Writers’ Asylum: Challenge #6
Think about a character who likes to make other people laugh, who plays with our sense of the ridiculous. This person isn’t necessarily a stand-up comedian: it is someone who can be relied upon to lighten the mood of a gathering; the group’s joker.
Who is this person? Male or female? How old are they? What sort of people are they friends with? Who does this person spend a lot of time with, and why?
Now think about what’s behind their use of humour. Why do they use it so much? Is it a defensive tactic? Do they use it to deflect attention, break uncomfortable tension, or diffuse situations? Is it simply a sense of fun? Is it used to attract attention to themselves, make them the centre of any gathering? Is there something dark behind it? Are they simply seeking to please others by making them smile?
What kind of situations keep them quiet and make them restrain the inner comedian? What sets them off and joking? Do they obey a sense of appropriateness or flout all social conventions? Are they ever cruel? Where are their personal boundaries?
What kinds of things tickle this character’s sense of humour? What kinds of jokes do they tell or make? How do they make others laugh? Is it all about in-jokes with friends or can anyone join in?
The title of this challenge is Comedy. Put this person into a situation where they can’t resist trying to make others laugh and let them run with it. Be funny and make your audience laugh right along with them.
Finish up: Epilogue
Talitha Kalago says:
I can’t write comedy, so I’m just linking everyone to a 1000 word post I did, which happens to be the only funny thing I every wrote:
http://traditionalevolution.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/the-topher-story.html
April 20th, 2013 at 4:21 pm
Mel says:
I think this is the one that people struggled with the most. But you can write funny! That post you linked to is adorable. 🙂
April 22nd, 2013 at 9:00 am