Humor in Writing - Carol Harrison

 Do I write humor? The first answer that popped into my mind came out as a resounding, "NO!" I thought and thought, trying to find some funny incidents that happened along my writer's way. I  shook my head at the lack of laughable moments or my perception of any potential humorous events made them feel less than notable for a blog on humor and writing. As much as I love a good laugh, a chuckle and even things that bring a smile to my face I felt like I kept coming up with a blank page. No words jumped from my fingertips to the keys to the page. What would I write about?

I remembered a few stories I told to various audiences which had them smiling and laughing. Maybe I could just write out one of them for readers to enjoy. But I remained unsure that would count towards the prompt of this month's blog post. What did it have to do with writing and faith? Well I guess if I shared an anecdote in writing, that might count for half the main theme and drawing a lesson from it may work for the second.

My mind kept rejecting the very few ideas that popped into my  head. I know that words matter and so does story. Words we say can come back to haunt us at a later date. So I will share a story of words given out that returned when I least expected it.


Three years ago, my almost seventeen year old grandson challenged me, "Grandma you should write a fiction book."
Without any hesititation, my answer popped out, "I don't write fiction, only non fiction."
"You should try."
"I can't."
I still remember his earnest look as he said, "Grandma there's no such thing as can't. You just need to try and you can do what you put your mind to."

A year passed and I did nothing about his challenge except hide it in the recesses of my mind. But he brought it up once again with the conversation having the same results. I wondered how he had got to be so smart at such a young age. Then I realized that words I had given him about always trying out new things and working towards goals without giving up, had now come out of his mouth, directed at me.

This time I chose to try something new. I wrote a short piece of fiction which appeared in the Christmas Stories and More anthology. He beamed with pride which made the effort I had expended so much more worthwhile. My grandson has now turned twenty. He continues to encourage and challenge me to write more and longer pieces of fiction.

This year one of my granddaughters also asked me to move outside my comfort zone and accompany her and her mother to a poetry workshop at our local library. You may have guessed my answer to her. "I don't write poetry. You do." She dished out words of advice that sound much like nuggets of truth I had spoken to her  and that my grandson had been spouting for the last few years.

I gave in and accompanied her for the sole purpose of spending time and making memories with her. I was expected to write a poem or two during the different workshops I attended at her insistence. The writer in residence, who was a published poet, liked several of my poetry attempts, which delighted the granddaughter, "See grandma. You can do it. You just have to try."

I am the grandma. Am I not the one who should impart wisdom to the younger generation? Oh wait - I did and now they fling it back at me, forcing me to live what I have said I believed. 


Words do matter. What we say or write to encourage and challenge someone else may one day find its way back to us from the mouths of those who listened along the way. Words about our faith, which may seem to fall on deaf ears may also some day take root and grow. Whether we can write with lots of humor or with little of it, those words will linger. It reminds me daily to watch what I say and write.

As a speaker, published author and storyteller, Carol Harrison is passionate about mentoring people of all ages and abilities to help them find their voice and reach their fullest potential. She shares from her heart, telling stories from real life experiences and God’s Word to encourage people and help them find a glimmer of hope no matter what the circumstances. She believes we need to continuously grow in our walk with God and lives out her storytelling passion by speaking at women’s events and retreats, Bible Camps as well as school assemblies and church events. Carol is a wife, mother of four adult children and grandmother to twelve. She makes her home is Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.