Writerly Ways
Aug. 24th, 2025 11:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cornerofmadnessHow do you write funny? Damned if I know. I think funny is probably the hardest thing to do well. For one it's down to individual taste more than any other genre I can think of. Some people love fart jokes (not me). Others are into puns. Some humor is downright mean (looking at you Family Guy and Seth McFarlane). In previous decades ethnic humor was prevalent (and thankfully mostly dead) I definitely find comedies much harder to get into than dramas. You hear people talking about how Americans can't get into British humor, again highlighting the whole comedy is hard.
I don't have a lot of advice here. I don't think I do this well. I can break out some funny dialogue but I've never tried (nor really want to) write a long comedy piece. I'm thinking of this because one of the arcs I just got is another 'comedic cozy' which i didn't know when I asked for it since so many of them aren't funny to me. The author is a sit-com writer originally (that should have been a clue...) Anyhow so far the humor is the 'let's embarrass the protags' style which for me gets old fast. For example in the first three chapters we have the 30 year old protag not working a cell phone video right and accidentally sharing it and then her partner comes up with dumbass ideas to help have things to do at their new motel (she was a sit com writer turned motelier) including an electric bike (that he falls off of) a paddleboard (ditto) and sling shots (he breaks his own cabin window) and I could probably handle that embarrassment until this.
So if I said 'hey gang, I'm going to have a throw away character, a shop owner who had a virus and lost her sense of taste, and she insists of baking things that suck. But since everyone loves her they won't tell her her food sucks and the motelier is going to buy muffins from her every morning for breakfast and then throw them out while she's not looking.' what would you think of that? (I can tell you how not funny I find this)
Anyhow, if you DO write funny and want to share tips go for it.
Open Call
Into the Deep, Dark Woods Speculative Fiction set in the woods
These Dreaming Hills Stories rooted in central Appalachia dependent upon broadly defined notions of speculative fiction, written by authors with strong ties to the region
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Short Fiction Contest Stories that deal with various types of existential threats that could cause an Apocalypse, and avoiding it.
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How to Write Killer Chapter Endings That Hook Readers.
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From Betty
I absolutely love this character development idea that she found on Pintrest. I need to do this
Six Ways Guns Change a Fantasy Setting
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The Fastest, Most Reliable Way to Improve Your Writing Craft
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Colonel Mustard in the Ballroom: How Setting Shapes Mystery
Anthropic AI Class Action: Important Information for Authors
What I learned about creativity from Bob Ross
The #1 Mistake Writers Make in Plotting—and the Simple Fix
A Writer’s Guide to Living Well: Surviving and Thriving in Brokenness
How a Writer Can Turn Passive Newsletter Subscribers into a Thriving Community
Writing Better Character Conflicts With the 5 Conflict Management Styles
Time Travel for Writers
The Summoned Writer
Lessons From a 25-Year Search for the ‘Secret Sauce’
I don't have a lot of advice here. I don't think I do this well. I can break out some funny dialogue but I've never tried (nor really want to) write a long comedy piece. I'm thinking of this because one of the arcs I just got is another 'comedic cozy' which i didn't know when I asked for it since so many of them aren't funny to me. The author is a sit-com writer originally (that should have been a clue...) Anyhow so far the humor is the 'let's embarrass the protags' style which for me gets old fast. For example in the first three chapters we have the 30 year old protag not working a cell phone video right and accidentally sharing it and then her partner comes up with dumbass ideas to help have things to do at their new motel (she was a sit com writer turned motelier) including an electric bike (that he falls off of) a paddleboard (ditto) and sling shots (he breaks his own cabin window) and I could probably handle that embarrassment until this.
So if I said 'hey gang, I'm going to have a throw away character, a shop owner who had a virus and lost her sense of taste, and she insists of baking things that suck. But since everyone loves her they won't tell her her food sucks and the motelier is going to buy muffins from her every morning for breakfast and then throw them out while she's not looking.' what would you think of that? (I can tell you how not funny I find this)
Anyhow, if you DO write funny and want to share tips go for it.
Open Call
Into the Deep, Dark Woods Speculative Fiction set in the woods
These Dreaming Hills Stories rooted in central Appalachia dependent upon broadly defined notions of speculative fiction, written by authors with strong ties to the region
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Short Fiction Contest Stories that deal with various types of existential threats that could cause an Apocalypse, and avoiding it.
Book Worms Horror Zine Folk Horror
NonBinary Review Erased From History
90 Opportunities for Historically Underrepresented Writers
26 Respected Literary Journals
From Around the web
Book Advertising on a Budget for Self-Published Authors
A Beginner’s Guide to Outlining Chapters: Simple Techniques to Start Strong
How to Make a Custom Book Cover: Step-by-Step Guide for First-Time Authors
Michelle Knudsen: Five Things I Learned Writing Into The Wild Magic.
How to Hire a Book Editor: What Writers Should Know
How to Write Killer Chapter Endings That Hook Readers.
A 5-Minute Fix for a Blah Scene
In Praise of Repetition Loops, Echoes, and the Power of Return
From Betty
I absolutely love this character development idea that she found on Pintrest. I need to do this
Six Ways Guns Change a Fantasy Setting
Six Tricks for Memorable Character Moments
Five Qualities Every Hero Needs
How Much Research Is Too Much?
5 Ways to Engage All 5 Senses Without Overwhelming Readers
The Fastest, Most Reliable Way to Improve Your Writing Craft
How to Use the Four Levels of Conflict to Strengthen Your Story
Colonel Mustard in the Ballroom: How Setting Shapes Mystery
Anthropic AI Class Action: Important Information for Authors
What I learned about creativity from Bob Ross
The #1 Mistake Writers Make in Plotting—and the Simple Fix
A Writer’s Guide to Living Well: Surviving and Thriving in Brokenness
How a Writer Can Turn Passive Newsletter Subscribers into a Thriving Community
Writing Better Character Conflicts With the 5 Conflict Management Styles
Time Travel for Writers
The Summoned Writer
Lessons From a 25-Year Search for the ‘Secret Sauce’
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Date: 2025-08-25 03:31 pm (UTC)