Writing for Entertainment: When is it funny? by Michelle M. Brown

Authors often struggle with knowing if they have infused their writing with emotion. Nonfiction writers record the facts about life events and, this genre does not allow the writer to create a story for the sake of entertainment. Recently, as I wrote my memoir, there were times when I had to distance myself emotionally to ensure an accurate account and, in that distance, I questioned if I didn’t lose the most critical part -- the emotional impact.

One powerful emotion that would attach value to any piece is humour, yet it can be the most difficult to add and complicated to define. Humour is influenced by experience and shaped by the natural inclinations and personal beliefs that are held by the reader. It is relative to a situation and how the reader relates to it. When we read a story, it is our ability to connect to it and how we view the peculiarities of life that define the emotional impact. Humour, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

In the book of Luke, Zechariah was struck mute by the angel Gabriel, because he did not believe Gabriel’s words.

“And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time."” Luke 1:19-20 ESV

The story continues with Elizabeth giving birth to a son as foretold by Gabriel.

“Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, "No; he shall be called John." And they said to her, "None of your relatives is called by this name." And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him.” Luke 1:57-66 ESV

There is humour to be found in this story. Zechariah was mute, not deaf. He may have written the words, “I can hear you, you fools” before he wrote anything else. Humour can be found in the absurdities of the moment, in the details that are not immediately obvious, and in the struggles we all share.

To fully succeed in writing for entertainment, a writer will include humour by telling a story that notes the idiosyncrasy and oddities that come with life. The unexpected in the normal.

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Michelle M. Brown was born and raised in British Columbia, Canada. She has a background in Marketing & Design. An avid hiker and adventure junkie she has embarked on a journey to conquer 50 adventurous activities in her 50th year.