This week I thought I’d concentrate on the art of making people laugh. There are a few tools that a writer can use and this week I will share them all with you.
The first trick is the use of exaggeration. You especially want to exaggerate descriptions, reactions and the stakes.
Descriptions. If something or someone in your story needs to be small and defenceless (let’s say you were attacked by a cat when you were out for a walk) make it extremely small and defenceless (you were attacked by the cutest kitten you’ve ever seen). If something is meant to be big, make it HUGE (I was attacked by a cat that I think may have been a lion escaped from the zoo).
Reactions. People’s reactions to things that have happened help sell it—so make these reactions BIG reactions. (Awww, aren’t you the cutest kitten I’ve ever seen. Ahh, look he’s crawling up my leg. Cute! Oh, he’s trying to bite me. Adorable!! Oh, those teeth are sharp aren’t they? Is that blood? Oh my god! His claws are like razors!!!! Get it off! Get it off! It’s going to kill me!!!!!!!!)
The stakes. Exaggerate how important something is. (For example, before the kitten attacks, you might be on your way to your year 6 formal and you’re wearing your finest clothes. When you arrive, after the kitten attack, your clothes are in shreds and there is blood everywhere.)
Putting it all to the test. Let’s say you are writing about something embarrassing, like a bad haircut. You might write the following:
I went to the hairdresser on the weekend and he gave me the most terrible haircut. I was so embarrassed.
That’s not funny. However, we could exaggerate the importance of the haircut. What if you had somewhere important to go to—that would make the embarrassment worse. Also, we need a description of the haircut and an exaggerated reaction to it.
I had this party to go to on the weekend so I booked in for a haircut in the morning. The hairdresser showed me the final result and I cried. He said perms are back in fashion, especially for men, but let me tell you, the reaction from the people at the party afterwards suggests they’re not!
Okay, this is getting better but we could up the stakes even more. Is there someone important at the party we’re trying to impress? Also, things are funnier if we can picture them so we need to really exaggerate the description of the haircut. Also, if we exaggerate the reactions of the people who see the haircut, we make the humiliation funnier.
My hair had grown so long over lockdown and was a bit of a disgrace. I’d been invited to my first party in MONTHS. Not only that but Susie was going to be there. I’ve had a crush on Susie FOREVER and I’d finally mustered the courage to ask her out. I couldn’t go looking like I did.
So, I booked in for a haircut in the morning at this fancy place. When the hairdresser asked me what I wanted, I shrugged and told him that he was the professional so he should decide.
That was a mistake, I realise now.
He looked at my hair and his eyes lit up with excitement. “I know just the thing for you!” he cried. Two LONG hours later and I looked up from my magazine to discover my hair had been permed and I’d been turned into a poodle. Not just your regular poodle, however, I’m talking about a poodle that has been caught in the rain and then left to live on the streets for a few months.
I thought, it’s okay, I’m sure once it’s finished it will look great. Except apparently it was finished!
“Voila. Do you love it?’ the hairdresser asked.
And because I didn’t want to hurt his feelings and it had already taken so long—the party was about to start—I had to say yes. He saw me crying and he assumed they were tears of joy.
And then I had to go to the party. Of course Susie answered the door. She spit-laughed in my face and then she nearly DIED because she couldn’t breathe—she was laughing too much.
Did I ask her out? No, this bedraggled poodle did not.
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