk or Hunter S. Thompson. I prefer the weird to the funny ha-ha.

[mostlylegit]

I have two kind of posts on my site, news style stories and interview based ones. For the news style I don't plan, I just find a funny angle and start writing.

For the interview based ones though, I do try and have a plot overview. I writing writing blind, but would find myself lost in the middle. So when there is some sort of progression of events, I like the note down a brief and general plot then write around it.

[Jaycinth]

the formula is simple….

first, get to know each audience member personally. spend a least one year as their friend (i'm not talking about facebook either). during that year take detailed notes on things that make that person smile, chuckle, giggle or laugh.

using your notes, write something amusing for them to read.

repeat this process for everyone.

I usually just spend a year lurking in Cray's closets; making noises, tossing dirty socks at guests, dressing the rats up in whimsical clothing...you know, that sort of thing.

Then when I have enough recorded, I get Cray real drunk, and offer to put it on You Tube for him.


Much mirth follows!

[wordwaymike]

I sneak up on a comedic premise that fits well within the parameters of the story's plot line. Then I club it like a baby seal! Until I have hammered that baby seal... uh, I mean comedic premise directly into the psyche of those people that think jokes about clubbing baby seals are hilarious!

Metaphorically speaking of course.

Sometimes, I find that my humor takes flight when I refrain from the hammer/baby seal scenario and "cut to the chase" by just getting hammered my own damn self.

Sometimes it is the mystical, magical, musk scented influence of my muse Candy Wanda Trixie upon my craft, and libido that gets my comedic "mojo rising" as it were.

As you can see, there are more ways to skin a comedic cat than their are comedic cats available to be skinned!

That's why we've had to start putting humorous club to the baby seal elements of the story, while hammered.

Or, something like that.

[Newguy1428]

Hi, I usually spend my time practicing my craft in other forums...to the cries of cyberbullying by other guests. I recently started writing humorously as a way to let off steam. It beats all of the harrasing PMs from the well meaning moderators. There's nothing like a wisecrack to make somebody just trying to do their job act like a Nazi. Try it...I dare you.

Meditation...that's funny. I don't know what kind of writing you guys do or plan to do, but I guess I am more of a take no prisoners, stand up comedian. Somebody told me meditation is the worst thing you can do for yourself...typing at the keyboard is second. This is gonna get me nowhere fast!

Humor? It's like jumping off a cliff for me because I just wrote a few kid's picture books that I'll have to scrap when I let my animal loose. I like those stories. They are cute and wicked at the same time.

How do I write humor? I write something like...I just finished eating dinner after washing a few of my dirty dishes...what a mess? Then, I make a viscious attack on drugs, Internet, and stupid jobs so on. When I dry up one of those things, I pose a seemingly harmless question, then drag you back down into the pit. What is it? Anger? Spite? Dis-illusionment? Being 39 y/o? Having 50 axes to grind? Being bombarded with non-sense in the media? This is what brings the big laughs. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that...on second thought, you probably saw that one coming.

People need a release in my opinion. They need somebody to say something about all of this mess. Here's some shit I wrote up the other night. I'll probably dig it up in a pinch some day, but you may enjoy it...

Why do people make such shitty jobs today? "Okay we're gonna pay somebody $7.00 an hour to be a lawyer." There's always that one guy, shit out of luck that says, “Alright, I'll do it.” And everybody else jumps on board. The first guy finally got his ponzi scheme off the ground and only needed to work a few hours and quit. The rest of us are like, “Why are we doing this for $7.00 bucks an hour?”

Did you ever make up like ten identities on a message board and have arguments with yourself? I have. Then, your marks, start siding with one of your alter-egos and you find yourself helping them gang up against yourself. The roughest part, is they always have the biggest problems with your identity that is least made up. It's as if the made up identities seem unassailable.

Later, these unwitting honest people go and get something you posted on another site where you were trying to get a rise out of people by saying only positive things. Jesus was crucified for saying good things. I believe it. Yeah, I could see him now posting on craigslist. “Come work with me. I am building the kingdom of God, I'll pay you later. It'll be great. No one has ever gotten along so well as I promise, but there'll be no more war.”

Then, some joker comes along and says, “What about what you said at this other message board about all of the rotting in hell stuff?” Jesus keeps on message and stays positive. Somebody then says, “We should end this now. Jesus freak is going blow up, I can tell, he keeps saying all of that nice garbage, creepy.” Someone else says, "Weird, why can't he pay minimum wage? I have a law degree.” ~from Lots of Luck, Buddy!

Thanks for your time. That was a nice release. Go back to your meditating and chai tea. I'm going back to drawing cute little pictures of carrots and celery dualling with katanas and machine guns.