LOL - How to Use Humor

Humor can be a powerful tool in storytelling, even for those of us who don't consider ourselves naturally funny. This guide aims to help writers who may be hesitant about incorporating humor into their work but are curious to explore its potential.

1. Approach Your Story from a New Angle

Sometimes, all it takes to unlock your humorous side is a shift in perspective. For me, the catalyst was imagining my book as a potential musical. This mental exercise opened up new avenues for incorporating lighter moments into the narrative.

Example: Douglas Adams' "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" began as a radio comedy before evolving into a beloved humorous novel. The absurdist tone and comedic timing that made it successful in audio translated beautifully to the written word. Adams' ability to describe the ridiculous with a straight face became a hallmark of his style.

Practical Exercise: Take a scene from your work-in-progress and imagine it as part of a different medium - a sitcom episode, a stand-up routine, or even a silent film. How would you need to adapt the scene to fit this new format? What humorous elements might naturally arise from this transformation?

2. Harness the Power of Character-Driven Humor

Creating characters with inherent comedic potential can be an organic way to introduce humor into your story. In my case, King Midas' three advisors became the primary source of laughs, their quirks and interactions providing natural opportunities for humor.

Example: Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is a masterclass in character-driven humor. Consider the character of Sam Vimes, a cynical, world-weary police officer whose internal monologues often provide wry commentary on the absurdities of his world. Or Death, an anthropomorphic personification who struggles to understand human concepts, leading to both poignant and hilarious moments.

Practical Exercise: Create a character profile for a potentially humorous character. What quirks, flaws, or unique perspectives might they have? How would they react in various situations in your story? Remember, the humor often comes from the character's consistent worldview clashing with their circumstances.

3. Trust Your Own Sense of Humor

If you find yourself chuckling while writing or editing, chances are your readers will too. This doesn't mean every joke will land, but it's a good indicator that you're on the right track.

Example: David Sedaris is known for his self-deprecating humor and ability to find comedy in everyday situations. In "Me Talk Pretty One Day," he recounts his experiences learning French in Paris. His description of struggling with gendered nouns is both relatable and hilarious: "I find it ridiculous to assign a gender to an inanimate object incapable of disrobing and making an occasional fool of itself."

Practical Exercise: Keep a humor journal. Jot down moments from your day that amuse you, no matter how small. Over time, you'll start to see patterns in what you find funny, which can inform your writing.

4. Seek and Value Feedback

Humor is subjective, but if the majority of your beta readers enjoy your humorous scenes, you're likely on the right path. Don't be discouraged if not everyone "gets" your jokes - humor, like all aspects of writing, won't please everyone.

Example: Jenny Lawson's "Let's Pretend This Never Happened" is filled with bizarre anecdotes that might seem too outlandish to be true. However, her beta readers' positive responses encouraged her to maintain her unique brand of humor. She writes about her taxidermist father bringing home a squirrel corpse and trying to use it as a hand puppet to cheer her up - a scene so absurd it's funny, yet it resonated with readers because of its underlying emotional truth.

Practical Exercise: Organize a humor-focused beta reading session. Ask your readers to mark spots where they laughed out loud, smiled, or even just appreciated an attempt at humor. This feedback can help you identify what's working and what might need refinement.

5. Explore Different Types of Humor

While I found my niche with wry and sarcastic humor, there's a wide spectrum of comedic styles to explore. Understanding these can help you find the type that best fits your voice and story:

Wordplay and Puns

Jasper Fforde's "Thursday Next" series is rife with literary puns and clever wordplay. In "The Eyre Affair," characters can literally get lost in a book, leading to lines like: "The barriers between reality and fiction are softer than we think; a bit like a frozen lake. Hundreds of people can walk across it, but then one evening a thin spot develops and someone falls through; the hole is frozen over by the following morning."

Situational Comedy

Helen Fielding's "Bridget Jones's Diary" derives much of its humor from putting its protagonist in embarrassing situations. Bridget's attempts to impress her crush while dressed as a Playboy bunny is a prime example of humor arising from circumstances.

Dark Humor

Chuck Palahniuk's "Fight Club" uses dark humor to underscore its themes. The narrator's deadpan descriptions of violence and societal decay are often darkly funny: "I wanted to destroy something beautiful I'd never have."

Satire

George Saunders' short stories in "Tenth of December" use humor to critique societal issues. In "The Semplica Girl Diaries," he creates a world where people use young women from developing countries as living lawn ornaments, using absurdist humor to comment on consumerism and exploitation.

Practical Exercise: Try writing the same scene using different types of humor. How does the tone change? Which version feels most natural to you?

6. Use Humor to Enhance, Not Dominate

Remember, unless you're writing a pure comedy, humor should serve your story, not overshadow it. Even in works dealing with serious themes, moments of levity can provide balance and keep readers engaged.

Example: John Green's "The Fault in Our Stars" deals with terminal illness in teenagers, yet it's peppered with humorous moments that make the characters feel more real and relatable. When Hazel describes her cannula as "this thing that I use to breathe. Attached to an oxygen tank I carry around," her friend Isaac replies, "Sounds like you're a cyborg. Cool." This brief exchange lightens the mood without diminishing the seriousness of Hazel's condition.

Practical Exercise: Identify the most emotionally heavy scenes in your story. Can you add a moment of gentle humor to provide your readers (and characters) with a brief respite? Remember, the humor should feel natural, not forced.

Humor in Writing

Adding humor to your writing is a skill that can be developed with practice and patience. It can make your story more engaging, provide relief from tension, and create memorable moments for your readers. Don't be afraid to experiment - you might discover a talent for comedy you never knew you had.

Remember, the goal isn't to transform your work into a laugh-out-loud comedy (unless that's what you're aiming for). Instead, think of humor as another color on your writing palette, a tool to add depth, contrast, and human touch to your storytelling.

As you embark on this journey of incorporating humor into your writing, be kind to yourself. Not every attempt at humor will land perfectly, and that's okay. The most important thing is to keep writing, keep experimenting, and stay true to your unique voice. Who knows? You might just find that adding a sprinkle of laughter to your pages not only entertains your readers but also brings you joy in the writing process.