Art by Alison Hunt
(Now we dive into the Character section. Of course, that brings up the question of comedy, which people sometimes try to jam into a story. It doesn’t always work because there are a lot of factors though. Needless to say, I had to tackle the subject since I try to add humor into my stories without diminishing the drama.)
I enjoy adding humor to my stories. This is a personal preference because I believe laughter is a great way to get people to keep reading. So, I do gravitate towards the thought that it should be in a story if it fits the tone.
Shoehorning comedy into a story that doesn’t work with it will be disastrous. Yes, people may crack jokes to handle stress or grief. That doesn’t mean a somber funeral scene needs to have a pie thrown into somebody’s face. Always remember that context and tone are important, which I would even say is the second rule of adding humor. Consider the mood you want to set and the character personalities before injecting comedy. Now, let’s get to that essential and commonly ignored first rule:
Comedy is subjective and differs from person to person.
Jokes and gags don’t always hit the way we want or expect. This isn’t always due to our own sense of humor being off, but what the reader finds funny. A slapstick moment can be hilarious to one person and seen as purely abusive by another. Word play jokes can be missed by a reader who lacks prior knowledge or strong comprehension skills to make it work, so the interaction appears strange instead of funny. A crude joke can cause a reader who doesn’t like that kind of humor to stop reading. This means with every attempt at garnering laughs, you are going to risk getting the opposite or no reaction. It’s no different than a stand-up comedian doing a set since not everyone in the audience will laugh at every joke.
Now, you may think running the jokes by your friends will help, which is a logical conclusion. This can fail too because your friends most likely either share your sense of humor or get your jokes, so they won’t see any issues a stranger will lock in on. This is why some authors try to steer clear of comedy and keep their stories 100% serious. Well . . . That ends this section . . . Guess not. (To prove my point, I thought this gag was funny while one of my beta readers seemed confused.)
With comedy being a double-edged rubber chicken, you have to use it with caution. Accept that you won’t get a laugh out of everyone, so focus more on the joke working within the scope of the story. Consider these questions:
- Do you go out of your way to make it? Then, it’s no good.
- Would the character making the joke actually say that? If no then it’s a scene-cracking dud.
Legends of Windemere 
This is a great topic to handle, because humor is very important in contemporary writing (not just fantasy). I think this is a bleed over from TV and movies, where frequent moments of humor keep audiences engaged even when the show is not a sitcom.
I’ve felt for a while, though, that humor has great power. Your audience will forgive you some other flaws if you make them laugh.
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Even plays had humor. Shakespeare used it a lot even in some of his tragedies. At least he used some sarcasm.
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Great topics in your book. 😊I saw THE FLASH this weekend. When I watched some reviews after seeing it, humor came up a lot and whether or not it meshed well with the heavier moments. So I’m glad you’re discussing it in your book. Yes, you have great humor in your books. I also think of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels, which made me laugh even weeks after reading some of them. But he was great at blending sharp comedy with touching moments. 😊
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I heard there was good humor in The Flash. Also that the third act was a mess that didn’t seem to gel with the rest of the movie.
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Well, I won’t spoil it if you plan to see it. I’ll just say that I enjoyed it. 😊
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Probably have to wait until it’s streaming.
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This is so important right now. Comedy seems to be going extinct, at least the majority of forms. You can’t tell a joke right now without someone being offended. For some reason, Americans love to cancel someone completely these days. I try to use more situational humor, since it doesn’t involve poking fun at someone. Dreaming of a day when we can all loosen up just a little bit.
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It does seem harder to tell a joke, but I’m finding that non-targeted humor still works. Slapstick too. As long as a specific type of person isn’t the victim, the jokes seem to go unchallenged.
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I also have the option of having the hat be an ass, because Lizzie quickly stomps on him.
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Ouch. Hope he doesn’t get really hurt.
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Humour seems to happen naturally in my writing – it makes me laugh, anyway, though I can’t speak for others. As you say, humour is subjective!
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I try to do the same. Natural humor is the best because it doesn’t damage story flow.
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I enjoyed this humor section, Charles. Humor is so difficult to write, and if it isn’t somewhat natural it could lay an egg. Thanks.
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Thanks. Eggs are definitely a constant threat.
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Humour is a difficult one. I remember we were advised by the lecturer, before doing the final English exam, not to do humour in the essay part.
It is tricky for all the reasons you mention. I have odd moments of humour in The Wolves of Vimar series, (at least I find them humerous, and so do some of my critiquers) but I have none in my two historical novels, nor in my Elemental World’s duo. (Which is now available as a bundle.)
Almost there, now. Less than 2weeks to release.
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Release day is just around the corner. I can see how humor wouldn’t work in an essay or historical novels. They tend to be more serious in mood and tone.
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