Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Insecure Writer's Support Group: February 2013


Is it that time of the month already?  I'm talking about this month's meeting of the Insecure Writer's Support Group, of course.  If you had any other thoughts about that statement . . . well geez, look at the top of my post!

Anyway, Alex J. Cavanaugh is our esteemed leader, and this month Stephen Tremp and Julie Flanders are his funky cool co-hosts!  Let's give them a hand!

Source: RGBStock
User Coscurro
I know.  It's a lame joke, but it made me laugh a little.

That leads me in to my insecurity for the month.  I like to inject a little humor into my  stories.  Not all of them by any means, but I feel like a little humor can help many stories strike a balance between dark and light.  Humor can make a story feel more warm, more human.

Even so, I often wonder how much is too much?  When is a joke appropriate? When is humor best left out?  For some reason I find myself pondering this question right now.  I write what comes naturally to me, and jokes slip into the dialogue along with the happy and the sad.  Should I trust my instincts?

See how insecure I am?  There are far too many questions marks this post.

Or are there?

Any thoughts on this topic?  Do you like to use a little humor in your writing?


14 comments:

  1. I love using humor too; even if I'm the only one laughing :D

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  2. I like humor and often jokes come to me when I am writing a certain scene. The way I decide whether I should include it or not is thinking what kind of effect I want said scene to have?

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  3. I love to use humor too. I'm not always sure readers will get the joke, but it doesn't stop me from using it. Feedback from a beta reader later on might talk me out of using it, but you don't know until you try.

    I think you should definitely trust your instincts.

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  4. Humor is a part of life, so I see no reason why it shouldn't be a part of the stories we tell. Some of my favorite authors know how to infuse a little humor into even the darkest tales. So I say go for it!

    J.W. Alden, stopping by for IWSG

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  5. I'm insecure about humor-- I never get it right in my writing! :)

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  6. I love humor, and I love putting it my writing. My real test is my eleven year old. If it passes her bar without any eye-rolling, I know it's good.
    ~Just Jill

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  7. I love humor in the stories I read and write. I'm always worried that when I write humor, it will fall flat and be lame and sad instead of funny. It's hard to know for sure!

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  8. Trust your instincts. If you're real concerned, run it by a couple critique partners. If you can infuse humor into a story though, I'd say that's a gift.
    And now I'm also "funky" - cool!

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  9. I love humor! And yes, trust what your gut says. :)

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  10. You should definitively follow your instincts. It is your story. Imagine you are telling a story to a friend, no one can tell it like you. It is your sensibility that makes it special, so I say go with it!

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  11. Humor - yes! As long as it isn't indecent or nasty, a little humor is nice. I always like to add some humor into what I'm writing. :)

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  12. I'm no good at humour, I tend to steer clear. I'm just not a funny person.

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  13. Some people have a natural ability to inject humor into their writing... it just flows...
    If it feels right, then I say go for it!

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  14. I love humor, but don't do it well. I think it adds to a lot of stories when done well. You're a great writer, I think if it feels right--you'll know it!

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