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Comedy writingin nonfiction articles
ClassesYouValue - Comedy Writing Classes
Website:http://www.classesyouvalue.com/Vince-Curren/Find-Your-Funny.html
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When do people laugh
When they are surprised
At the misfortune of others
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Publications use of humor
Some publications specialize in humor
Some use it along with other content
Some use humor as spot features
Some as a regular item in columns
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Some humor writers
Dave Barry, Calvin Trillin, GarrisonKeillor, Ian Frazier, Alice Kahn, Patrick
McManus, Roy Blount Jr., Al Franken,Art Buchwald, James Lileks
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Where do they write
Miami Herald, New Yorker, Time, TheNation, Arizona Republic, The Atlantic
Monthly, Playboy, Sports Illustrated,Lose Angeles Times, Minneapolis StarTribune
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Stand-up comedians/ celebs
Tim Allen, David Letterman, Chris Rock,Ellen DeGeneres, Cathy Guisewite,
Matt Groening, Scott Adams
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Humorous ideas
Kelso - what happens on a daily basis
Russell, Ivins, Lileks - politics
Art Buchwald - his daily newspaper
Lind - asks readers to send stories
Blum - depends on friend for ideas
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Humor writers ability
To form images and word pictures,
Surprise or unexpected finish or
resolution of the story
Build up to the end by taking a smallstep at a time to tell the story
Allow momentum to grow
Combination of jokes, break punch line
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Four elements needed
A funny opening
Colorful narration
Colorful characters
A concise plot
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What good publications avoid
Do not want off-color or sexist humor
Do not want taking shots at others
Do not want ethnic jokes
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Tips for good writing
Idea should be covered by a singletheme
Develop the characters in the story
List the bits of humor - the jokes
Start writing and rewriting frequently
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How humor columnists
make humor workExaggeration
Understatement
Surprise
Lifes little problems
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How humor columnists
make humor workHumor in the news
Constructing a comic reality
Attractive beginnings and endings
Puns and word play
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Humor writing techniques
Satire: Ridicule a subjects vices,
excesses, abuses, follies, stupidities(Britney Spears: Oops I did it again) Dave Barry is an example
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Humor writing techniques
Parody: Opportunity to imitate style ofan individual, place, object or institution
Must study subject well. Takesnonsensical approach. Latin playboy
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Humor writing techniques
Exaggeration: Overemphasize, enlarge,distort, to make a point. Must have a
reason for overstatement. Must knowwhen to stop. (Doing research =
flipping TV channels)
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Humor writing techniques
Contrast: Incongruity. Showunreasonable & unsuitable situations.
Something expected and routinebecomes unexpected/ non-routine.(Planned holiday becomes a mess)
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Humor writing technique
Understatement: Works to createemphasis and reaction on the part of
the reader. An intentional, softercomment will draw attention when it iscontrasted with the expected. (95
degree temperature: A little warmoutside)
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Humor writing techniques
Asides: Short messages in parenthesesor other form to communicate on a
quasi-private level. Used in acting orfootnotes. Dave Barry, again, anexample
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Humor writing techniques
Irony: Employs contradictions throughwriting tone and subject. Focuses on
the direct opposite of what is usual orexpected. Outcome of story is differentfrom what is expected by readers.
Distance between what happened andwhat should have happened or what issaid and what is intended.
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Humor writing techniques
Grammatical and TypographicEmphasis: Intentionally overusing and
abusing English grammar and overusage. !!!!! @$#$#%%
Trick draws readers attention to certain
words and terms in an extreme fashionand help place focus where writer wants
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Humor writing techniques
Puns: Play on words to provide doublemeaning. Unless its original, this
doesnt work well
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Humor writing techniques
Logic and Consistency: Correctreasoning through induction or
deduction. Crazy behavior and absurdconduct makes much of Americanhumor. But humor must maintain
internal logic. Continue absurd premise.Dont change focus in middle of story
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ClassesYouValue - ComedyWriting Classes
Website:http://www.classesyouvalue.com/Vince-Curren/Find-Your-Funny.html
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