Writing Humor Tips
Here's to my new blog! I wanted to start it off with some writing tips that I use to infuse humor into scenes that can get too serious. If you've read my Light Tamer series, you'll know that I have a lot of laugh out loud moments in the book. Amber is a character that thrives on sarcasm, and at times crude humor. Not crude as in dirty and nasty, but she is blunt about the obvious.
An excerpt from Enlightened -
“Just a school in a different lifetime,” Thorne replies demurely.
Shawn and I watch Amber as she sits stunned he didn’t answer her. Caleb, obviously amused with Amber’s lack of comeback, happily eats his salad. We chatted quietly about nothing in particular and Thorne finished his mac-n-cheese and ignored our chatter. I watch in amazement as he pulls out a copy of The Lightning Thief and starts reading.
“Thorne, I don’t mean to bother you while you’re engrossed in your children’s book, but I have to,” Amber says sugary sweet. “Listen, there were things that happened this summer and for whatever reason I got stuck with these two.” She points at Caleb and me accusingly. “I have a reputation to uphold, and you my dear are my solution.”
His right eyebrow lifts, and his face breaks into a grin. “That sounds mildly interesting.”
“Mildly interesting? I’ll show you mildly interesting. I’m sorry, but this has to be done,” she stands up abruptly and walks over to where he is sitting. He stays silent, probably curious about the crazy girl with the wild hair. She pushes the table out of her way. He's sitting with his legs stretched out, and feet crossed at his ankles. If I didn’t watch her with my own eyes, I’d never believe what happens next.
She puts one leg over his lap and both hands over his shoulders as she straddles him. Without warning, she leans forward and kisses him. The book falls silently to the floor as he puts both hands on her waist. People in the lunchroom starts to take notice of our table and cat calls began to be chanted. I scoot closer to Caleb, he puts his arm over my shoulder and nudges his chair until we are hip to hip. Shawn’s mouth falls open, and I’m pretty sure she quit breathing.
Thorne was incontestably not objecting to Amber. As uncomfortable it’s making me, I can’t quit watching.
By adding a little drama to a boring scene about a high school lunch room, it makes the scene one of the most memorable Amber moments. A lot of young adult books add a fight or disagreement to the lunchroom scenes. I decided that Amber needed a little badassery street cred to make her more believable. We all know someone like Amber, the one who does things for the shock factor.
When you're writing, think about the reader and what they might be thinking. You can't have your story level forever, and you can't make it filled with tension without a little break, or you become predictable, or boring. I love when a reader emails me about laughing out loud while they read a scene. I often laugh as I write those scenes, so it makes me happy to know that I made them laugh too.
An excerpt from Thievery
“HELP!” A familiar voice yells as they run down the hall towards me. “Alaric, get Trig! We have a problem!” It’s Lane, one of the sophomores sent out on a mission today.
“What’s wrong?”
Lane bends over, trying to catch his breath. “Blake! It’s Blake, he was caught! They’re hanging him tonight!”
SMOKIN’ MONKEY SHIT! “Go to the library, I’ll get Trig. Recruits, go to dinner and keep your mouths shut. Don’t start rumors without the facts. Do you understand?” They all nod in unison.
This is a completely different type of story, with a lot of intense scenes. By adding SMOKIN' MONKEY SHIT! I gave the reader a giggle, and made them realize Alaric was serious, yet he has a funnybone.
Even though readers tend to read before they go to sleep, you don't want them to fall asleep because of your writing.
Leave comments with your own tips about humor. Thank you for following my blog here to my new website!!
Much Love! Devyn
