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an old comedian's trick, the premise. "What would happen if Dumbledore went to a soccer game?" Write it in Dumbledore's voice. Then go back and remove any references to Dumbledore.

~Metaphor~

"The soccer mom downed her double latte like a frat house bully chugs his beer."

A cup of coffee isn't funny. So, to get a chuckle, you'll need to compare it to another image that's more humorous.

~Swap Out the Unfunny~

"We piled into the 1979 Pinto and proceeded to the soccer field."

You could have used "car". But you never take a car in a humorous piece. You take a 1979 Pinto. Car isn't funny. Pinto is hilarious. Go back over your piece and swap out the good for the better.

~Adding Quips~

"The coach reached into the ball bag and bravely distributed the soccer balls to the horde of screaming children. One thing was obvious, he certainly had a lot of balls."

Wit is always risky. If you do it right, it's expensive caviar. If you do it wrong, it's just a bunch of salty fish eggs. Even so, try one or two of these in your piece. Too much will sound like a vaudeville act. So, use some discretion.

~Deadpan~

"Billy kicked the ball five times. He kicked the opposing team seventeen times."

Step out side of yourself and report the event as if you were a casual observer with no emotion. It's called "deadpan humor".

Don't feel that you have to write "blonde jokes" or political humor to get a laugh. As a matter of fact, don't feel that you have to get a laugh at all. Sometimes, you strike out when swinging for the fences. If you're hesitant, go for the "smile" rather than the "guffaw".

Your life is a wealth of funny experiences. Call upon those experiences to become a better writer and to engage the reader. Most of all, have fun! That's what a humorous narrative is all about.

Learn more about this author, Neal Acito.
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