I'll be blunt and come right down to the point; what do you do when you're visualizing a story and your mind keeps putting in jokes and humor in places where you don't want them to be? Like when you end up imagining a joke being put into scene that you wanted to be taken seriously.
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How to keep humor and seriousness balanced?
- Thread starter srebak
- Start date
The short answer is don't put the joke in then.
If you look close enough, there's humor in everything. (This is from a guy who found a darkly humorous moment as the grave diggers buried his mother.) The choice is whether to bring that humor out, and to what degree, or to let it be because it doesn't belong with the tone you're trying to convey. You're in control.
Also this may be a sign that you're not getting into the head of the POV character. If the POV character doesn't find the scene humorous, then those jokes shouldn't be manifesting so strongly.
If you look close enough, there's humor in everything. (This is from a guy who found a darkly humorous moment as the grave diggers buried his mother.) The choice is whether to bring that humor out, and to what degree, or to let it be because it doesn't belong with the tone you're trying to convey. You're in control.
Also this may be a sign that you're not getting into the head of the POV character. If the POV character doesn't find the scene humorous, then those jokes shouldn't be manifesting so strongly.
TheCatholicCrow
Inkling
Perhaps just save the humor for the less serious moments or let then serve as a break between serious scenes.
IMO the tv series Buffy The Vampire Slayer & the spinoff Angel both do an excellent job of this. Of course there's nothing wrong w dark humor but it sounds like you're having trouble choosing where to include it. I can definitely relate.
I write children's skits for one of the religious conferences that I always volunteer for but they always end up being more humorous than I intended (I get going with the jokes and just can't stop myself). I find it helps to have some siblings look them over and edit out the bits that go too far. Perhaps you can ask some beta readers to help you identify when & where the humor doesn't fit.
IMO the tv series Buffy The Vampire Slayer & the spinoff Angel both do an excellent job of this. Of course there's nothing wrong w dark humor but it sounds like you're having trouble choosing where to include it. I can definitely relate.
I write children's skits for one of the religious conferences that I always volunteer for but they always end up being more humorous than I intended (I get going with the jokes and just can't stop myself). I find it helps to have some siblings look them over and edit out the bits that go too far. Perhaps you can ask some beta readers to help you identify when & where the humor doesn't fit.
Addison
Auror
If you read serious actions or serious dramas you'll find humor in places where humor is not intended. It's just something that was either said that wasn't meant to be funny but you may chuckle at. A character could state something, their opinion or a secret, that catches another character off guard and has you laughing out loud.
The same is in action movies. Something said or done comes across to us as funny but the scene (people beating each other up, business meeting etc) is quite serious.
If the scene is lighthearted and humorous then adding more will fit. There are several types of humor: affiliative humor, aggressive humor, self-enhancing humor, self-destructive humor. There's slapstick, verbal everything. Come on, Charlie Chaplin was hysterical and he didn't act with sound.
So if you do have an idea for a joke or such in a serious scene just see if, one-it belongs in the scene, and two-if it can be changed to a different kind of humor that better fits the scene.
Happy Writing!
The same is in action movies. Something said or done comes across to us as funny but the scene (people beating each other up, business meeting etc) is quite serious.
If the scene is lighthearted and humorous then adding more will fit. There are several types of humor: affiliative humor, aggressive humor, self-enhancing humor, self-destructive humor. There's slapstick, verbal everything. Come on, Charlie Chaplin was hysterical and he didn't act with sound.
So if you do have an idea for a joke or such in a serious scene just see if, one-it belongs in the scene, and two-if it can be changed to a different kind of humor that better fits the scene.
Happy Writing!
WooHooMan
Auror
If you need to ask yourself "does a joke belong here" then, 9 times out of 10, it doesn't. Keep serious stories serious. You don't want to risk breaking the reader's immersion with ill-placed humor.
Miskatonic
Auror
Write one version without the joke and then one with the joke. Read it over, let others read it and then come to a decision.
Letharg
Troubadour
I have a current story going where the main character considers himself funny. Whenever he is in a pressured situations he uses jests and comments to reassert himself and regain some type of advantage. Much of his jokes come of as stale and forced but that is how he is supposed to be. The jokes are his way of coping with a world and a life that has never been kind to him and with situations that otherwise would leave him terrified.
In the story there are a few other characters who responds to his humour and sometimes it can divulge into quite the exchange of "witty" banter. But most people merely think of him as an asshat for attempting to make fun of them.
What I'm trying to say is that what kind of humour fits depend very much on the cast of the characters and the mood you want in the story. In mine I'm kind of going for a very solemn mood but is using my main characters humour and view on life to lift it somewhat. But, that being said, I did not plan for it that way. It was merely the voice my main had when I started writing him and I've stuck with it because I think it works.
So I would do WooHooMan said, if you have to to ask the question, leave it out. If it flows naturally as a part of a character or event then, by all means, leave it in.
In the story there are a few other characters who responds to his humour and sometimes it can divulge into quite the exchange of "witty" banter. But most people merely think of him as an asshat for attempting to make fun of them.
What I'm trying to say is that what kind of humour fits depend very much on the cast of the characters and the mood you want in the story. In mine I'm kind of going for a very solemn mood but is using my main characters humour and view on life to lift it somewhat. But, that being said, I did not plan for it that way. It was merely the voice my main had when I started writing him and I've stuck with it because I think it works.
So I would do WooHooMan said, if you have to to ask the question, leave it out. If it flows naturally as a part of a character or event then, by all means, leave it in.
Mythopoet
Auror
Consider embracing it. If your mind is constantly thinking up humor in the scene, maybe that's just the nature of your voice. Also consider that a humorous moment doesn't have to reduce the seriousness of a scene, it often can heighten it, if used effectively. That may just be your style. Try it out and see if you like it or not.
WooHooMan
Auror
In my opinion, this is the trick to good humor in a story. I like it when the characters make jokes instead of the writer. You know what I mean? But only if the character knows that there's a time and place for jokes.
- Thread starter
- #10
I think this issue of mine may stem from somewhat failed attempts at being serious in the past
When i tried to recite Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" to my English class, my attempts to capture the dread and scary mood of the story resulted in some of my classmates chuckling.
During that very same school year; twice, my attempts to be clever in standing up for myself against bullies who openly insulted me ended with them straight up laughing at what i said, one of which had been doing so many times in the past.
Then, in my Senior Year of High School, when my English class was tasked with writing a story that depicts clear heroes and villains, i wrote a paper that got laughs when it reached parts that were supposed to be suspenseful.
I do not write pure comedy, i want my serious story elements to be taken more seriously
When i tried to recite Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" to my English class, my attempts to capture the dread and scary mood of the story resulted in some of my classmates chuckling.
During that very same school year; twice, my attempts to be clever in standing up for myself against bullies who openly insulted me ended with them straight up laughing at what i said, one of which had been doing so many times in the past.
Then, in my Senior Year of High School, when my English class was tasked with writing a story that depicts clear heroes and villains, i wrote a paper that got laughs when it reached parts that were supposed to be suspenseful.
I do not write pure comedy, i want my serious story elements to be taken more seriously
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