Good For a Laugh: How to Tap into Your Comedic Side in Your Writing
Poetry is often associated with serious themes and emotions, such as love, heartbreak, sadness, and healing. But many poets opt for a more lighthearted approach by employing humor in their work. Whether to illustrate an uncomfortable truth or capture an amusing moment, tapping into your comedic side can help you add a new dynamic to your writing. You won’t have to journey far to find inspiration—everyday life is filled with absurdity.
Pull from your own life experience
In the catalog of one’s life memories, funny experiences tend to shine through. To help you find your humorous side, think of an amusing personal or shared saying or moment. Maybe you frequently laugh at an inside joke with your friends or family. Or you might regularly revisit a funny memory that never fails to lighten your mood.
On the other hand, consider adding emotional depth to your comedic voice by using juxtaposition to find the funny side of a sad or dark moment. Since humor helps us cope with and move through painful experiences—research actually shows that laughter can effectively improve your mood—writing comedically may allow you to gain a different perspective and let go of the past.
As you begin tapping into your comedic side, ask yourself: In what ways can I creatively communicate these topics in a poem? What message do I want to convey? How can I find my comedic voice by using a conversational, funny tone?
Read humorous poetry collections
Reading humorous poetry is perhaps the most effective way to develop your comedic voice. Analyzing other poets’ work can help influence and inspire your poetry’s tone, rhyme scheme, and structure. Notice how writers use satire, parody, or clever word choice to comment on social issues, personal experiences or a combination of both.
Get inspired by comedy TV series and films
Who doesn’t love a good comedy? Whether you’re a fan of the classics or prefer modern series and movies, watching comedies can inspire your comedic poetry since comedies expertly find humor in daily, ordinary occurrences. Take note on the ways in which these stories use dialogue and narrative to make you laugh.
Don’t underestimate the power of humor to help you and your readers connect with your writing. Finding your funny side can bring joy into not only your writing, but also your daily life. To assist you in this process, consider keeping a “funny moments” journal for a week. Each day, jot down moments that made you laugh, describing them in detail, proving the mundane often provides you with endless creative writing inspiration.
