Writing (and Living) Funny
Freud said,
Only with misgivings do I venture to approach the problem of the comic itself.
So basically, humor is such a scary thing that even Freud—FREUD!—didn't even want to explore it and Freud? That man explored everything.
Cuter than Freud, honestly.
Some of us writers write funny unintentionally. We don't quite have a choice because we approach life with humor. I can't tell you how many times people have been frustrated with me because of my approach to life (the humorous kind) when it's not their approach (the not-so-humorous kind).
When I was pregnant with Em, she tried to come out really early. It was pretty dire. The midwife told me this during our appointment and I made a joke while the baby daddy turned pale and almost passed out on the floor.
The midwife looked at me and said, "This is serious."
And I said, "I know this is serious. I'm not stupid. But I deal with serious things with humor. Would you rather I sobbed on the floor? Or pass out like him over there?"
I almost started to talk about how humor is an adaptive coping mechanisms to deal with stressful times, but I held back—for once.
She was a smart human and she got it. Sort of. And yes, I took a tiny bit of time to lecture everyone on how people process things differently, and that’s okay. I was stressed and full of hormones. I tend to lecture when that happens especially when rushing to the hospital.
Being Funny Doesn't Mean You Aren't Serious
If you think a lot about literary readings or lectures or trainings or academic settings, there's a bit of a mindset that telling jokes means you aren't serious. But some of the best humor is about when things are absolutely unfunny. That's part of the reason why political commentary is doing so well on late night television and video right now.
Humor can be part of your culture or not
I grew up in a family that was all about humor. Someone is in the ICU? We tease them. Someone has a cocaine-induced seizure at a wedding reception? We totally torment them about it for the rest of their lives. There's a bit of a social-economic class aspect to this, but it's also true for some races and ethnicities and other demographics, right? Humor becomes a shield, armor. It's a way to process.
I had a husband whose family was the opposite of this. Nobody joked. Nobody laughed unless it was at a catty remark pointed at someone else. Yes, yes, we divorced.
Your Mama, Burns, and More
Kids love humor and I think we can all learn from that.
I am currently living through a fourteen-year-old who is constantly acting out and tweaking memes and your mamas. They love the sick burn. And their verbal skills? They are increasing to amazing levels. The twists of language, the emphasis or changing of a word, because this art form is an interesting part of oral traditions that some people have and some don't.
Five Quick Things to Read and Watch That Might Engage Your Expectations of What is or Isn’t Funny
Different cultures, different psychographics can have different markers for what is and isn’t funny. That’s so interesting to me and I’m always trying to push myself out of the bubble of my experience and youth. My Portuguese titias didn’t laugh at what my Methodist Nana did or my Grammy Barnard.
Here are some bits that reminded me that all people do not funny the same.
Stanley Elkin "A Poetics for Bullies."
The Book of Sequels
Funny Bones (movie)
"The Night the Bed Fell" (essay) James Thurber
Humor and Children's Development - Paul McGhee
How to Make Your Story Funnier
If you’re a writer, there are several elements that can be used to make a story funnier.
Timing. Make it snappy.
Character quirks.
Character names.
Juxtapositions
One liners
Overstatement - Dave Barry style or understatement
Vivid language and tweaked language.
List of funny sounding things
Anecdotes. Situations in your own life that have made you laugh.
All these things, when you embrace them, look for them, can make your life more fun and funnier, too.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
Character
Character is super important to humor. Jack Benny is funny because he is set up as a super cheapskate who values money more than anything else (Yes, this is a stereotype and trope).
This is one of his most talked about bits:
Your money or your life?
I'm thinking it over.
It twists expectations on its head but it woks because we know his character.
Timing.
There is a magic in silence.
And there is magic in repetition with a tweaked outcome on the final repeat.
As writers and as storytellers at a party or at work or at dinner, we have to give the listener or reader space to let the joke or the punchline resonate and sink in.
Exaggeration. Juxtaposition. Satire.
These are all great tools to use to make things funnier, but sometimes exaggeration and satire can be terribly unkind.
Speaking of snappy: A guy walks into a diner. " Gimme an alligator sandwich," he says, "and make it snappy."