Writing Funny: Introduction to Humor Writing

Ever wonder how jokes actually work? Want to learn the secrets of writing effectively with humor? Join author and educator Adam Wilson to learn how.

In this fun and demystifying class, you'll learn how humor can function in different kinds of texts, including short stories, novels, personal essays, and the pieces found on sites like McSweeney’s and The Onion. Adam takes you through the different elements of story—dialogue, character, descriptive detail, voice—and discusses different strategies for incorporating humor into their execution. In doing so, you'll analyze the mechanics of how jokes actually work. You'll begin to see what humor can do beyond making readers laugh and how it can be used to increase the overall power of a piece.

There’s no experience necessary for this class. It’s for anyone interested in sharpening their joke game, or for learning more about how humor works in prose. You’ll be able to apply the skills you learn here to any kind of writing, be it fiction, essays, or even if you just want to punch up your emails to family and friends.

• Introduction
• The Class Project
• Jokes On The Page Part 1
• Jokes On The Page Part 2
• Rule of Threes
• Funny Plotting
• Funny Dialogue Part 1
• Funny Dialogue Part 2
• Funny Description
• Voice
• Always be Awkward
• Punching Upwards
• Conclusion