After encouraging my chums to write for this beloved section, they have all said the same thing: ‘Gorgeous, beautiful Pause Editor, I am NOT funny!’ This is probably true, but that does not mean that you cannot write funny, you silly souls.
It is true that some people are just naturally funny, whilst others will have to work hard to achieve their haha’s. Sometimes, it is down to good genes. Good genes can make you funny. However, if your parents and ancestral tree are full of those whose pipes will only get wet after explaining a joke, then perhaps you are best suited to writing guides.
Guides are a simple and easy way to get into writing funny. For those, you may pick any subject, truly anything. Think of something right now. I have thought of sausages. Perhaps I may write a guide for finding the perfect sausage, which is actually quite a fun idea so I might go do that now. Anything can become a guide, whether it’s how to survive a night out in Southampton, or how to tie your shoelaces all fancy, funny guides take every effort to bring a bit of nonsensical to its content. You can go for sarcastic, cynical, or just absolutely bonkers.
How to Live in England according to Getty Images
If you’re more politically inclined, you can veer completely off to the satire section. This is proper meaty and means you can either accurately laugh at dumb things with an ‘I wish this was Satire…’ vibe, or you can extend the truth so ridiculously that it is likely to be true. Did you know, for example, that Boris Johnson is trying to organise a Home Guard full of all his illegitimate children? Pretty wild stuff.
Perhaps, though, you are more of an actor. A person who truly finds themselves within someone else. In a way to make fun of real-life magazines, you can write character pieces that really squeeze all the mickey out of helpful information. You can be an Agony Aunt, a Disappointed Doctor, a Horoscope Hater… This part of writing funny covers other fun types like funny poems and stories. My favourite poem was written about a carrot, so I welcome any further attempts on that.
The thing is, funny writing is very personal. Nobody can tell you what style you should write, or how it should be done. Being creative and letting loose is the only way you can even attempt to be funny. I wrote this guide while sitting in my underwear, so I can assure you that loose is the way forward. There’s so many more ways to write something that is indeed funny that haven’t been outlined here, and I urge you desperately to try and write. When you have fun, we have fun, and that is truly how you write funny.
And remember, above all else, I will be laughing.
