Write Humor is a serious matter

The writer, who may be stories or articles that make people laugh, or simply bring a smile to the reader, are more popular today than at any other time. If you're lucky enough to have a natural ability to make people laugh, then put it to good use.

To the writer who feels or she can contribute to the sum of human happiness, here are some pointers on how to make a success of it.

1. The first thing to remember is that humor is subjective. What is funny to one person may easily leave another cold. This depends on both style and subject matter. There are two approaches you can take here. (A) things in your writing style that makes you laugh, because if you enjoy it then there will be a crowd of people out there with your sense of humor that put it into what you are offering. Alternatively (B) write humor that will appeal to a wide range of readers, choosing subjects that have universal appeal. For example, think about the trials of life: growth, childhood and adolescence with their growing pains and foolishness; married life, growing old. All have a wide appeal.

2. Humour is grounded, believe it or not, the serious things of life and the universal truths of life. Take, for example, sit-coms like 'My Family', 'The Royale Family', 'Frasier'. They all deal with real, if exaggerated, life experiences. Bill Bryson has made a name for himself writing humourously of his travels in the United States and England. He got his real life experiences and brought out the funny side.

3. When writing humor in the stories you remember that your reader should not be laughing your characters, but with them. Taking your characters if embarrassing, unfortunate incidents, even dangerous requires that the reader feels sympathy for the character, while at the same time laughing at the situation you are in.

4. When you write a story sure to vary the plot taking in scenes of tenderness, pathos and seriousness every so often. This will add a dynamic that leads the reader from the heights of hilarity (hopefully) the most down to earth and weighted scenes. Making the humor highlight the pathos and vice versa. A story that goes from gag to gag from the beginning to the end will miss the ups and downs that every story needs.

5. What makes people laugh more? Someone who slips on a banana peel is pretty high on the list. Or someone sitting on a deck chair that collapses. In these cases the viewer, reader, should be laughing at the comic relief of the situation rather than the unfortunate person. Your mood needs to reach that place in my heart and mind of the reader that makes them say, 'What could have been me'. In addition to making people laugh player trying to make them feel sympathy and compassion as well.

Whatever style of humor you have, there is an audience out there waiting for you, and so on. Just watch where you walk! ......