Mysterical-E

Reading for Smarties

HOW TO FIND HUMOROUS WRITING
THAT WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH

“Humor is the affectionate communication of insight.” - Leo Rosten

Humor is such a subjective thing. Some like subtle humor, others love slapstick. Some like satire while others don’t “get” it. Irony can also be lost on some. From outrageous to sly, there are more types of humor in writing than just about any other category. And finding the kind you like can be hard

However, with the internet’s ability to search, you will be more likely to find writers who will make you laugh out loud.

You can start with lists and anthologies, like Andy Borowitz’s THE 50 FUNNIEST AMERICAN WRITERS, although there are complaints about his picks not being contemporary enough.

Michael J. Rosen’s MIRTH OF A NATION: THE BEST CONTEMPORARY HUMOR are all essays and has mixed reviews.

Or try David Remnick’s FIERCE PAJAMAS: AN ANTHOLOGY OF HUMOR WRITING FROM THE NEW YORKER, which also has mixed reviews.

I see a pattern here. “Mixed reviews.” Which proves the point that one’s person’s humor is another person’s groan.

However, the advantage of looking through big anthologies like the three listed above is that you can check out a great many writers’ humorous writing. If you enjoy it, you can then read more.

Humor is often best served in small doses. Some writers can sustain a whole bookful, but many do best with essays and short stories. Think Erma Bombeck, Nora E;phron, Tina Fey, George Carlin, Woody Allen, and Dave Barry, for example.

A simple search on Amazon for any funny, in the sense of being comic, writer will pull up some other suggested writers.

I recommend at least one funny novel or book of short pieces a month. Good for you both mentally and physically (experts have proven that laughing is good exercise).

Shouldn’t every home library have a shelf for humorous books?

“When humor goes, there goes civilization.” - Erma Bombeck
Jan Christensen – currently reading the very humorous book of essays, I FEEL BAD ABOUT MY NECK by Nora Ephron