Should Humor Proposals Be Humorous?

I don't have direct experience doing this, but everything I've read points to YES. Your query should reflect the voice of the novel. Good Luck!

Since you say "proposal" I'm assuming it's a novel. I've never written a humorous novel, (or any other type novel) but if I had I wouldn't get too "cute" on the proposal.

But you called it a humorous "piece," which gives me the impression that it's a shorter chunk of prose than a novel.

I'm fermished.

When you write humorous SS's, Articles, essays, there are no queries. If that's what you're asking.

If you're talking a short piece that you'd submit to a magazine or humor ezine, then I do have experience in that and treating it like any other submission seems to work just fine. I write a short, professional cover letter, listing the piece, the word count, and where I've been published before, and thank them for their time.

I don't think they want to see a funny cover letter; I think they want to see a funny submission from an author who is professional.

In terms of a funny novel, there you'd need to do research into what your particular targeted agents would want to receive -- some seem to prefer business-like, some want the hook as the first sentence, etc.

Uh-oh. I always write a funny cover letter.

Maybe it wasn't so funny...that would explain it being returned, torn into 11,928 pieces, wouldn't it?

I'm with Q. I have the gene that doesn't allow me to write a straight cover letter (or bibliography, whatever that is). Probably explains why I'm unpublished. That, or my horrendous writing.

In short, yes (assuming it requires a proposal at all; if you're talking about a humor essay for a magazine, you're expected to just submit it on spec, no query needed).

Yes! I have some publishers interested in a humor book I've written, and the proposal I sent them opened with a humorous line. If they're looking for humor, the best way to "hook" them (IMHO) is to get them laughing right up front.

I'll let you know if it works for me!