Comedy Writing for Non-Comedians

Humor writing as it applies to non-humor forms, such as copywriting, personal writing, and content writing.

Details

In this two-hour interactive seminar, satirist, author, and creator of The Second City’s satire program Caitlin Kunkel will break down the basics of comedic writing for those who aren’t trying to become standup comedians. Comedy can be another tool in your writing toolbox, allowing you to write with a stronger voice, distinct point of view, and punchiness that can be applied to disciplines such as copywriting and content writing. From the rule of three to learning what the heck a callback is, learn how to be funnier on paper…and maybe even in real life!

What you will learn

- The tools comedians use across forms and genres - Finding a point of view for yourself or a client - Cultivating a strong humorous writing voice via specifics - Punchiness! How word choice, word order, and pattern breaking can be your best friend - Simple tools such as the rule of three, how to find a fresh angle, and how to wrangle tone - A rubric for checking the humor level of a piece of writing - A brief overview of how comedy writing can be an avenue for non-comedians to get more eyes on their work - A discussion of submissions and publications

Workshop takeaways

- The ability to employ comedic tools to punch up a piece of copywriting, content, and/or personal writing - A rubric to check your own work for last minute punch-ups - Brainstorming techniques - A broader sense of the landscape for comedic writing, including why writing comedically can be an asset to your career

What you will be reading

Students will be sent several example pieces (less than thirty minutes of reading) a week prior to the class date.

Additional info

Please be aware that we are a new and growing platform. Some of our workshops have minimum student requirements, so if enough don't sign up, we won't be able to run it. If this happens to a workshop you purchased, don't worry, you will be fully refunded.