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  • Humor & Comedy Writing
Mia Mercado weird but normal
Interviews

Weird But Normal: An Interview With Mia Mercado

The humorist talks about putting together a book proposal, leaving Hallmark for freelance writing, and where she finds her writing ideas.

  • By Cassandra Lipp
    Oct 7, 2020
 (Photo by Lisa Lake/Getty Images for Philly Fights Cancer)
Humor in Nonfiction

Jerry Seinfeld's 5-Step Comedy Writing Process

Former WD staffer Jess Zafarris crossed paths with Jerry Seinfeld, who shared his comedy writing process. His tips are not only useful for aspiring standup comedians, but also have broader applications for writers looking to add comedic elements to their own work.

  • By Jess Zafarris
    May 13, 2019
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Writing Goal

Reddit for Writers: 47 Writing Subreddits to Explore

This supplement to the 2019 edition of our 101 Best Websites provides a guide to writing subreddits — destinations across Reddit where writers can find useful information, community and resources.

  • By Jess Zafarris
    Mar 22, 2019
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Dialogue

How to Write Funny Dialogue: 5 Tips for Making Readers Laugh Out Loud

Playwright and author Stephen Evans explains how to write funny dialogue with these five key tips informed by neurology, rhythm and theater.

  • By Guest Column
    Feb 3, 2019
playing_with_common_horror_tropes_for_comedic_effect_jonathan_rosen
Horror

Playing with Common Horror Tropes for Comedic Effect

The horror tropes you often see in movies can be fun, but they can also be totally ludicrous. If you're looking to add a comedic edge to your horror fiction, try bending these common tropes.

  • By Jonathan Rosen
    Sep 4, 2018
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Writing Articles

18 Ways to Write Funnier Fast

We're not all comedy writers, but many of us want to write a funny story or incorporate funny scenes into a novel. In this excerpt from The Byline Bible, Susan Shapiro offers 18 quick and easy ways to improve at eliciting laughs from your readers.

  • By Susan Shapiro
    Jul 26, 2018
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Writing Articles

An Illustrated Guide to Book Expo 2018

Bob Eckstein illustrated the happenings at the reimagined Book Expo 2018. Explore his observations here.

  • By Jess Zafarris
    Jun 4, 2018
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Humor in Nonfiction

Comedy Writers and Satirists of the #MeToo Movement

In this second in a series about the impact of the #MeToo movement on how and what women write, Leigh Anne Jasheway focuses on women who write and publish comedy and satire.

  • By Leigh Anne Jasheway
    May 15, 2018
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WD Podcasts

The Writer's Digest Podcast, Episode 4: Deconstructing Humor — Interview with Laurie Kilmartin

In this episode of the Writer’s Digest Podcast, author and comedian Laurie Kilmartin discusses writing comedy and jokes that keep your audience laughing, balancing the specific tug-of-war between writing for your job and writing for yourself, and combining humor and death in a way that’s both funny and poignant.

  • By Jess Zafarris
    May 11, 2018
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Interviews

The WD Interview: George Saunders

George Saunders dishes on inventive structure, reveals why he’s wary of outlines, and talks novel-length success with Lincoln in the Bardo.

  • By Tyler Moss
    May 9, 2018
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Writing Genres

Comedians Laurie Kilmartin, Andy Kindler, Gary Gulman and Nikki Glaser Share Their Best Writing Tips

The latest issue of Writer’s Digest features four veteran comedians who shared their thoughts on what writers of every genre can glean from stand-up. To explore just a few of their comedy writing tips and see their joke-telling acumen in action, we’ve included some of their advice here, plus a video clip of each comedian in action.

  • By Don Vaughan
    May 7, 2018
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Humor Fiction

American Psychos: The Onion Founder Scott Dikkers Discusses Writing Satire During Dark Times

Scott Dikkers, founder of the satirical news publication The Onion, is the master of writing satire. Here, he discusses the role of in today's challenging sociopolitical atmosphere.

  • By Guest Column
    May 4, 2018
 Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, THE DISASTER ARTIST. Photo by Julie Neustadter.
Interviews

Interview: The Oscar-Nominated Writers Behind The Disaster Artist (Part Two)

Screenwriters Michael Weber and Scott Neustadter describe their creative process and the decisions that went into writing their Oscar-nominated comedy, The Disaster Artist.

  • By Evan Smith
    Feb 26, 2018
 Scott Neustadter, Tommy Wiseau, Greg Sestero, and Michael Weber at AFI Fest 2017. Photo by Erin Westerman.
Interviews

Interview: The Oscar-Nominated Writers Behind The Disaster Artist (Part One)

Screenwriters Michael Weber and Scott Neustadter dig into details about the development and writing behind their Oscar-nominated comedy, The Disaster Artist.

  • By Evan Smith
    Feb 19, 2018
Helen Klein Ross-featured
Writing Techniques

10 Rules of Writing a Novel

Here are a few things I learned along the way to writing a novel between stints as a copywriter.

  • By Guest Column
    Nov 29, 2016
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Humor Fiction

7 Reasons Writers of Serious Novels Should Use Humor in Their Fiction

Purely comic fiction may not sell well, but many novels that tackle serious topics with flashes of humor (like The Fault in Our Stars, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, and more) do spectacularly, for good reason.

  • By Guest Column
    Nov 14, 2016
humor writing
Humor Fiction

7 Serious Tips for Writing a Humor-Filled Novel

Writing humor can be tricky. Use these tips to humor writing in your novel to make your readers laugh so hard milk squirts out their noses.

  • By Brian A. Klems
    Sep 6, 2016
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Character

How to Write From the Opposite Gender's Point Of View

  • By Brian A. Klems
    Aug 15, 2016
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Writing Techniques

7 Things That Will Doom Your Novel (& How to Avoid Them)

You can doom your debut novel from the start with these 7 (tongue-in-cheek) strategies for flailing, and failing—or, you can do just the opposite.

  • By James Scott Bell
    Mar 29, 2016
There Are No Rules Blog by the Editors of Writer's Digest

Write for Platforms of Yore

  • By Tyler Moss
    Feb 26, 2016
leigh_anne_jasheway_quotes_as_a_communication_tool_effective_use_of_humor_can_humanize_you_cementing_your_bond_with_readers
Humor Fiction

How to Write Better Using Humor

It may sound funny, but it’s true: Humor is a great way to hook readers, no matter the subject. Here's how to write better nonfiction simply by lightening the mood.

  • By Leigh Anne Jasheway
    Jan 26, 2016
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Humor Fiction

6 Ways Standup Can Make You a Better Writer

  • By Guest Column
    Nov 24, 2015
Oh-Boy-Youre-Having-A-Girl
The Writer's Life

7 Reasons Writing a Book Makes You a Badass

I've always been a big nerd. But for one shining moment, one GLORIOUS MOMENT, when I finished writing my book, OH BOY, YOU'RE HAVING A GIRL: A Dad's Survival Guide to Raising Daughters, I felt like a complete and utter badass. Here's why.

  • By Brian A. Klems
    May 18, 2015
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What's New

Reject a Hit: Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol

Let’s step once again into the role of the unconvinced, perhaps even curmudgeonly or fool-hearted editor: What harsh rejection letters might the authors of some of our favorite hit books have had to endure? This contribution comes from Chris Gay of Manchester, Conn., who found Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol to be as tedious as a bowl of plum pudding.

  • By Brian A. Klems
    Dec 4, 2012
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