Comedy can be a fun genre when it comes to writing, as you can make people laugh and have fun. However, making a good comedy can be difficult, as nothing is more boring than a bad joke. A good comedy mixes humor, wit, and originality. To write a comedy, start by brainstorming. Then structure the comedy appropriately so that each joke is timely and you can get people to laugh.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Brainstorm Comedy Ideas
Step 1. Imagine a funny scenario
Start with a setting that is funny and entertaining. Think of a funny situation in your own life. Often times, a fun setting will have a minor conflict, interesting characters, and a punchline (or funniest moment). Read the news and talk to friends to find a comedic setting.
For example, you can imagine a funny scenario based on your father's divorce and then his second marriage several years later. You can also fictionalize a relationship that has ended badly in your own life and relate it in a funny way
Step 2. Create a comic character
Another way that you can get an idea for a comedy is to create a character that is funny and witty. Use funny people you know as role models for the character. Take an existing fictional character and give it a comic twist. The character can be the protagonist of the comedy and add humor to each scene.
For example, you can create a character based on your mother, using funny phrases she has told you in the past as the character's dialogue unfolds. You can also take a historical figure like Virginia Woolf and add comical details, like a funny voice, to create a character
Step 3. Add an original touch to a familiar idea
Come up with ideas from the comedy you've seen or read before. Then try to give them a personal touch. Turn a familiar idea into something original using creativity.
For example, you can take the familiar idea of an awkward first dinner with parents and have a couple dress up in matching outfits to make the situation a bit silly
Step 4. Read good examples of the genre
Delve into the world of comedy by reading several good examples of the genre (such as novels, plays, or short stories). You can also take a look at comedy scripts for ideas and inspiration. Some good examples are:
- The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
- The importance of being called Ernesto by Oscar Wilde
- My life in rose by David Sedaris
- Bossypants by Tina Fey
Method 2 of 4: Write the Comedy
Step 1. Follow the standard plot of comedy
The plot of a comedy generally involves at least one character with a wish; However, a series of funny and unfortunate events will get in the way. Your wish is what you want to earn in life, from someone else or by yourself. Usually the plot ends when the character gets what he wants or fails in a funny and exaggerated way. The key is to have enough funny events to hold the reader's interest, as well as a protagonist you can support.
For example, you might have a comedy storyline in which the main character wants to graduate from high school and go to college. But his best friend, who is a troublemaker, comes to visit. Together they get into funny and slightly dangerous situations that can prevent the protagonist from graduating
Step 2. Use constant jokes
A constant joke is a joke that is repeated more than once in the course of a comedy. The constant jokes are a good way to evoke the initial moments of humor and make the reader laugh. Distribute consistent jokes throughout the comedy to make the text appear concise and cleverly written.
For example, you can write a joke about a character's hairstyle. Then later in the comedy, you can have another character comment on the same hairstyle in a funnier way
Step 3. Prepare the way for the central joke
Most good comedies have a central joke or high point of humor. This high point can be the climax of the story or the key moment of humor. It may appear approximately 3/4 of the way up or toward the bottom.
For example, you can develop the text by including small and slightly dangerous scenarios. Keep developing it until you find an intense and hilarious scenario that represents life or death for the protagonist
Step 4. Include investments
Investments are made when you invert or subvert the reader's expectations. Taking this action can hold your reader's interest and force them to pay attention to the text. Try to include as many inversions as you can in the comedy to raise the laugh factor.
For example, instead of having a regular car pick up two characters from the parking lot, have a police car pick them up. You can also make that instead of a common waiter serving a restaurant, this is the father of the protagonist
Step 5. Write with a partner
Many successful comedy writers work with a writing partner or team of writers. Having someone else help you write the comedy can make it easier for you to share ideas and thoughts with someone else. Often times, if you can get your partner to laugh at a joke or idea, then it is worth including it in the comedy.
You can ask a friend or colleague to be your partner. You can also reach out to someone in the writing community that you admire or find funny, and ask them to be your partner
Method 3 of 4: Polish the Comedy
Step 1. Show the comedy to other people
When you have a sketch of the comedy, show it to friends, family and colleagues to get their impressions. Ask them if they find it funny and interesting. See when they laugh and what jokes are ineffective. Be receptive to constructive criticism and listen to what they have to say.
Step 2. Read the comedy out loud
A good comedy should sound funny or even funnier than it appears on the page. Read the outline out loud to yourself and to other people. See if any part of the comedy is confusing or verbose. Fix it so that the jokes are timely and have the greatest impact on the reader or listener.
If you have a lot of characters in the comedy, you can ask friends to read the parts of the different characters aloud. This way, you can determine if each character sounds fun and interesting on the page
Step 3. Check if the comedy is clear and funny
Edit the comedy to make it easy to understand and garner as much laugh as possible. Make sure each scene makes the most of every humorous moment. This measure will ensure that the comedy is fun and successful for readers.
Once you review your comedy, you can consider submitting it to publishers and magazines to share with a wider audience
Method 4 of 4: Write Different Kinds of Comedy
Step 1. Emphasize comedy in a script with dialogue
Use dialogue to add humor to the script. Include a witty discussion between the characters. Make a character full of funny short phrases. Create consistent jokes that are repeated by various characters throughout the script. Dialogue allows you to make characters joke with each other and be witty.
For example, you can make a character have a distinctive catchphrase and tone of voice when saying their lines, which will be funny
Step 2. Use prolonged character development in a comic novel
Develop a character over an extended period of time in a novel to make it endearing, witty, and funny to the reader. Give him a fun childhood or quirky sense of humor. Let the character's voice and actions come through as the novel progresses, and add fun and humorous details about the character. The reader will have a humorous notion of the character.
For example, you can have a character who seems secondary to the story but always has a funny side. You can then make it more and more important as the novel progresses, making her sense of humor the central focus
Step 3. Surprise the reader in a play of comedy
The element of surprise can be a fun way to make the reader jump and laugh. Include a plot twist that you find funny and unexpected. Keep the viewer on tenterhooks and use suspense to create surprise and laughter.