While it may sound easy, writing humour is not the easiest thing to do. Things that sound funny when you are saying them suddenly fall flat when you put them across in writing, jokes get lose in between long sentences, and soon you will have readers who are wondering what you are trying to say rather than rolling over the floor laughing.
On the other hand, humour done well is an amazing tool to engage your reader. So the question is how do you write a humorous piece?
Topic
Begin with a topic that can be handled in about a paragraph or two rather than start off on an entire story or a full-length essay. For example, take off with a prompt that goes. “That’s the way we do it around here!” or “My dad was at his embarrassing best”. Now think of a possible character in your head who could be saying any of these two sentences. Why do you think this person/ animal/ object is saying it? What is the situation that has built up to this sentence? That’s what will define your funny lines.
A funny title
The title certainly gives a glimpse into what the content is like. So making it as funny as possible is a definite thumbs-up. One of the techniques for this is to use the title of an existing book or film or song. What’s the catch? It has to be really popular, especially among the audience who is going to read your work. If you have to explain how your title is linked to the other work, then, it kills the purpose. For example, the Dr. Seuss book “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut” can be twisted to “I Can’t Do This Even With My Eyes Open” for your first prompt. The title of the show “How I Met Your Mother” can be changed to “How I Met My (Embarrassing) Father” for the second prompt.
Twisting is great
While on the subject of twisting, you can use it for proverbs or idioms too. “The early bird catches the worm” can be made humorous by saying either “Being the early bird is okay but dare not be the early worm – you are sure to be eaten!” or “The early bird catches…. a nasty cold if it’s freezing outside!” The key to humour that readers enjoy is to not let them predict what will come next. While their brain readies to read something familiar, surprise them with an absolutely different thing. A good way to practise this is to meddle them during your free time. Take a handful of proverbs and work them around.
Using humour strategically
Rationing your humour is very important. You can’t do the same trick over and over again. Use humour in different styles while writing. You saw how we used it in the title. We could also use it in creating bullet points, for instance listing out. “Ways To Survive An Embarrassing Pet” or “How To Not Stick Out Like A Sore Thumb”. You can use it as side notes to the self or the reader, when you take a break from telling your anecdote or the story. You could even add an actual joke! But make sure your writing is crisp, not long-winded. Can you think up some other ways in which you would like to use humour?
Self-deprecating humour
Laughing at oneself is an art. Oscar Wilde wrote, “I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying.” It’s short. It’s funny. And it says with you. Create characters that can be laughed at. Put yourself in the story and create funny situations. Check this out: “I have knack of walking into glass doors, I have done it at least 37 times (at last count) and now I am a pro at it.”
Do you have any such quirks that you could convert into humour? Bringing on the funnies is an exercise that requires a lot of work, and constant practice.
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