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"Hope I'm Funny."

Hey, Reader,

For the sake of good cheer and smiling faces this time of year, I want to talk about writing comedy.

Many of my writing students come to me with the question,

“How do you write comedy?”

How do you write comedic bits and scenes into a dramatic story? They’re worried because something they wrote wasn't funny. Or they couldn't think of anything witty. They put so much pressure on themselves to get it right the moment they start writing.

Now, some people are “gag writers.”

Comedy is what they do. They live and breathe funny thoughts. They come to them almost instantly. Part of that is ingrained, and part of it is practice.

But most writers, whether you're a seasoned pro or just emerging, try to get the concept, the idea, the plot, and the story out first. They get the characters out of their heads onto a surface, then find the humor in the circumstance or the characters organically.

And that's where you start writing your humor or comedy scenes, situations, or stories.

For example, Scooby Doo Is a different tone than Batman?

If you have a story where the villain is doing some nefarious things, and you’re doing a serious Batman story, your hero will approach the problem more seriously.

You can find humor in the situation, but it's not meant to be funny. But with Scooby Doo, it's about funny. It's about absurd. It's definitely about laughs.

And looking at the characters, you must know who is the best source for the most laughs. Also, how do the other characters play off of that?

In the case of Scooby Doo, Shaggy and Scooby are the characters established to generate the most laughs. The Joker may play pranks in a serious Batman story but are deadly. They are played for drama and shock value.

So, in conclusion, it goes back to what I said at the beginning: get your ideas, concepts, and characters down first, and then find and develop the humor.

Try it.

By the way ... comedy works in mystery stories, too.

If you want to know how to create dynamic characters for a mystery thriller, join my Write The Crime: COLD CASE CHALLENGE, Part One.

In it I’ll show you how to map out your crime, victim, and criminal. Act now, and I’ll even give you a chance to learn more for less.

So click the link and join me instantly.

Write The Crime: COLD CASE CHALLENGE, Part One.

Best,

Alex Simmons

Have questions? DM me (@AlexSimmonsSays). Or email me.

If you need help telling your stories, Click Below and let me know.

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