Shocking Discovery: Intentional Humorists Do It on Purpose (On Humor)
Humor columnist Karim Shamsi-Basha discusses the intentionality of writing humor that is more than just parsley.
Humor is not a lucky accident. It is a choice, a lens, and a tool. Many writers wait for something funny to show up like an uninvited guest who somehow improves the party. That approach works about as well as waiting for your houseplant to pay rent. Being intentional with humor means you decide where the laugh goes, why it belongs there, and what it accomplishes once it lands.
At its core, intentional humor is about purpose. Every laugh should do a job. It might break tension in a heavy scene, deepen a character, or make a difficult truth easier to absorb. When humor is random, it distracts. When it is intentional, it sharpens. Think of it less as decoration and more as structure.
Consider a simple example. A person trips and spills coffee. That can be mildly amusing. But imagine a motivational speaker who just told an audience, "Control is everything," and then he immediately trips over a microphone cord. The humor comes from contrast. It reveals something about the character without stating it directly.
The joke is not just a moment. It is meaning.
Or take everyday observation. Saying grocery stores are overwhelming is not funny, but noticing that the self-checkout machine speaks with the emotional range of a disappointed aunt starts to create a point of view. "Unexpected item in the bagging area" sounds less like a warning and more like a life diagnosis. That is where humor begins to work on purpose.
Here are five ways to practice being intentional with humor and build it into your writing with clarity.
Start with purpose, not punchlines.
Before adding humor, ask what role it plays in the piece. Is it easing the reader into a tough topic, or highlighting a contradiction? If you cannot answer that, the joke is probably decorative. Decorative humor is like parsley. It looks nice, and nobody eats it.
For example, if you are writing about grief, a small, well-placed joke about how casseroles multiply during funerals can provide relief without undercutting emotion. The humor supports the piece. It does not compete with it. Think of humor as a tool that serves the story, not a detour.
Use contrast and surprise.
Most humor lives in the gap between expectation and reality. Set up one direction, then pivot. The sharper the turn, the stronger the laugh. Often it comes down to one word or a shift in tone.
Example, "I started jogging for my health" sets a neutral expectation. Adding "which is going great because I have not gone in weeks and have avoided all jogging-related injuries" flips it. The surprise is the joke. In narrative writing, a perfectionist discovering their sock drawer has become a democracy creates humor through contrast.
Let character drive the humor.
The strongest humor comes from who is speaking. A joke that could be said by anyone is usually weaker than one that feels specific. Ask what this character notices and what they care about too much.
Example, a frugal character might describe a five-dollar coffee as "a financial thriller." A romantic might call it "a brief relationship that ended too soon." The humor reveals personality. In essays, your voice is the character. The joke should sound like it could only come from you.
Edit for timing and precision.
Comedy is rhythm. Extra words weaken the impact, so move the funniest word to the end of the sentence. Read your work out loud and listen for drag.
Example, "I tried to meditate for 10 minutes today, but I kept thinking about snacks" becomes "I tried to meditate for 10 minutes. Snacks objected." The second version lands cleanly. Another example: "My phone battery dies quickly" becomes "My phone battery lasts exactly one group chat." Specificity matters.
Test, diagnose, and revise.
If a joke does not land, do not explain it. Explanation weakens humor. Diagnose the problem instead. Is the setup unclear? Is the outcome predictable? Share your work or read it aloud. Notice where your voice hesitates. That is often where revision is needed.
Example, "I am bad at cooking" becomes "My smoke alarm has a frequent flyer program." A sharper image creates a stronger laugh.
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Intentional humor also benefits from restraint. Not every paragraph needs a joke. A well-placed moment of humor after a serious passage can feel like a release. Too many jokes in a row can overwhelm the reader.
Finally, humor is a form of honesty. It points to what is strange or quietly absurd. When you use it with intention, you guide the reader to see something they might have missed.
I leave you with this: I once bought a book on how to be decisive. I am still not sure if it was a good idea.
Being intentional with humor is not about forcing jokes into your work. It is about shaping them so they belong. When you do that, humor stops being a gamble and becomes a craft you can trust.
