We get a lot of stories into the Global Short Story Competition dealing with some heavy subjects, many of them doing so very well but serious for all that. So it’s enjoyable to read the occasional humorous stories we receive.
Here are some thoughts on humour. In researching this blog, I came across two other blogs, one of which advised: “There’s only one way to make fun of something without offending anyone else, and that’s if you’re making fun of yourself. Your readers will welcome the invitation to laugh with you. This applies to poking fun at your accoutrements as well – parents, spouses, siblings, children, dogs, hamsters and fish.” The other said: “The best humour is always self directed. Direct the humour towards yourself that way you will not annoy anyone. People will laugh if you make fun of yourself, but they may be outraged if you make fun of them.”
I have to disagree. Perhaps I am curmudgeonly so and so but I think it’s a sad fact but folks will laugh at something that happens to other people. Which takes me onto the sad fact that humour is often cruel. Every joke, every comic novel, every sketch takes the mickey out of someone. Sad but true but that is what makes people laugh. And if it’s what makes people laugh…
Now that is out of the way, here are a few of my handy hints.
* Be observant and concentrate on situations. All good comedy comes out of situations and the writer needs to observe them and work out how best they can be re-told. Such humour works best if the reader can say ‘yes, something like that happened to me’.
* Be visual. Yes, good humour is about clever word-play but it can also be about visual gags. It’s no coincidence that the comic heroes of the black and white film era remain funny today. Simple gag told in numerous different ways.
* Be creative. Comedy relies on the re-telling of well-worn ideas and stories in new and vibrant ways.
* Some of the best humour comes from over-egging things. Take a situation and make it ridiculous. Let your mind freewheel, let it take a situation to its logical if absurd conclusion.
* Don’t overwrite. Don’t ram the joke down the reader’s throat. Write your funny line and move on, let them work out if it is funny. By which time you are onto the next gag. Good humour needs to be continually moving.
* Do not forget the rules of storytelling. It may be a comic piece but it still needs a good story, structure, real characters, genuine places etc. You are telling a story which just happens to be funny.
John Dean
John Dean
Tuesday, 1 April 2014
New competition open for entries
The April Global Short Story Competition has opened for entries.
Begun six years ago, the competition runs every month with a £100 first prize and a £25 prize for highly commended writers.
The competition, which has topped £10,500 in prize money handed out, has had entries from more than 50 countries over the years.
Each month’s competition is judged by Fiona Cooper, an author in North-East England, where the competition’s organisers Inscribe Media are also based. The competition can be entered at www.inscribemedia.co.uk
* There is plenty of time to enter Inscribe Media’s latest free flash fiction competition at its Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Inscribemedia/183385438479538 or accessed through www.inscribemedia.co.uk
John Dean
Begun six years ago, the competition runs every month with a £100 first prize and a £25 prize for highly commended writers.
The competition, which has topped £10,500 in prize money handed out, has had entries from more than 50 countries over the years.
Each month’s competition is judged by Fiona Cooper, an author in North-East England, where the competition’s organisers Inscribe Media are also based. The competition can be entered at www.inscribemedia.co.uk
* There is plenty of time to enter Inscribe Media’s latest free flash fiction competition at its Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Inscribemedia/183385438479538 or accessed through www.inscribemedia.co.uk
John Dean
Monday, 31 March 2014
Support
A reminder that, in addition to the various free things we do, one of the paid-for services we offer is one supporting writers.
Why should you hire a professional writing mentor, though? Isn’t it enough to attend a class/workshop or a writing group? Or ask a friend or relative to comment?
Well, it depends what you want and need and bespoke mentoring from Inscribe Media can help some writers, providing the experience and expertise to -
• understand your work
• nurture you and your writing
• let you retain control of your ideas and your writing
* provide expert, specific advice about what is working and what isn’t.
We focus on major issues, such as how your story hangs together, what your characters are doing or could be doing, what is hurting your story’s momentum, what story elements are not pulling their weight.
We identify the differences between good and great and point out your writing strengths, so you become confident about what not to change.
We also give suggestions and help you establish good processes and writing goals and suggest markets for your work.
If long-term mentoring does not appeal, we run short writing courses as well.
You can find out more at http://www.inscribemedia.co.uk/writing-courses---bespoke-mentoring.html
You can also access our free downloadable writing guide at www.inscribemedia.co,uk and find loads of free tips on our blog here.
John Dean
Winners to be announced
We will announce the winners of the February Global Short Story Competition on Monday April 7.
Still time to enter this month’s comp at www.inscribemedia.co.uk where voting for our 2013 annual prize continues until midnight tonight (Mar 31) GMT.
Friday, 28 March 2014
Time running out to enter March competition
The March Global Short Story Competition has three days to run and it has received just 14 entries this time around.
Begun six years ago, the competition runs every month with a £100 first prize and a £25 prize for highly commended writers.
The competition, which has topped £10,500 in prize money handed out, has had entries from more than 50 countries over the years.
Each month’s competition is judged by Fiona Cooper, an author in North-East England, where the competition’s organisers Inscribe Media are also based. The competition can be entered at www.inscribemedia.co.uk
John Dean
Begun six years ago, the competition runs every month with a £100 first prize and a £25 prize for highly commended writers.
The competition, which has topped £10,500 in prize money handed out, has had entries from more than 50 countries over the years.
Each month’s competition is judged by Fiona Cooper, an author in North-East England, where the competition’s organisers Inscribe Media are also based. The competition can be entered at www.inscribemedia.co.uk
John Dean
Tuesday, 25 March 2014
Time running out to vote
Less than a week to go in our vote for the annual winner of the Global Short Story Competition.
The monthly competition, run by Inscribe Media Limited from the North East of England, was launched in December 2007 and, in addition to £125 of monthly prizes, an annual award of £250 is made.
The award is normally selected by a panel including monthly judge Fiona Cooper and competition administrator John Dean, and goes to one of the writers who was successful in the previous twelve months of competitions.
This year, though, the company is asking people to vote by reading each of the twelve monthly winners then selecting their favourite for the sixth annual prize, taking in the whole of 2013.
Voting is open until March 31 at www.inscribemedia.co.uk where the latest competition can also be entered.
John Dean
The monthly competition, run by Inscribe Media Limited from the North East of England, was launched in December 2007 and, in addition to £125 of monthly prizes, an annual award of £250 is made.
The award is normally selected by a panel including monthly judge Fiona Cooper and competition administrator John Dean, and goes to one of the writers who was successful in the previous twelve months of competitions.
This year, though, the company is asking people to vote by reading each of the twelve monthly winners then selecting their favourite for the sixth annual prize, taking in the whole of 2013.
Voting is open until March 31 at www.inscribemedia.co.uk where the latest competition can also be entered.
John Dean
Just you and the reader
I have blogged before about entries to the Global Short Story Competition which are written in first person and one that came in overnight brings me back to the subject.
Most stories tend to be written in third person but first person has its advantages, not least that it allows the writer to talk directly to the reader. This entry did just that, using ‘you’ to refer to the reader.
First person is a great choice when you intend to write informally or casually like this because it can be intimate. That engages the reader which is what writing is all about.
Six days to enter this month’s competition at www.inscribemedia.co.uk
John Dean
Most stories tend to be written in third person but first person has its advantages, not least that it allows the writer to talk directly to the reader. This entry did just that, using ‘you’ to refer to the reader.
First person is a great choice when you intend to write informally or casually like this because it can be intimate. That engages the reader which is what writing is all about.
Six days to enter this month’s competition at www.inscribemedia.co.uk
John Dean
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