By Pepper Basham, @pepperbasham
I LOVE writing humor. The idea that a reader grins or (even better) laughs at something my characters say or do is a wonderful feeling. But humor can be tricky to write. Most of the time, when I ask other readers about this skill, they give abstract answers like “well, it just happens” – and in MANY cases that’s just the way it is. Good humor flows out of the characters and the stories we’re creating.
But there are a few things to consider when we write humor in our stories.
Characters matter – Some characters are funny. And sometimes, the way the other characters respond to a character is the funny part. Both are important to consider when writing organic humor into your stories. You can have a pretty straight-laced character (like Dwight Schrute from The Office), but the WAY he comes across and the way the other characters respond to him is what makes the humor work so well. Some characters instigate funny, sarcastic, quirky things and the humor from other characters is in their response.
Relationship matters – Much like the first one, the relationship between the characters matter in how humor is shared. Siblings speak and act differently than romantic partners (usually). Parents respond differently to their children than a shopkeeper would to a patron. There can be some fun intimate communication that happens between people who know each other with shared histories (from which you can draw your humor) OR you can place your characters into situations where they DON’T know the other people and use a little discomfort or embarrassment to enhance a funny situation. All in good fun. Not mean-spirited or crass. The discomfort or newness of the situation may drive the humor OR the comfort and depth of the relationship can. It’s such fun to play with both aspects.
The Unexpected & Timing Matters – Okay, so I don’t mean throwing something in that draws people out of your story or is uncharacteristic for your characters, but lots of times when a character has a good one-liner/zinger, it catches the reader by surprise and creates humor. The classic line by Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride, “Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die” – it’s funny because it’s unexpected (and the entire fencing scene between The Man in Black and Inigo shows this too). Also, “you keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means”. From As Good As it Gets, Melvin says, “Sell crazy someplace else. We’re all stocked up here.”
A funny example of situational (and unexpected) humor is the fact the adventurer, Indiana Jones, hates snakes (and then they always seem to find him).
So, as a quick example of the unexpected, relationship, and character humor, here’s a short example from my new release, Positively, Penelope.
Text from Penelope to Luke: You’re hilarious. I know why you identify with all the mammals. The hair. Gross. You might actually look like a leading man if you shaved once in a while.
Luke: I can list a few very fine leading male specimens who wear hair quite well.
Penelope: I wasn’t talking about King Kong or BigFoot
Penelope: Ack! Stop texting me photos of the Chrises with beards. (You know I have a weakness for Chris Pine . . . and Chris Evans.) I refuse to agree with you.
Luke: And yet, I bet you saved the photos to your phone.
Penelope: I hate you.
The world could do with a little more kindness and positivity and random acts of singing, don’t you think?
Dear Reader, My name is Penelope, and while I may not be a real-life princess, I’ve been told I possess a certain fairy-tale heroine quality. I wield optimism as my weapon of choice, don amazing shoes and vintage hats whenever possible, and speak in musical references. All of which perfectly qualifies me to succeed in my new role as a marketing intern at the historic Darling House theater on the island of Skymar.
Only . . . it seems this internship position is going to be a LOT bigger than I thought. The Gray family, who owns the theater, has been stuck in a rut of darkness ever since the loss of their matriarchs. Now all that’s left is a dying theater, a reclusive grandfather, three siblings, and an adorable seven-year-old girl who desperately needs some pixie-dust magic.
So that’s what this story is about. My plans to save the theater! (Plans that, somehow, keep being stolen by a local competitor.) And an anonymous online theater troupe. And two single brothers who may be vying for this American girl’s heart . . . until they’re not (or maybe they just want me for my ideas too). And a dream job offer that will require me to make a truly heart-wrenching decision. I may not excel at finishing stories, but I promise to see this one through to its happily ever after.
Positively,
Penelope
Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. Her 20th book came out in February 2023. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is a wife, mom to five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. Her dual timeline novel, Hope Between the Pages, was a 2022 finalist for the prestigious Christy awards. Pepper loves connecting with readers and other authors through social media outlets like Facebook & Instagram.
You can learn more about Pepper and her books on her website at www.pepperdbasham.com