satire tagged posts

Writing Humor

April 30, 2013 Learn the Craft  No comments

Writing Humor is difficult.  Besides developing the humor, these stories must have all the other elements of a non-humorous story.  To state it differently, a comedic story must have a protagonist, a plot problem, an antagonist and the humor.

A major part of the problem with writing humor is that humor is very subjective; what one reader sees as hilarious, another will view as stupid.  Thus, no matter how good a humor writer you are, you always have the disadvantage that many readers will think your stuff is dumb.  While this caveat applies to all writing, it is more pronounced with humor and satire.

A mistake I see in many short stories, and one that occasionally I’m prone to make, is a failure to tip off the reader early on that the story is humorous.  The author has to let theRead More

How to Write Really Bad Fiction and Enjoy the benefits of Rapid Rejection

February 4, 2013 Writing Tips  No comments

How to Write Really Bad Fiction and Enjoy the benefits of Rapid Rejection  by Hank Quense

This article was published a while back but it’s chock full of useful, timely information.  So enjoy and take notes for future reference.

How to Write Really Bad Fiction and Enjoy the benefits of Rapid Rejection

© 2011

Originally published by Writing-World.com March 2011

I’m an author of five books and over forty short stories along with a number of fiction writing articles.  From my experience, I’ve learned a number important lessons and I want to pass them onto others.  One important lesson involves getting a book published; it changes your life.  No longer can you sit in your office and spend your time writing more fiction.  Once you become a published author, you also become the book’sRead More

Episode 42- Queens, Late Night Morons and On With The Show!

July 21, 2012 Newbie Writers Podcast  No comments

Episode 42

Queens, Late Night Morons and On With the Show!

 

Parody and Satire

Why is it important? Parody and Satire are the court jesters of society. They are the editorial cartoons, stories in the Onion, parody and satire is both entertaining and instructive.

But, if down badly, all you have is a pile of snorting, self congratulatory high school sophomore jocks – annoying rather than humorous.

So how can we be funny and instructive and inventive?

Study who has down it well before you:

Modest Proposal Swift

For Preventing The Children of Poor People in Ireland From Being A burden to Their Parents or Country, and For Making Them Beneficial to The Public

By Jonathan Swift (1729)

The question therefore is, how this number (of illegitimate Irish children) shall beRead More