QOTD Monday May 16
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Stephen
Sarah
Maggie
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QOTD Monday May 16
Ahh, the dreaded Monday. I'll do a lighthearted question.
QUESTION: What are some of your favorite ways to imbue humor into your novels? Do you through dialogue? Or circumstances? Or do you put humor in at all? And why?
QUESTION: What are some of your favorite ways to imbue humor into your novels? Do you through dialogue? Or circumstances? Or do you put humor in at all? And why?
Re: QOTD Monday May 16
If there is anything funny in my novels then its usually through dialogue. I put it in because its just what the characters say, just like us they have their funny moments.
Last edited by Sarah on Mon May 16, 2011 2:32 pm; edited 1 time in total
Sarah- Level 5
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Re: QOTD Monday May 16
It depends some of my characters are funny when they talk but it isn't the only way that I use to put humor in a text anything can be made sound ridiculous
Re: QOTD Monday May 16
I'm a big believer in humor. I use dialogue, and situational things, character ignorance of something obvious to the reader, as well as irony(...I kind of just gave a super basic description of the three types of irony, lol.). I feel like, without humor, fantasy tends to take itself too seriously. But the humor has to actually be funny, otherwise you're left staring at the book and realizing that the author is a geek with little real social interaction to stand on. (This happened to me in Eragon--I was reading, and suddenly the characters were laughing, and I had to reread it to find the joke because it was uber lame. )
Re: QOTD Monday May 16
Dialogue. Not just between characters––inner dialogue is my favorite. But I like all different kinds of humor, like Amanda said.
Constance- Level 5
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Re: QOTD Monday May 16
@Constance I agree with you! Inner dialogue is one of if not my favorite ways to be humorous.
Re: QOTD Monday May 16
Since you all seem to think I'm funny, you'll be surprised to hear I don't really write funny stuff.
Like, at all.
My queried novel wouldn't have benefitted from humor since it has such a serious topic (except for one super sarcastic character). My WIP . . . it has good one-liners here and there, I think. But since I'm working on something lighter next (either something lighter or a murder mystery, have yet to decide), I need to figure out humor. Grr.
Buuuuut I don't really like writing funny stuff since it's so hard to know what makes others laugh. There was a good article in Writer's Digest about this a couple months ago.
Like, at all.
My queried novel wouldn't have benefitted from humor since it has such a serious topic (except for one super sarcastic character). My WIP . . . it has good one-liners here and there, I think. But since I'm working on something lighter next (either something lighter or a murder mystery, have yet to decide), I need to figure out humor. Grr.
Buuuuut I don't really like writing funny stuff since it's so hard to know what makes others laugh. There was a good article in Writer's Digest about this a couple months ago.
Re: QOTD Monday May 16
I've heard humor described as, at the very basic, a reversal of expectations. And it can be anything, so even if a situation isn't funny/is super serious, I still slip in reversals. It's not funny in a 'haha' way, but in an 'ooh, I wasn't expecting that/I expected the opposite' way. Only as long as it fits, though, because it's easy to fall into seeming contrived rather than organic. I try to have something for everyone, so I'm pretty sure the only type of humor I don't engage in is slapstick. I was going to say puns, too, but then I realized I had one in chapter 16. Not in an obvious way--light flashes off a characters eyes, and they say 'Illuminating.' I like to keep myself entertained while I write, lol.
Re: QOTD Monday May 16
My books aren't very funny. I try to add humour in wherever I can, but I'm not very good at it...when it works, it's usually very subtle, dry, or sarcastic humour in the narrative or through dialogue. So it's something I really try to work on, and I'm not sure I'm improving at all, yet. XD
But I do try to work it in as much as possible. My stories tend to get pretty dark, and I hate sounding like I'm taking myself too seriously. Ideally, I want to be able to write like Joss Whedon, or the Doctor Who writers, who are able to make their work the perfect blend of everything, in my opinion. It can be incredibly dark and depressing and heartbreaking, but also freaking hilarious and downright silly.
I doubt I'll ever manage to learn to be that funny, but I'm going to keep trying anyway. XD
But I do try to work it in as much as possible. My stories tend to get pretty dark, and I hate sounding like I'm taking myself too seriously. Ideally, I want to be able to write like Joss Whedon, or the Doctor Who writers, who are able to make their work the perfect blend of everything, in my opinion. It can be incredibly dark and depressing and heartbreaking, but also freaking hilarious and downright silly.
I doubt I'll ever manage to learn to be that funny, but I'm going to keep trying anyway. XD
Re: QOTD Monday May 16
That's exactly what I'm going for--the perfect mix of everything, from dark, depressing, and heartbreaking to hilarious. Like Dr. Horrible, which is by Joss Whedon, I believe. I should really watch Dr. Who--I have a feeling I'd like it. I like sarcastic/dry/subtle humor, too. Okay, I like everything except vulgar and slapstick. And sometimes I like slapstick. But my favorite humor is the clever stuff.
Re: QOTD Monday May 16
I pretty much agree with Amanda on all counts.
Constance- Level 5
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