How to Transform Funny Stories into Comedy Writing Gold
Funny stories that comedians perform in clubs are called anecdotal stand-up. These stories can be based on real-life experiences or they can be made up. In either case, there are three keys to transforming a funny story that your friends enjoy into anecdotal stand-up that can entertain an audience. Build frequent...
At Wit’s End: Tips for Writing Funny — From Erma Bombeck
When Writer’s Digest reached out to let us know they’d uncovered an interview with the legendary humorist Erma Bombeck from the 1970s, we jumped at the chance to take a listen. As her voice filled the walls of my office at the University of Dayton’s Erma Bombeck Writer’s Workshop I couldn’t...
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.
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.
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.
6 Ways Standup Can Make You a Better Writer
The world of serious writing, fiction or nonfiction, may seem a long way from the rough and tumble world of comedy clubs, especially if you don’t consider yourself a “humorist.” Yet looking back, I could never have written 7 non-fiction books and my first novel without the lessons I learned telling...
Humor Writing Basics (& a List of Funny Words)
Writing "funny" isn't easy. It's a skilled labor that can drive even the calmest of writers crazy. I've been writing my parenting humor blog, The Life of Dad (you should totally check it out!), for more than five years and I can tell you that I've lost quite a bit of...
The Downside to DIY Publishing
For those of you curious about the world of do-it-yourself publishing, here are a few (humorous) questions you might want to ask yourself before you decide, as I did, to publish your own books.
A List of Funny Words to Help You Writing Funnier Stories
Some words just make us laugh, even though we might not consciously know why. Try using one of these time-tested terms when it fits.
Humor Phenom Justin Halpern’s (Sh*t My Dad Says) Uncensored Insights Into Writing
In 2009, Justin Halpern created a Twitter account to archive his father’s expletive-ridden words of wisdom. Within a month, @shitmydadsays was an Internet sensation. Halpern’s first book, Sh*t My Dad Says, a collection of essays about his father, is a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. He was also the creator/co-executive...
Reject a Hit: J.K. Rowling
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 time we take on J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame.