Now, Buck this is probably something you don't know, but cute is one of nature's devices for preserving its young. It doesn't apply to just animals either. Many a dumb and useless human being has survived and prospered for no other reason than the good luck of being cute. My wife comes to mind... - Patrick McManus
Writing humor is one of the more difficult types of writing simply because most writers misunderstand the intent of humor writing.
One of the predominate misconceptions about humor writing is that it needs to be a 'joke book'. This believe fills the pages with one-liners, puns and groaners and has the effect of a clown at a circus - amusing to a degree, but you'll be glad when they just go away.
Many stand-up comedians make poor humor writers because the set-up and punch line routines in stand-up do not translate well to an individual reader. It would be sort of like trying to do stand-up in front of one person - the humor just seems to go away.
So what makes good humor writing?
Gentle Self-depreciation
Most people feel uncomfortable when authors cut themselves down, however in humor writing you can gently point out your own failings and humorous moments for the amusement of the reader. Humor writing will always find a strong root in the foibles of real life.
I became a philosopher at age twelve, after a scant six years of fishing. One evening at supper I looked up from my plate and announced, "I fish; therefore, I am." Perhaps awed by this evidence of precocity in a young boy, my stepfather turned to my mother and asked, "Is there any more gravy?" Thus encouraged, I forgot about philosophy until I went off to college. - Patrick McManus
Life's Amusements
A humor writer can take the normal events in life and enhance their 'normalcy' to make the common uncommonly funny.
The smoke from the campfire always blew directly in the eyes of the campers, regardless of wind direction. No one minded much, since it prevented you from seeing what you were eating. If a bite of food showed no signs of struggle, you considered this a reasonable indication that it came from the cook pot and was not something just passing through. - Patrick McManus
A Story of Many Colors
If you've ever been to a mall where there are artists drawing caricatures you can begin to gain an appreciation for humor writing. The stories have their basis in fact, but the story is blown out of proportion in certain areas to accentuate a point of humor. It doesn't make the story less true, just more entertaining.
Scott Lindsay is a web developer and entrepreneur. He is the founder of FaithWriters and many other web projects. FaithWriters has grown to become one of the largest online destinations for Christian writers and Christian authors FaithWriters is a great place for writing jobs
Source: www.articlesbase.com
