Humor is an interesting concept. The goal is to be funny, but responses may differ. What makes some people laugh out loud may make others cringe.
In part two of the series on how to write comedy, we’ll take on verbal comedy—the art of comedic dialogue. Check here for Part 1, Physical Comedy.
Writing Verbal Comedy
The Pun
One of the most common forms of verbal humor, a pun, is a play on words, multiple meanings, or a word of like sound but different meaning, used to make the joke.
Math pun - Without geometry, life is pointless.
Science pun - I dropped an electron somewhere! Are you sure? Yes, I’m positive!
Post-kill pun - In The Last Action Hero, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character, Jack Slater, blows up an enemy in an ice cream truck. Schwarzenegger says, “I just iced him…to cone a phrase.”
Innuendo or Double Meaning
An innuendo is an indirect hint, drawing attention to an alternative meaning.
The speaker seems innocent, although not always, and it’s up to the listener to make sense of the words. The second meaning, often achieved through a pun, is intentional.
The multitalented Mae West was known for her sexual innuendos.
Between two evils, I always pick the one I've never tried before.
Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just pleased to see me?
I speak two languages: body and English.
Damon Knight’s short story, To Serve Man, provides another example of double meaning. The tale begins with a group of aliens coming to Earth with a book called “To Serve Man.” Everyone is thrilled that the aliens want to serve them, believing this means they wish to perform services for them. But the book turns out to be a cookbook—the aliens’ plan is to serve man for dinner. Gruesome!
Mixed Metaphor
Mixed metaphors are the delightfully funny result of combining well-known clichés.
We can talk until the cows turn blue.
This metaphor blends two clichés: “talk until the cows come home” and “talk until we are blue in the face.” Both mean to talk for a long time without agreeing.
Here are some politically inspired mixed metaphors.
“I conclude that the city’s proposal to skim the frosting, pocket the cake, and avoid paying the fair, reasonable, and affordable value of the meal is a hound that will not hunt." (a labor arbitrator, quoted by the Boston Globe, May 8, 2010)
"I don’t think we should wait until the other shoe drops. History has already shown what is likely to happen. The ball has been down this court before, and I can see already the light at the end of the tunnel." (Detroit News, quoted in The New Yorker, November 26, 2012)
A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech where the last word, phrase, or sentence causes the reader or listener to reinterpret the earlier part.
The unexpected ending of a paraprosdokian creates comic effects, a linguistic U-turn.One example is the one-liner, a statement ending with a surprise. The two-part one-liner is a simple setup with a payoff joke:
“I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn’t it.” - Groucho Marx
“If I could just say a few words … I’d be a better public speaker.” - Homer Simpson
“He taught me housekeeping. When I divorce, I keep the house.” - Zsa Zsa Gabore
Paraprosdokian in Literature
“Trin Tragula – for that was his name – was a dreamer, a thinker, a speculative philosopher or, as his wife would have it, an idiot…”The Restaurant at the End of the Universe - Douglas Adams
“Contemporary man, of course, has no such peace of mind. He finds himself in the midst of a crisis of faith. He is what we fashionably call ‘alienated.’ He has seen the ravages of war, he has known natural catastrophes, he has been to singles bars.” My Speech to the Graduates - Woody Allen
Timing
Regarding standup comedy, timing may not be everything, but it is an essential part of verbal comedy. Standup comedians develop routines, practice in front of audiences, and adjust as needed. A bit like a recipe.
They don’t want to rush into a punchline because people need a moment to be ready for the full impact of your surprise ending. If they are too slow, people may lose interest or get distracted. Knowing where to put the starts, stops, and pauses makes good performances. Think of the series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel—fantastic timing.
Timing in Writing
My editor once asked, well actually asked several times, for me to slow down some scenes. I wasn’t giving the reader enough time to be satisfied and fully appreciate the events.
The following can help with timing:
Pauses in the form of commas and ellipses.
Additional dialogue in a scene.
Sound of clearing throat (ahem) or whisper (psst).
Rhythm of sentences.
Long and short sentence length alternation.
Sentence fragments.
One-sentence paragraph.
One-word paragraph.
A little humor goes a long way.
Here are some ways to sprinkle ‘funny’ into the mix:
Make chums with your Thesaurus.
Find funny-sounding synonyms.
Bustle, scamper, or skedaddle instead of hurry.
Pandemonium, brouhaha, or hullabaloo instead of chaos.
Use the Rule of Three.
A popular humor writing technique based on the setup and punchline formula begins with two “straight” items, with a surprise twist third. This technique can consist of a list of three words, phrases, or sentences.
“I celebrated Thanksgiving in an old-fashioned way. I invited everyone in my neighborhood to my house, we had an enormous feast, and then I killed them and took their land.” – Jon Stewart
“I can’t think of anything worse after a night of drinking than waking up next to someone and not remembering their name, how you met, or why they’re dead.” – Laura Kightlinger
“writer, actor, and tall person” — John Cleese, as part of his bio
“The heart of a mother. The soul of a reader. The mouth of a smartass.” — Mother Reader, tagline.
Try Exaggeration.
The more extreme the exaggeration, the better.
“We worry that if we get just one variable wrong, we will find ourselves facing a wrathful spouse, who is holding up a garment that was once a valued brassiere of normal dimensions but is now suitable only as a sun hat for a small, two-headed squirrel.” — Dave Barry
“It only got worse after I turned 50, as my metabolism seemed to have taken an early retirement.I now have to jog five miles just to work off a tic-tac I ate in the 90’s. The only things that fit from my earlieryears are my earrings.”— Judy Carter on the Psychology Today blog
We probably won’t become comedy writers overnight. But we can use these techniques to create comedic dialogue.
Do you use verbal comedy in your writing? Who is your favorite comedian? What, in your opinion, makes good comedy?
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About Ellen
Author, speaker, and former teacher, Ellen L. Buikema has written non-fiction for parents, and The Adventures of Charlie Chameleon chapter book series with stories encouraging the development of empathy—sprinkling humor wherever possible. Her Works in Progress are The Hobo Code, YA historical fiction and The Crystal Key, MG Magical Realism/ Sci-Fi, a glaze of time travel.
Fall is once again in the air, and you know what that means—Halloween! ‘Tis the season to carve the pumpkins, don our costumes, and break out the scary stories. Or in our case, it’s time to write them. This is the perfect time to talk about our fears and how we, as writers, can exploit them.
Whether you write horror, terror, thriller, or let’s face it, even romance, fear is one of the most powerful emotions you can tap into. Fear and panic can override logic. It can make people do things they normally wouldn’t do or freeze in place and do nothing at all.
Once we establish an emotional connection between a character and the reader, the game is on. When we play on the fears of our characters, we’re playing on the fears of our readers as well. So, let’s talk about how to use the power of fear.
What is Fear?
A simple definition of fear is an anxious feeling, caused by our anticipation of some imagined event or experience. Notice it says anticipation and imagined. Fear is not the monster or creepy-crawly creature under the bed, fear lives in our own heads. It’s the thought of what might be lurking under the bed.
Fear isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Our sense of fear developed over the generations as a survival mechanism. It’s the thing that stops us in our tracks and makes us look before we leap. Fear keeps us alive.
The Five Basic Types of Fear
There are an infinite number of things we can fear, but according to Dr. Kari Albrecht in his Psychology Today article they can be divided into five basic categories: Extinction, Mutilation, Loss of Autonomy, Separation, and Ego Death. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Extinction
Put simply, extinction is the fear of death. It’s the feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you stand too close to the edge of a cliff, or the panic when you hear a strange noise as you walk down a dark alley alone. The anxiety we feel when our life is threatened is there to try to keep us among the living.
Fear of death is one of the primary tools of horror and terror. It can be a powerful fuel for the emotional engine driving your story. Once you have the reader feeling empathy for your character, put their life in peril. If done well, the reader will experience the same emotion as the character.
Mutilation
Mutilation is probably the next favorite fear of the horror and terror genres. It’s all about violating the body’s boundaries. You may think this is just about the fear of mangled or lost body parts, but it also includes things like pain, infections, infestations, torture, bugs, and bites of all kinds. You’ll often find this fear coupled with extinction fear, as it can easily lead to death.
Want to really make a reader’s skin crawl? Send your character down a dark hallway covered in webs or roaches or drop them in a pit full of snakes. Maybe lock them in a room with a rabid raccoon and make their only escape require running barefoot through the glass of a shattered window. It’s all up to you. Have fun with it.
Loss of Autonomy
The loss of autonomy is the fear of being imprisoned, paralyzed, immobilized, or otherwise restricted in some way that is beyond our control. Again, as with separation anxiety, there can be a physical or emotional component, making this a good tool for many genres beyond horror and terror.
Fear of the physical loss of autonomy is just what it sounds like—being afraid of something or someone physically restraining you. It can be anything from being tied down or chained up, to being drugged, sat on, or trapped in an elevator. The latter plays on claustrophobia, the fear of enclosed spaces.
The fear of emotional loss of autonomy focuses more on social and personal interactions, as well as relationships. This fear can be quite useful in creating tension between characters in a broad range of genres. The fear of being trapped in an abusive relationship might hold a character back from seeking companionship. This fear includes being afraid of getting lost in the crowd or not having your voice heard.
Separation
One fear that’s useful in almost any genre is that of separation. This is the fear of abandonment and loss of connection. I’m not just talking about being physically separated from others, but emotionally as well. That’s what makes this particular fear so universal.
We’re all familiar with physical separation in stories. Characters can fear getting lost in the wilderness or their group getting split up, whether by design or by unforeseen circumstances, giving an antagonist the opportunity to pick them off one by one. Then there’s also the anxiety brought on by the thought of outright abandonment—just being left alone to fend for yourself.
On the other hand, emotional separation can be trickier to use, but very powerful. It can be used in any genre to amp up the anxiety. Remember when I mentioned you romance writers out there? This is one of the fears I’m singling out for you. How many times have you read a book where a character is denied by the object of their desire, or shunned by the in-crowd? The fear of this type of rejection can cause a character to put up walls that will have to be torn down later to reach their goals.
Ego Death
Our final category, ego death, is another type of fear we can use across all genres. Ego death is the fear of humiliation, shame, or any other mechanism that leads to self-disapproval and threatens a loss of integrity or self-worth.
This one can be a strong emotional driver for your characters. Think of how paralyzing it is when you’re afraid that your actions may make others see you as less capable, less intelligent, or even less loveable.
A good example of this fear is social anxiety. As authors, most of us probably felt it the first time we were asked to talk about our books, especially to a live audience. Take that firsthand knowledge and transfer to your characters. Odds are you’ll have the reader feeling it as well.
Bringing it all Together
While some fears can easily fit into one of these categories, many will overlap. The fear of one thing may lead to another, and that to another, forming a chain of anxiety for both character and reader. This is where pacing becomes super important.
Once you play on the reader’s fears and have their heart racing it’s time to turn it up a notch and keep the pressure on. Too much description at this point could slow the story down and give the reader a chance to breathe. Keep your language active and choose a few words that pack a lot of punch, rather than long strings of words that may paint a more gruesome picture but lose the emotional impact.
Of course, you may want to slow things down at some point to lull your victim into a false sense of security…right before you swing the axe!
How do you use fear in your writing? What genre do you write? Let us know in the comments.
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About Bob
Eldred Bird writes contemporary fiction, short stories, and personal essays. He has spent a great deal of time exploring the deserts, forests, and deep canyons inside his home state of Arizona. His James McCarthy adventures, Killing Karma, Catching Karma, and Cold Karma, reflect this love of the Grand Canyon State even as his character solves mysteries amidst danger. Eldred explores the boundaries of short fiction in his stories, The Waking Room, Treble in Paradise: A Tale of Sax and Violins, and The Smell of Fear.
When he’s not writing, Eldred spends time cycling, hiking, and juggling (yes, juggling…bowling balls and 21-inch knives).
His passion for photography allows him to record his travels. He can be found on Twitter or Facebook, or at his website.
The writing life involves a lot of pushing to accomplish our goals, but it shouldn’t be the only focus. Finish the manuscript. Increase our word counts. Edit the pages. And sell more books. But what we do after those push moments is just as important to the health and well-being of a writer as well.
Paying attention to how we feel after completing deadlines, sending off in as-good-as-we-can-get-it condition manuscripts, and finishing author events we spent days, weeks, or months of planning-hours on can benefit an author over the long term of their writing career.
I recently finished a milestone event by speaking about becoming a writer at two language conferences. This is a follow up on my previous post at Writers in the Storm Blog on taking risks found HERE.
There were many opportunities for reflection and each one provided me with a different insight as to how I grew as a writer. Here are my experiences and what I learned from them. Feel free to use the checklist I provide at the end of this post for guiding your own reflection after completing a major accomplishment.
Last Weekend’s Conferences
Last weekend was the culmination of months of preparation for two speaking engagements at language conferences in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. One was hosted at the University of Oregon, in Eugene, OR and the other was in a town north of Seattle, held at Mt. Vernon High School. I was scheduled to present two topics for language teachers to encourage them to play more with their linguistic nature and to follow their creative passions in my sessions about Storyteller Superpowers.
My experience at each conference went well, but with minor issues that I used to iterate my next presentation. Careful planning did pay off, and I’ll share how I prepared. As we may know, whenever we try something new, our plans can’t avert all trouble, just because that is the nature of life. Follow along with how my plans unfolded with laughable moments, but also how I overcame a few challenges.
Logistics and travel were an important part of the planning as the two locations were several hours apart and involved navigating through two congested metropolitan areas. Technology was also a critical consideration, as it was necessary to practice the technology and make sure it worked. I wanted to ensure that my audience had adequate participation and input in my presentation as well.
Logistics and Travel - minor hiccups to the plan
As mentioned, the two speaking engagements were a far distance apart for car travel. I didn’t anticipate the travel issues of conferences because I didn’t expect both conference organizers to accept my proposals (another lesson learned – don’t underestimate your message). As luck would have it, my presentation fit in well with both conference agendas, and I now was figuring out driving times and hotel stays in two states during one weekend. The problems were minimal, and I got hotels close to the venues to help me stress less about other travel troubles on the day of the presentations.
Miscalculations
Even the best plans can have hiccups and after the first presentation, a random trip to a train station turned restaurant made a laughable moment. My writing team and I decided to try a renovated restaurant in the southern part of Oregon, since we would rarely go that direction. The restaurant gave out a free T-shirt as a part of a promotion, adding to the draw to visit the old train station. But we glanced at the travel app and miscalculated how far it really was, accidentally messed up our drive time, and added an additional three hours to an already 5 to 7 hour drive north.
After realizing that my presentation at the second conference was on Sunday, we adjusted and stayed at a friend’s house at the halfway point. Breaking up the travel meant participating less in the conference and missing out on a visit to a friend, but we still presented and didn’t stress about driving nine hours in the process. That free T-shirt from the restaurant will remain a symbol of warning to strongly consider the schedule before taking a side trip on an already packed itinerary. And it will remind me to enjoy the trip, being mindful that side trips are part of the adventure.
Technology
Pre tech trials – throw it all in
Preparing for venues for which I had little information about their audio-visual set ups, guessing about how my presentation would connect with their system, was a little stressful. I had to be ready to share my message with teachers who attended the conference for new content and inspirational messages. I didn’t want the experience to be a complete letdown if my visual slide show couldn’t be presented. Winging it without slides wouldn’t be a good way to present my material and would be a nightmare as a presenter.
As a pretrial of my presentation, I wanted to make sure my audience could see the visuals, hear me as the speaker, and have adequate ways to participate. To do this, I needed access to my slides in multiple ways (in the cloud, downloaded to my laptop, available to cast to a screen, etc), taking into consideration the unknowns of the conference venues. I also played with sound and video recording options. I tried out my presentation to a few willing language enthusiasts to see how they liked the interactive aspects of my talk.
Having access to my slides was the most crucial. I wanted to figure out how to connect them with or without the internet. There was the preferred way, using a direct connection, but that required having the right ports and adaptors. So, I collected all the little dongles: DVI, mini DVI, HDMI, USB C, VGA, and all the possible wires for charging and data transfer that I could find and hoped for the best.
University of Oregon
In a delightfully sunny room with glass walls, inviting chairs, and a large screen just off the main convention area, I encountered a second slight hiccup. The technology in the room was a singular port hardwired into the walls. Fortunately, I had packed the just-right dongle as a precaution, the last one tossed into the bag as an afterthought, and it proved to be a lifesaver.
The lesson learned here is the importance of arriving with multiple methods to connect to unfamiliar systems at your venue. Room changes and technological glitches can catch you off guard, and having backup plans in place will prevent these obstacles from sabotaging your presentation.
MT Vernon High School
This presentation was held in a modern classroom and the teacher’s set up in this room had a port with a dozen options and multiple remotes. In this situation, I brainstormed with other presenters using the same room. We found the right method that worked for each of us.
Survey your audience
At the beginning of the presentation, I knew that I wanted to find out who my audience was. This enabled me to tailor the talk to the audience by figuring out what they expect from the experience at the beginning of your presentation. I did this with a simple thumbs up (yes answer) or thumbs down (no answer) participation game.
This was an alternative to other technology options which would require downloads, distractions from my content to get into a program, or paid survey options that didn’t fit my budget. It was a playful option that was low-tech and low stress. And it was surprising to see how everyone participated.
I asked a series of progressive questions about the participant’s knowledge base with my topic while I watched their yes and no answers. As I watched I took mental note to see which areas of my talk I could embellish or go over more quickly due to what the audience would need most. Here are some questions I used:
Did you read a book last year?
Have you read a work-related book? Did you read a book for fun? Have you finished a book? (This one consistently got a laugh.)
Are you interested in writing your own story?
You can use this game format to engage your audience in longer, content-thick parts of your presentation also. In another section about genres and which tropes are most common, I had participants thumbs up their favorite genres. After, we stopped and talked to someone nearby about the title of a book they recently enjoyed and recommended. This helped with the pacing of the presentation and allowed participants some input from each other.
Post presentation feedback forms – paper and/or online
Getting feedback is crucial for you if you want to understand how well your presentation connected with the audience. It's like having a roadmap to fine-tune your speaking engagements.
Consider this survey as a guide for future presentations. It helps you gauge how effective your presentation was in engaging your audience. The survey I used below employs straightforward rating scales and easy-to-answer questions, and it provides space for people to share what they liked and where they think you could improve.
This feedback doesn't just reflect your performance on the day, it also reveals how your presentation continues to inspire people afterward. It gives your audience a chance to suggest topics or changes for future talks. Getting feedback can help you stay on track and continually improve your craft.
Feedback Sample Survey
At my presentations, I wanted a foolproof way to see what worked, something I could collect as participants left and didn’t depend on various levels of technology. I chose to have a paper copy which I provided as a sample below. There are pros and cons to using a paper version versus a digital feedback option, but regardless of which works best for you, the feedback is valuable.
Providing a paper copy of surveys allows for fast, immediate feedback with fewer obstacles for participants. A secondary digital option can be useful for those who prefer to provide feedback later, but it may be forgotten, and you might not get the participant’s insights. Immediate feedback, capturing the audience's most applicable thoughts and feelings, enables authors to make quick adjustments for even more engaging future presentations.
For example, consider this survey as a guide to build your own to help you gauge how effective your presentation was in engaging your audience. The survey employs straightforward rating scales and easy-to-answer questions, and it provides space for people to share what they liked and where they think you could improve.
Exit Survey for Nurture Your Storyteller Superpower (sample)
Introduction: Thank you for participating in our presentation on the intersection of language teaching and young adult novel writing. Your feedback is essential in helping us improve our offerings and tailor our support to your needs. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey.
Section 1: Background Information
Name (optional):
Email Address (optional):
Can I add you to my email list to include you in reading an advanced reader copy of the book? _ Yes! Sign me up. _ No, no thank you.
How many years of experience do you have as a language teacher? _ Less than 1 year 1-5 years 6-10 years _ More than 10 years
Section 2: Program Evaluation
5.On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate the program's effectiveness in helping you understand the overlaps between language teaching and young adult novel writing? _ 5 (Very Effective) 4 3 ___2 1 (Not Effective)
6.Which aspects of the program did you find most valuable in improving your ability to become a young adult novel writer? (Select all that apply) Insights into controlled language use as it relates to writing fiction Crafting engaging content Cultural relevance and diversity in storytelling Effective communication techniques as they relate to writing fiction Understanding the publication process Language acquisition and its impact on writing Other (please specify):
Section 3: Future Goals
7. How do you plan to apply the knowledge and skills gained from this program to your writing endeavors? (Select all that apply)
Incorporating controlled language use
Creating relatable characters and engaging plots
Embracing diversity and cultural relevance
Applying effective communication techniques
Structuring narratives with progression in mind
Leveraging language acquisition insights
Other (please specify): Section 4: Additional Comments
Please share any additional comments or feedback about the program, including suggestions for improvement or topics you would like to explore further.
9. Have you been inspired to start or continue working on a young adult novel or creative writing project after participating in this session? Yes
No
Thank you for participating in our exit survey! Your input is greatly appreciated and will help us enhance our programs for language teachers interested in becoming young adult novel writers.
Writerly Checklist for Post Event Reflection
And now time to reflect on your own achievements. Follow these suggestions to find out what worked and what you want to improve.
1. Celebrate Your Achievement ☑
Take time to appreciate your accomplishment, whether it's finishing a manuscript or delivering a talk. Reflect on the effort you've invested and acknowledge your success.
2. Self-Assessment ☑
Assess your performance and the quality of your work. Consider if you met your initial goals, such as writing objectives or presentation effectiveness.
3. Feedback Gathering ☑
Seek constructive feedback from peers, mentors, or beta readers to gain valuable insights into your work and its impact.
4. Lessons Learned ☑
Identify key lessons and takeaways from the experience, understanding how they can inform and enhance your future work.
5. Set New Goals ☑
Establish fresh goals for your writing journey based on your reflections. These goals could include starting a new project, improving presentation skills, or exploring new genres.
6. Improve Your Process ☑
Optimize your creative process by refining your writing techniques, organization, or research methods. This enhances your efficiency and productivity.
7. Seek Inspiration ☑
Find inspiration in the work of others or through various art forms, allowing fresh perspectives to fuel your creativity.
8. Renew Your Motivation ☑
Reconnect with your passion for writing by revisiting your favorite literature, engaging in self-care practices, and reaffirming your long-term vision and commitment to your craft.
These checkboxes provide a visual guide for tracking your progress as you reflect on your writing milestone.
Final Thoughts
I hope you found my reflections on my experiences as a newbie presenter insightful. The tools I developed helped to make my conference experience a success. Feel free to use and modify these for your own author talks and bookshop events.
What would help you celebrate your successes the most? A favorite playlist or a walk in the park? How do you take time to reflect and review? Share with our readers below!
About Kris
Kris Maze is an author, writing coach, and teacher. She has worked in education for many years and writes for various publications, including Practical Advice for Teachers of Heritage Learners of Spanish and the award-winning blog Writers in the Storm where she is also a host. You can find her horror stories and young adult writing on her website. Keep up with future projects and events by subscribing to her newsletter. And other writing work HERE.
A recovering grammarian and hopeless wanderer, Kris enjoys reading, writing in various languages, and spending time outdoors.
And occasionally, she hangs with language teachers, translators, and linguistic folks.
