Agentt
Thighs
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2020
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So, I was going through @NikkuNii 's work of a compilation of dark jokes, and the threads associated with it.
Now, the main problem a person trying to write a little joke book will face is the limited build up time.
For example, in Ace Attorney, there was this one line I found funny,
Dick Gumshoe: The easiest way to make friends is to be smart.
Now, you won't find this funny normally. The reason its funny is that Dick Gumshoe is a character who is well loved and has lots of friends. So his statement implies that he is not smart.
Of course, me explaining the context doesn't make the joke any more funny. You do get it, but it loses its charm.
So, sometimes you need a character say a joke.
This character is not the kind who always jokes around, it just so happens that he, like a normal human, would like to make a joke.
In cases like these, its important to inform the audience that a joke is in coming.
This helps them prepare.
While reading, the reader is in an immersive state, and to comprehend a joke, he needs to get out of it, since understanding a joke often requires usage of real life knowledge.
A good and effective way that I recommend is to literally tell the readers a joke is coming, example,
"Here's a joke!"
"Isn't it funnt that-"
This is a general statement. Of course, in case of a complication, the title itself can work as a notification.
Sometimes, you have a character who makes a lots of jokes. In such cases, its best, in my opinion, to take inspiration from the Mad Hatter.
Coming back to the matter at hand,
Writing jokes, is your responsibility, no shortcuts there.
Delivering the jokes, there is where lies the problem.
Since you basically have a title screaming, "Jokes!", people start to build opposite expectations than usual.
This, you might not realise, ruins a lot of jokes,
The basic foundation of a joke, is to subvert expectations.
Yes, you can make a joke which doesn't subvert expectations, like, "Isn't it funny how private companies refuse to give us holidays despite it being our right?"
Okay, that wasn't funny, but it could be if I worded it right.
Let me take a classical example.
George Orwell, if my memory serves me right, wrote:
So, what's the solution?
Add another layer unexpectation.
Example, by Cyanide and Happiness
In this case, the the obvious solution is to cut the tree. Hence, the man cutting his legs would be a joke.
But since Cyanide and Happiness is basically a humour comic, the audience already expected the man to cut his legs.
In fact, in this case, the man actually cutting the tree would be funnier, since it is now unexpected by the audience.
Here is another example.
A joke in @NikkuNii 's book is,
While this would be a funny joke otherwise, the fact that the audience already expected a joke ruins it.
This reminds me of a joke from Alice in Wonderland, it was from Mad Hatter, I believe,
It said,
Just like the joke above, this time as well, the audience were expecting a joke. But by giving no answer, the audience's expectations were subverted.
Moreover, the line made people realise that actually, the question doesn't even makes sense! There are hundreds of differences between a beaver and a desk, and so, there was no need to have expectations and anticipate an answer.
Phew, this went long.
Write more tips down below~~
Good night now,
Now, the main problem a person trying to write a little joke book will face is the limited build up time.
For example, in Ace Attorney, there was this one line I found funny,
Dick Gumshoe: The easiest way to make friends is to be smart.
Now, you won't find this funny normally. The reason its funny is that Dick Gumshoe is a character who is well loved and has lots of friends. So his statement implies that he is not smart.
Of course, me explaining the context doesn't make the joke any more funny. You do get it, but it loses its charm.
So, sometimes you need a character say a joke.
This character is not the kind who always jokes around, it just so happens that he, like a normal human, would like to make a joke.
In cases like these, its important to inform the audience that a joke is in coming.
This helps them prepare.
While reading, the reader is in an immersive state, and to comprehend a joke, he needs to get out of it, since understanding a joke often requires usage of real life knowledge.
A good and effective way that I recommend is to literally tell the readers a joke is coming, example,
"Here's a joke!"
"Isn't it funnt that-"
This is a general statement. Of course, in case of a complication, the title itself can work as a notification.
Sometimes, you have a character who makes a lots of jokes. In such cases, its best, in my opinion, to take inspiration from the Mad Hatter.
Coming back to the matter at hand,
Writing jokes, is your responsibility, no shortcuts there.
Delivering the jokes, there is where lies the problem.
Since you basically have a title screaming, "Jokes!", people start to build opposite expectations than usual.
This, you might not realise, ruins a lot of jokes,
The basic foundation of a joke, is to subvert expectations.
Yes, you can make a joke which doesn't subvert expectations, like, "Isn't it funny how private companies refuse to give us holidays despite it being our right?"
Okay, that wasn't funny, but it could be if I worded it right.
Let me take a classical example.
George Orwell, if my memory serves me right, wrote:
World's funniest animal joke.
Farmer: I am going to milk you.
Cow: You can't milk me in a stampede.
Farmer: What do you mea-AAAAHHHHHHHHH
Farmer: I am going to milk you.
Cow: You can't milk me in a stampede.
Farmer: What do you mea-AAAAHHHHHHHHH
So, what's the solution?
Add another layer unexpectation.
Example, by Cyanide and Happiness
Man: Oh no, my leg is stuck under this fallen tree. I only have this chainsaw to save me. Guess it's obvious what I have to do.
*proceeds to cut his head off*
*proceeds to cut his head off*
In this case, the the obvious solution is to cut the tree. Hence, the man cutting his legs would be a joke.
But since Cyanide and Happiness is basically a humour comic, the audience already expected the man to cut his legs.
In fact, in this case, the man actually cutting the tree would be funnier, since it is now unexpected by the audience.
Here is another example.
A joke in @NikkuNii 's book is,
What's the difference between a vacuum and wife?
The vacuum still sucks after 3 years.
The vacuum still sucks after 3 years.
While this would be a funny joke otherwise, the fact that the audience already expected a joke ruins it.
This reminds me of a joke from Alice in Wonderland, it was from Mad Hatter, I believe,
It said,
What's the difference between a beaver and a desk?
That's it, there is no answer.
Just like the joke above, this time as well, the audience were expecting a joke. But by giving no answer, the audience's expectations were subverted.
Moreover, the line made people realise that actually, the question doesn't even makes sense! There are hundreds of differences between a beaver and a desk, and so, there was no need to have expectations and anticipate an answer.
Phew, this went long.
Write more tips down below~~
Good night now,
