I’m Not Saying I’m Funny, but My Cat Just Laughed…Probably (On Humor)
Karim Shamsi-Basha introduces his new column on writing humor in a variety of ways by sharing 20 tips for incorporating laughter into writing.
Welcome to my new monthly column on all things funny. But first, two disclaimers: I am a dad, so you may see a dad joke on occasion. Also, I’m an immigrant from Damascus, Syria, so my humor is a little . . . different? My grown kids laugh at my comments and jokes, but they also roll their eyes.
OK. Let’s get to the nuts and bolts of using humor in your writing. After all, we’re all building a tower to communicate our most inner thoughts, hopes, and dreams, a tower of expression unique to our voice. And a little humor is essential to mix in with the mortar holding up that illustrious tower.
From novels and nonfiction to poetry and short stories, humor provides the reader with an interlude of levity amid all the gravitas. It’s innate. Humans love humor. Incidentally, the two words, human and humor, share the same Latin root, humus, which means earth. That makes sense; I always feel grounded when I’m laughing!
I wrote a humor column for Mosaic.nj.com for years, Seriously, Karim! and I received hundreds of emails from readers who appreciated the bit of relief amid the prickly world of news. Doesn’t watching the news feel like playing catch with a porcupine?
20 Tips on Being Funny
Below are 20 tips on incorporating some laughter into your writing.
- Be subjective: What’s funny to you may not be to others. Keep that in mind as you craft your humorous morsels.
- Be selective: You must be discriminating when it comes to employing laughter in your writing. Brevity is a good thing, mostly.
- Be a comedian: Standup can be a great teacher. My favorites are Jim Gaffigan, Mohammed Amer, Ali Wong, Louis C.K., Hannah Gadsby, and Aziz Ansari.
- Be studious: Read works by humor giants like Bill Bryson, Emma Bombeck, Dave Barry, Mark Twain, David Sedaris, and Tina Fey. Bryson’s book, A Walk in the Woods, is a work of art.
- Be a pioneer: I think of voice as style, tone, and personality. Find out what sets you apart. Things like unique punctuation and word-usage can define your work.
- Be passionate: Hemingway said, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit at the typewriter and bleed.” Believe it or not, it takes a lot of passion to write funny.
- Be honest: Try to be honest to the degree of self-deprecating. Your readers will laugh at your lack of (insert trait here).
- Be quirky: Fall in love with your quirks, defend your quirks, talk about your quirks like they’re your best part. I think I like the word, quirks!
- Be a thief: Steal funny bits. Coffee shops are terrific for listening in and stealing. Make sure you wear a black suit and a mask; then, grab the funny bit and run.
- Be confident: It’s OK to question things, but when you send your words into this universe, stand behind them. I’m not saying be arrogant, just walk that fine line between humility and pride.
- Be real: Write the way you talk. Instead of saying, “I must envision the quintessence of this conundrum.” Just say, “I understand.” Although, the first sentence could work in a standup routine!
- Be understanding: The more you know about your reader, the easier it will be to have them LOL out loud. BTW, I used to say LOL out loud, until one of my kids corrected me! Hey, English is not my native language!
- Be a collector: Keep a journal of your funny observations and ideas. I use an actual notebook. You can go digital, but something magical happens when you scribble on paper.
- Be a caricaturist: Make one of your characters funny, and every time they open their mouth, you can toss in a funny bit. Sitcoms always have a funny character. Kramer? My hair resembled his before I started losing it!
- Be talkative: Dialogue is a fabulous place for lighter moments. This goes with the characterization mentioned above.
- Be a bear! Hibernate on the idea and you might see it in a different light. What was funny two days ago may seem mundane, or vice versa.
- Be judgy: Try out your funny bits on friends. If no one laughs, it may need some work. If they all laugh, it’s fine. If only one or two laugh, you may have a brilliant idea.
- Be on television: Learn from advertising slogans. All I have to say is: “Where is the beef?” And you’ll rush to Wendy’s for a double cheeseburger, after finishing this column, of course.
- Be a tornado: Twist common phrases. After all, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it think.
- Be yourself: When you’re genuine and authentic, your writings will resonate deeply with your readers.
One Final Thought on the Quintessence of the Humor Conundrum
Send me your funniest bits, and I may share in a future column. And have fun making your readers snicker while consuming your words. Speaking of consuming, I’m feeling the strange urge to eat a cheeseburger while riding a horse and watching Kramer bits on my phone. Can someone please hold on to the reins?
