Create Humorous or Funny Stories

Being funny in writing is a skill — and like every skill, it can be learned. The best comic stories follow the same pattern: a ridiculous character gets into a ridiculous situation and solves it in the most ridiculous way possible. Humor lives in the gap between what is expected and what actually happens.

The three-part funny story structure

• Silly character — introduce a character with one over-the-top quirk or ambition. The sillier and more specific the detail, the funnier. Not "a weird dog" but "a dog who was convinced he was a world-famous chef and wore a tiny toque at all times."
• Silly problem — the problem should grow directly from the character's quirk and spiral in an unexpected direction. Pile one disaster onto another for maximum effect.
• Silly solution — the solution should be absurd, illogical, or wildly out of proportion. It resolves the problem but creates an even funnier new reality.

Humor techniques

• Exaggeration (hyperbole) — push things far beyond reality: "the smoke was so thick it could be seen from three towns away."
• Surprise / subverted expectation — set up one expectation and then deliver something completely different.
• Ridiculous specificity — vague things are never as funny as precise things. "A suitcase full of cheese" is funnier than "a lot of cheese."
• The rule of three — list two expected items and then a third surprising one: "He packed his toothbrush, his passport, and a single enormous cheese."

Keeping the character likable

• The funniest characters are ridiculous but earnest — they take their silly situation completely seriously.
• Give your character a specific name and one vivid detail that stays consistent throughout.