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I’ve heard this often at cocktail parties,
cookouts, and in the occasional ladies bathroom:
“Oh, you’re so funny. I
could never be funny.”
Well folks, I’ll let you
in on a little secret: writing good humor requires the same basic principles of
writing quality prose of any kind: it’s all in the show, less in the tell.
A comedienne may describe herself as a teller of jokes, but the great ones
verbally paint a picture that vividly illustrates an awkward situation, a
ridiculous reaction, or a profound insight.
Most humor writers are
excellent observers of the human condition. Some of my favorites–Tina Fey, Amy
Poehler, Dave Barry–possess a keen eye for describing (showing) everyday life
in a way that highlights the absurd, the offensive, and the ridiculous.
If, for example, you’re
writing a humorous story about, oh, I don’t know, your personal journey through
menopause, the reader needs to join you on your trip through hot flashes,
middle-aged sex drives, growing a mustache, losing your keys (and your car)
and monster-size mood swings. Even if
the reader can’t directly relate to the throes of menopause, they should be
laughing along with you.
Jeff Goins (follow him
NOW for great writing tips and advice http://goinswriter.com/)
suggests three “tricks” for writing humor. These include:
- State the obvious. Menopause: a ten-year journey through
suck-town. You’re up, you’re down, you’re hot, you’re cold. You’re the
emotional equivalent of a teenager, but with the added thrill of boobs
that are in a race to see which will reach your knees first.
- Be subtle (not this
writer’s strong suit); entice the reader to want to know more. Menopause: women hate it, men don’t
understand it, the military wants to bottle it for future warfare.
- Surprise your
audience. Menopause could get your
husband killed.
I would add a 4th
trick: BE the joke (self-deprecating humor). The silver-lining moment of menopause: I’m now a very good candidate
for the job of bearded-lady at the circus.
Here are a few
additional personal habits of mine (OK, these may be tics) that seem to help me
tap into my humor writing muse:
- Keep it loose. Sometimes what
you need is a shot of tequila. Hemingway is often credited with noting: Write drunk, edit sober. When
facing a midnight deadline, sometimes my go to writing partner is Jose
Cuervo. However, you can’t be so blind drunk that you can’t see the
keyboard. Be loose, not comatose.
- Be comfortable. Invest in a
quality pair of good fuzzy bunny slippers. No one writes well when their
feet are cold. Mine are pink, fluffy, and a size 11.
- Keep a notebook of observations. You never know
when the universe is going to present you with inspiration. I’m currently working
on the story inspired by this moment:
I’m still a long way from walking alongside
the masters of humor such as the ever-inspiring Erma Bombeck. Her words of
wisdom fuel me daily:
Hook 'em with the lead. Hold 'em with laughter. Exit with a
quip they won't forget.
This is a pretty good
overall life goal, don’t ya think?
Author Bio:
Kimberly “Kimba” J. Dalferes is a native
Floridian who pretends to be a Virginian. Her accomplishments have included
successfully threading a sewing bobbin, landing a 35 pound Alaskan king salmon,
and scoring a ceramic sangria pitcher at an estate sale for $1. She also
sometimes writes books. Look for her new book, “Magic Fishing Panties”, to be
released in August 2015 by Booktrope Publishing. Her humor column–Dock Tale Hour–is featured in Laker
Magazine. She is often found hanging out on her blog The Middle-Aged Cheap Seats. You can
also visit her at www.kimdalferes.com
