Alright, now that we've talked about how to be a good comedy author, let's take a look at some examples to really drive it home. These will give you a feel for how to apply those comedy tricks in real writing. Remember, the key is to keep things absurd, unexpected, and random—but still somehow making sense in your story's weird world.
Example 1: Absurdity in Action
Here's a simple setup where the hero is supposed to be saving the day but does everything wrong in the most hilarious way possible. We're going for an absurdly goofy tone here.
The Rescue Plan:
"I'll get you out of here!" Sir Lancelot said, his armor clanging loudly as he tried to untie the princess from the tree. The princess rolled her eyes, already tired of the same routine.
"Uh, Lancelot?" she said. "I'm literally not tied up. I'm just standing here."
Lancelot paused, squinting at her. "What? No. You're definitely tied up. I saw the ropes from the tree. They were, like, right there!"
The princess glanced down at her own feet, then at the thin air around her. "There are no ropes, Lancelot. I can just walk away."
Lancelot gripped his sword with both hands and raised it triumphantly. "Ah! A test of my skills!" He swung the sword in a wide arc, accidentally cutting through the princess's only means of escape—a very, very large sandwich. The princess sighed as the sandwich crumbled, leaving only a few crumbs at her feet.
"Seriously? A sandwich?"
Lancelot looked at her, completely unphased. "You know, they say 'desperate times call for desperate measures.'"
The princess blinked. "That… that's not what that means."
Why it works:
Absurdity: Lancelot is completely missing the point of the rescue, causing chaos with every move. The fact that the princess isn't even tied up makes his efforts extra pointless.Randomness: The sandwich thing adds a random element that doesn't fit in with the rescue theme at all, but that's what makes it funny.The punchline is simple, a misunderstanding, and not over-explained.Example 2: Lovably Ridiculous Character
Let's take a look at a character who just doesn't know how to handle anything in life, but in a way that still makes you want to root for them.
The Hero's First Attempt:
Hank stood in front of the door to the dragon's lair, his trusty spoon held aloft. "Alright, I got this," he muttered to himself, steeling his nerves. He wasn't sure why a spoon was the weapon of choice, but he had convinced himself it was a good idea.
The dragon, sensing someone outside, let out a massive roar. Hank froze, then slowly brought the spoon up, his arms shaking.
"That's right, I'm coming for you!" he shouted, though his voice cracked halfway through.
The dragon turned its massive head, blinking slowly. "Are you serious?"
Hank swallowed hard. "Uh, yeah. I'm totally serious. You know, this is probably the dumbest idea I've ever had. But I've come too far to turn back now."
The dragon snorted, flames flickering at its nostrils. "Well, alright then. Let's see what happens."
Hank charged, his spoon waving wildly in front of him.
"Wait, you're not even holding that right," the dragon said, cocking its head.
"Shh, I know what I'm doing!" Hank screamed, charging headfirst into the dragon's tail and knocking himself out cold.
Why it works:
Lovably ridiculous character: Hank is completely out of his depth, but he's determined, which makes him charming despite the fact he's doing everything wrong.The humor comes from the absurdity of the situation (a spoon against a dragon) and the complete lack of awareness from Hank.The dragon's calm, unimpressed response adds to the humor, showing how ridiculous Hank's actions are without directly mocking him.Example 3: Timing and Improvisation
Here's a scenario where timing and improvisation take center stage. It's all about the unexpected and how things can go from bad to hilariously worse.
The Great Escape:
"We're almost there!" Julia whispered, running through the dark cave with her companions. She could hear the footsteps of the guards behind them, getting closer. Her heart raced.
Suddenly, she tripped, tumbling into a puddle of something slimy. "Ugh! Gross!" she shouted, looking up to see a huge pile of jellyfish blocking her path.
"Quick! We need a plan!" her friend Matt hissed, panicking.
Julia, still covered in slime, scanned the cave. Then she grabbed the nearest jellyfish and threw it like a Frisbee. "Plan! We'll just—"
"WHAT?!" Matt screamed, completely horrified. "Are you insane?"
"Yeah, I guess," Julia said, shrugging as the jellyfish bounced off a guard's helmet, making a weird squelching sound.
The guard spun around, his eyes wide with confusion. "What was that?"
Matt covered his face with his hands. "This is going horribly wrong."
Julia grinned, "Well, it's not nothing, is it?"
The jellyfish started to wobble toward the guard, its tentacles flailing about like it had a mind of its own. "I swear to God," Matt muttered, facepalming as the jellyfish continued to do its own thing.
Why it works:
Timing: The escape is already tense, but the random jellyfish incident adds the perfect absurd touch. It feels like an improvised solution that's way worse than anything anyone could have planned.The absurdity of using a jellyfish as a distraction and the reactions of the characters make it funnier.It's unexpected, but it's a solution in its own way, even if it's totally random.Example 4: Random Surreal Moments
Finally, let's dive into a surreal moment that catches the reader completely off guard.
The Mystical Portal:
Jake stared at the shimmering portal in front of him, a swirl of colors he couldn't describe if he tried. "Well, I guess this is it," he said, taking a deep breath.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" a voice said from behind him.
Jake turned around to find a small giraffe wearing a top hat. "Wait, who… what?"
The giraffe sighed. "I said, are you sure you want to step into the portal? It's dangerous, you know."
Jake blinked. "Um… yeah. I didn't expect a talking giraffe, though."
"Well, it's that kind of portal," the giraffe said, flicking its tail. "You'll run into all kinds of nonsense in there."
Jake looked back at the swirling colors. "I think it's too late to back out now."
The giraffe shrugged, its top hat staying perfectly balanced. "Suit yourself, but remember: Don't pet the jellyfish on Tuesdays. They get… weird."
Why it works:
Random surrealism: A talking giraffe in a top hat? Sure, why not. It's completely out of nowhere and it adds an extra layer of absurdity.The unexpected advice about jellyfish just takes it up a notch, creating a sense of randomness that leaves the reader laughing at the sheer weirdness.The humor comes from the situation being completely absurd, but the characters treat it as if it's completely normal, which is the key to surreal comedy.
So, there you go! These examples show how to inject absurdity, random moments, and lovable characters into your story while keeping the humor grounded in the chaos. You don't have to be perfect—just have fun with it!