Sunday 12 January 2014

Week 2 Tips - Using Surprise to Make People Laugh

This is an advanced tip for writers who want to be comedians.

Some of the funniest monster descriptions were the ones containing something unexpected. When something doesn't fit what you'd expect, it's known as 'incongruence'. Incongruence can be very funny. It's almost always interesting.

The Donkey-Headed Snake by Ella (Queensgate) made me laugh because donkeys and snakes don't usually mix. Donkeys look cute and slightly dopey, whereas snakes can look scary and menacing. The incongruence between the two makes a snake with a donkey's head a very amusing image.

The Tubster of Terror by Josh (Castle Donington) also contains incongruence. This creature was created when a scientist injected a hamster with DNA from the monster, Count Crocular. This is incongruent because a scary, fierce monster and a hamster are very, very different.

The Dipsy Doodle by Isobelle (Morton Trentside)  is like a combination between a spider and a spotty sausage. This is incongruent because sausages are fat inanimate objects (objects that don't move) and spiders are wiry insects.

You shouldn't make things incongruent too often - that would make a crazy story and your reader would be very confused - but occasionally mixing an idea with the opposite of what you'd expect, can have exciting results.




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