| Back to Back Issues Page |
 |
|
Increase your humour quota: Editor's Notes #425 September 11, 2024 |
| Hello, —Aristotle In this issue: 1. How to increase your humour quota 2. Tickled my funny bone 3. Interesting Web site 4. Writing prompt 1.How to increase your humour quota I’ve been guilty of telling writers to inject some humour into their work. There are good reasons for adding humour. It lowers a reader’s defences. It lowers a reader’s blood pressure. Humour is often memorable. So why the "guilty" comment? Because I never told anyone how to inject humour. That was because I am often funny in person and in writing. Humour comes easily to me, so easily that it didn’t even occur to me that some people are not naturally humourous. Worse, when I sat down to write about how to inject humour, I drew a complete blank. Research on the topic introduced me to branches of the rabbit warren of funny I had never dreamed of. Did you know, for instance, that people are writing PhDs on the philosophy of humour and that for thousands of years Western society generally thought humour was not only bad, but evil? Knowing all sorts of things about such aspects of humour doesn’t move the funny meter even a little. What follows is brief and is primarily aimed at the people who struggle to produce funny material. It seems to me to be at least first steps to more humour. Of course, even those of us who naturally see the funny side of things can improve, so everyone might benefit from these thoughts. First, recognize humourous situations when they happen. Even people who don’t create funny situations can recognize them and join in the laugher. Being on the alert for those offers an opportunity to deconstruct situations that make you and others laugh. Second, indulge in self-disclosure. This happens in two stages. In stage one, you observe yourself, being alert for aspects of your life that are odds with each other. These are often the basis of humour. Stage two is where you get to share your insights with others, either in writing or in person. Third, recognize feelings of awkwardness and discomfort, yours, and those of others. These are often the basis of anecdotes that have listeners or readers inwardly smiling in recognition. Finally, a word of caution. Be careful of the world around you when you launch into humour. You can get people to laugh at caricatures, but those who are the butt of the jokes are often not laughing. Learning to be funny (or funnier) in writing will probably take some time, so be kind to yourself and celebrate your milestones. =========== 2.Tickled my funny bone When you die, what part of the body dies last? The pupils: they dilate. =========== 3. Interesting Web site Sit back and enjoy some of the best of Reader’s Digest jokes. https://www.readersdigest.ca/culture/70-funniest-jokes-readers-digest/ =========== 4. Writing prompt Embarrassing situations are funnier as time passes. Write about an embarrassment you experienced or witnessed. Send the result to me. I love to laugh! ========== P.S. Humour is British; humor is American. As a Canadian, I grew up with the "u" and now switch back and forth. I’ve tried to stay with my childhood spelling throughout this article. ========== Join Writer's Helper Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WritersHelperEditor Follow me on Twitter @AudreytheEditor Link on LinkedIn https://ca.linkedin.com/in/audreyowen (Email me first so I know how you know me.) =========== If you know a writer who would appreciate receiving Editor's Notes, forward this issue. If someone has passed this on to you, you can get your own free subscription by signing up at https://www.writershelper.com/newsletter.html |
| Back to Back Issues Page |