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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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