Jack Cavanaugh's WORD FORGE

Two Pats on the Back and A Swift Kick in the Pants

Surprise!

…the key element of humor.

You lead your reader down a familiar path. Just when they think they know where you’re going… you pull the rug out from beneath them. Works for slapstick, works for word play, and everything in between — two pats on the back, and a swift kick in the pants.

That’s where clichés come in. Remember yesterday when I told you to save all the clichés your overzealous editor ripped from your manuscript? This is where you put them back in, this time with a twist. They’re great fodder for humor.

Why?

Whoever Said Life Was to Be Taken Seriously?

Have you started your collection of humor?

Yesterday I suggested you get a file folder, and write “Makes Me Laugh” on the tab.
   Whenever you read something funny, make a copy of it and toss it into the folder.
      Whenever you hear something funny, jot it down and toss it into the folder.

Here’s why—

1. You’ll begin to realize that your funny bone is susceptible to a particular kind of humor, this is your humor style.

2. The authors of these tidbits are going to become your mentors. They’re going to teach you how to hone your humor skills.

I once watched a documentary of the M*A*S*H television show. One of the younger writers was asked about her experience. She said the best piece of advice she’d ever received came from one a veteran writer. He said to her: “You don’t have a right to laugh until you know why you’re laughing.”

Read through your collection of humor. Do you know why you’re laughing? Once you do, you’re on the road to harnessing the power of humor.

In your quest to find your funny side, what do you look for?

What Every Writer Ought to Know About Humor

Humor is powerful. How powerful?

Business: There are seminars that teach CEOs how to laugh. Why? Because it’s been proven that comedy exercises the mind and improves decision making. On the other side of the picket line, it’s just as powerful. Prospective employees that laugh during interviews are hired more often than their humorless counterparts.

Health: Laughing is good for you. The Bible says humor is like a medicine. Scientists agree. They’ve documented that the endorphins released through laughter are just as good for you as those released during exercise.

Communication: Humor breaks down barriers and defuses tense situations. When Pres. Reagan was touring Japan, his hosts kept pressing for more favorable trade agreements. They even resorted to guilt. “We never bombed one of your cities,” they said. To which Reagan replied, “Yeah? What about Detroit?”

So if humor is so powerful, why do writers shy away from it? Fear, mostly. What are we afraid of?

It's Time To Stop Being Afraid of Humor

Why are so many writers afraid of humor? It’s an essential tool in any writer’s toolbox.

Maybe if we debunk a couple of myths regarding humor—

The Golden Pen: A Writer’s Essential Tool

Be yourself.

Victor Hugo said, “A lion who copies a lion is an ape.”

The same can be said for writers.

Read other authors.
   Analyze other authors.
      Learn from other authors.
But write like yourself.

C.S. Lewis is our teacher today....

The #1 Reason Writers Don't Get Published

I’ve seen it countless times at writer’s conferences.

Across from me sits an unpublished author. Aglow, as she tells me her story. It has everything. A killer opening scene. A wounded hero. An injustice that makes me want to hit something. A humorous side-kick. An incredible journey with a gut-wrenching climax and a feel-good ending.

She’s got me. I can’t wait to read it.

She slides the manuscript across the table.

I read.

I cringe.

The problem?