Progressive Interview: Injecting Humor

A couple of weeks ago some fellow bloggers and I discussed doing some fun blogging together. Someone came up with the idea of a progressive interview. What is that, you ask? Well, we each thought up a question and posted it in our Facebook group. Then we all answered each others’ questions. Today each of us is posting our question here on our blogs with everyone else’s answers, and hoping you’ll be interested enough to ‘hop’ to the other participating blogs to see the other questions and answers. (Tip: you’ll see my answers to their questions–come on, you know you want to!)

So, (drumroll please) here’s my question:

How do you inject humor into your written work? What works for you?

Yvonne Blake says: I’m not a very good comedienne, but I find the best way for me to insert humor is to use puns or to throw a twist right at the end. I like to build up the drama and then make them laugh from surprise.

Sharon Srock says: Through dialog. Most of my characters are older married couples. You don’t get much funnier than that.

Diana Lesire Brandmeyer says: I wish I knew! Readers tell me they laugh when they read my books. I don’t see it. Maybe I’m a product of the Three Stooges, Monty Python, and having quirky sons.

Cynthia Hickey says: Since I write cozy mysteries, humor is a must. I use dialogue and a bit of slapstick 🙂

Linda McQuinn Carlblom says: I write for children, usually middle grade. I use quite a bit of sarcasm in dialogue between kids. And I throw in a bit of gross humor, too, but not so much that it’s offensive. Just funny.

Joanne Sher says: I like using inconsistencies – in language or characterization or action. I think way too many things are funny, but I try to be more subtle in my writing, for the most part.

Donna Winters says: I’m not a funny person. I love to read humor. I long to write humor. That said, the characters in my upcoming release were quite funny at times, according to my crit partners and my husband, who just proofread the whole story. My humor comes straight from God because I just can’t think it up without Him sending it via Spirit telepathy.

Sharon Hoover says: I love funny situations that speak for themselves! Plays on words also make me laugh… but then I usually stumble upon those unintentionally!

Janet Sketchley says: I wish I were a funnier writer! If I try to be funny it bombs, but sometimes it’ll slip out on its own. Luckily one or two of my characters are good with one-liners and I can just let them talk.

Patty Wysong says: Books that make me laugh zoom to the top of my favorite reads, and authors who consistently make me laugh are guaranteed to be hunted down for more books. But how do I inject humor? I don’t think I’m funny and it’s something I’m studying so I can learn. I’m hoping a funny character will rub off on me. 😉

Kristi Peifer says: I try to see the humor in the mundane and everyday things of life. Erma Bombeck was the best.

Christina Rich says: Unexpectedly.

As for me? I’d say it comes from my voice. I need to loosen up, get into my characters’ minds, and put their thoughts on the screen without overthinking it. Sure, it needs editing afterward, but the fresher I can keep my voice, the more humor shines through.

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