If you need to try and make your writing funnier it is worth learning about the different types of humor that are used in poetry and books. Humor that is used in literature comes in many forms and if you can recognize these forms, not only is it interesting, it is also very useful when it comes to using humor in your own writing. Below we will take a look at the different types of humor that can be used in writing and that is used by academic essay writers from writing companies for providing students with professional custom writing services.
What is Humor Writing?
An academic writing expert Lauren Bradshaw explains that “humor writing refers to a piece of nonfiction or fiction that has been written in order to be funny and how this piece of writing becomes funny depends on the actual piece.”
Different Types of Humor Writing
Both comedic TV shows and stand-up comedy are two forms of humor writing.
- Humor essays. The purpose of a humor essay is to write something that’s personal with the aim to amuse and not to persuade or inform the reader. Quite often, writers will mix non-fiction and fiction in humor in order to create humor.
- Short-form. Short-form pieces usually consist of a short piece of writing or a short story of humor fiction. They are usually under 1000 words and the main objective of this writing is to be humorous. Quite often, short-form is usually published in literary journals.
- Humor novels. Humour novels are a category of their own. They can be either nonfiction or fiction. Novels fall under the fiction category when they use exaggeration or irony to reveal something that may be corrupt in a society.
Common Types of Humor used in Writing
- Self-deprecating humor. This type of humor refers to a situation where a writer or a character makes fun of themselves. By doing this, the character becomes somewhat vulnerable to the reader but also shows an element of strength. It’s a form of humor that’s not used very often, but can sometimes be found in some of the best stories.
- Hyperbole or overstatement. Understatement can be funny as an overstatement can be. Overstatement refers to a situation again where the reader is aware of the actual situation and finds it funny when a writer exaggerates the situation.
- Incongruity and surprise. A type of humor that can be used in writing is surprise or incongruity. This can be something as simple as a silly sight such as a cow on an airplane, or it may be humor related to a surprise in a given situation. For instance, something that’s not expected takes place which causes the reader to laugh.
- Situational humor. A situation can be very funny if it’s described accurately. Whether it’s imaginary or real, a situation can just seem to be funny.
- Understatement for humor. If a writer describes an event or situation in a very understated way, this can be very funny for a reader. The important fact is that the reader actually knows the real extent of the actual situation and is very aware of how silly the understatement is.
- Using irony as humor. Many pieces of writing or literature use irony in a funny way. There are many types of irony, and all of them are related in the sense that a clear contrast can be seen between what seems to be happening, or has been said, and what has actually happened and. A specific type of irony is known as’ dramatic irony’ and this is where a reader is aware of something that a character is not. Situational irony and verbal irony are also other forms of irony that can be used as a type of humor in writing.
- Humorous satire. If a writer uses a serious tone to describe a silly situation, this form of humor is known as satire. It can be found in famous literature.
- Anecdotal humor. Anecdotal humor refers to funny personal stories that could have some truth in them but are mostly embellished.
Important Rules to Consider When It Comes to Humor in Writing
- Consider the rule of three. The rule of three is a common rule that is used in humor writing and a secret that’s known to many who write for humor. It relates to creating a specific pattern using two ideas and then undermining these with a third idea that does not relate, for instance:‘ Can I get you anything? a cup of tea? a piece of cake? a sense of humor?
- Use real-life humorous anecdotes. If you think about it, funny things that happened in your life are usually the same funny things that happened to those around you. Usually, it’s these stories that we repeat and the things that make us connect to others. Quite often, you use these stories to create humor and that’s exactly what humorous writing does. Therefore, before you begin writing, make sure you know why a particular story is humorous. Ask yourself, is it funny because you can relate to it on a personal level or because you understand it in a wider context or is it just funny to just you and not to your readers who can’t understand it without having any previous context?
- Make sure you identify your style of humor. We all have a different sense of humor and find different things funny for various reasons. It is crucial that before you try and write something funny, you consider your own sense of humor and how this will influence a piece of humor writing that you do. What will not work is if you try and copy someone else’s style or if you try and force yourself to be humorous in a way where you’re not actually humorous.