Wit and Humour

"I don't like jokes in speeches. I do like wit and humor." ~ James Humes

... and that about sums it up. When you're writing a serious story, jokes are the last thing you need. If you feel the urge to write jokes then go ahead and write comedy.

Wit is different. Wit is what pulls your readers up sharp and makes them smile. They'll love you for it.

The best form of wit—I find anyway—is when you can share a joke with your readers. You write something that shows them that you're (literally) on the same page.

Here's an example. On Saturday we looked at describing a character. Somebody suggested a teacher. It's a good place to start. Teachers come in all shapes and sizes of course and some are quite eccentric. They're the most interesting ones!

Since you (and your reader) will be familiar with at least one eccentric teacher, you can write something witty about a teacher. Your reader will recognize certain traits, habits, mode of dress, conduct, voice, and lots of other things.

Use this shared knowledge to create a wacky character. Something like this:

Miss McCann was five minutes late, as usual. In fact, we'd have been surprised if she'd appeared on time. She didn't keep us waiting deliberately. It was simply because she carried with her at all times a schoolbag that looked big enough to transport the contents of a small house.

We never knew exactly what she had in the bag. But she'd unpack most of it at the start of every lesson. There were books, jotters, notebooks, magazines, a framed picture of her dog (run over by a careless taxidriver many years before), her knitting, a bag of sweets, pens, pencils, erasers, glue, a scarf (even in summer), a desk diary, and lastly an old, moth-eaten teddy bear.

All this would go on her desk. Not only that, but everything had to be in its proper place. Meanwhile we'd be waiting patiently, not daring to interrupt. Not that you'd want to. It was fun to watch Miss McCann go through her routine.

That routine never varied. The bag would be produced at the start of the class and at the end, when she'd carefully clear her desk and return everything to the bag. By the time her next class was due to start, she'd still be packing her precious belongings into that bag.

But we loved her for it. It brightened up an otherwise dull day.

You get the idea. Miss McCann is "larger than life". She couldn't possibly exist, yet there are recognizable elements in her behaviour. When you poke fun at Miss McCann, your readers will share in the joke.