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#wordweavers

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RS, Author, Novelist, Prosaist<blockquote><p><a href="https://eldritch.cafe/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> 2025.07.19 — Do you use humor in your stories, and if so, what sort of humor (whimsical, sarcastic, satirical, etc.)?</p></blockquote><p>When I analyze my writing fairly, I find I use humor extensively. It provides balance; it's essential, though I rarely intend to be funny, or plot it in. I don't write jokes in my stories (which means the next one will include them.) If you follow me, you've seen I use humor in most of my essays and my posts, this one included. Subtlety is key. It's a pressure release valve that prevents a story from becoming too serious or too dark. I do not do comedy.</p><p><strong>Types of R.S. Humor</strong></p><p><strong>Dead-pan</strong></p><p>People often state the obvious. If placed carefully in the narrative or in the dialogue, it is unerringly mildly humorous.</p><p><strong>Non-sequitur</strong></p><p>I often end an essay, and sometimes end story sections, with a different but related thought or dead-pan comment. (If the thought is <em>unrelated,</em> that's joking.) I was recently discussing a friend's assertion about "there is a lot of grey" (an exact quote) in relationships. The discussion turned heavy, but I ended it by thanking him for spelling "grey" correctly. A definitely related non-sequitur that I think lightened the mood. BTW: Am-English uses "gray," but that's totally the wrong spelling, full stop!</p><p><strong>Snark</strong></p><p>I write in 1st person POV (as I am now), which can reveal how inner thoughts differ from outer dialogue and actions. I love characters who are snarky, sarcastic, or even cynical and have no compunction about narrating that way. A running commentary on life and the actions of others is humorous—funny in the sense that <em>funny</em> is the emotion we feel <em>in reaction to hurtful things that happen to, or are said about, others.</em> Typically, they're things our internal censor keeps us from doing or saying, but embarrassingly it remains an emotion we feel (and like). The psychological frisson we feel at the dichotomy is what we define as <em>funny.</em> </p><p>Snark highlights how we can be good people despite our own uncensored selves. It carries a message of self-forgiveness. I think it is a great device for developing characters.</p><p><strong>Double-entendre</strong></p><p>I often narrate things with words that if taken as written mean one thing, or if taken with another meaning mean something totally hyperbolic or funny (see definition of <em>funny</em> above).</p><p><strong>Puns</strong></p><p>I work to keep these solely in dialogue, and if I can make the puns seem inadvertent by the character, more the better. If the character does it intentionally, that becomes snarky.</p><p><strong>Alliteration</strong></p><p>I can be very alliteral at times, and while that is mostly a rhetorical device, if the right words are used it can come off appropriately hyperbolic and stick in the reader's mind. If I say that, "The perky passionate prince insisted on wearing pink," it comes off as humorous, says something (likely snarky) about the narrator (also likely from a 1st person POV), and definitely defines the prince.</p><p><strong>Innuendo</strong></p><p>This is best in dialogue, especially when the target character doesn't see it but the reader knows exactly what it is. A shared aspersion or dirty secret even if not true is humorous (see <em>funny</em> above).</p><p><strong>Karma, Schadenfreude</strong></p><p>We won't often admit it to our friends, but when someone richly deserves what happens to them, it <em>feels</em> good. It is <em>funny.</em> I write such scenes, but it takes foreshadowing and planning.</p><p><strong>Satire</strong></p><p>Yep. I occasionally write satire. <em>Mars Needed Women</em> is a super serious novel that goes from dystopian to utopian, while questioning the fabric of gender and common human power structures pointing out how bad and good people share certain uncomfortable characteristics. In the story, Mars is being colonized. The main character ends up being shanghaied there. However, the colonial company <em>goes bankrupt</em> at the same time, which becomes all sorts of bad and plot worsening. The name of the company is one of the satirical elements: "E. M. Mars Colonization Corp." We know what "E. M." stands for, don't we?</p><p><strong>Wait for it</strong></p><p>This is harder to define. I often write in grammar B, which specifies a technique for what otherwise would be considered disastrously long run-on sentences. These have to have a point, of course, but if handled like a micro-story within the narrative, where bits of idea are concatenated, ideas are expressed and elucidated, and the reader is carried along on a wave of deductions, when the ship comes to shore—battered by winds and storms of meaning—and it <em>isn't</em> a shipwreck, it carries with it it's own sense of the absurd. Of course, you can employ this technique using standard beginning-middle-end writing of subsections in a scene, but I find a long sentence builds a certain "wait-for-it" tension, the same way an orator or comedian comes to an <em>ah-ha</em> point OR a punchline in front of an audience. That's me, anyway.</p><p>[Author retains copyright (c)2025 R.S.]</p><p><a href="https://eldritch.cafe/tags/BoostingIsSharing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BoostingIsSharing</span></a></p><p><a href="https://eldritch.cafe/tags/gender" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>gender</span></a> <a href="https://eldritch.cafe/tags/fiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>fiction</span></a> <a href="https://eldritch.cafe/tags/writer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>writer</span></a> <a href="https://eldritch.cafe/tags/author" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>author</span></a> <br><a href="https://eldritch.cafe/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://eldritch.cafe/tags/writingcommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>writingcommunity</span></a> <a href="https://eldritch.cafe/tags/writersOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>writersOfMastodon</span></a> <a href="https://eldritch.cafe/tags/writers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>writers</span></a><br><a href="https://eldritch.cafe/tags/RSdiscussion" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RSdiscussion</span></a></p>
S. Lott<p><a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/western" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>western</span></a> <a href="https://fosstodon.org/tags/horror" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>horror</span></a></p><p>7/19. Do you use humor in your stories, and if so, what sort of humor (whimsical, sarcastic, satirical, etc.)?</p><p>In book I Diane is snarky and sarcastic. She’s queen of the ironic tip of the hat. I think it’s funny. My beta reader liked it. </p><p>It’s very risky behavior, but, she doesn’t mind taunting heavily-armed morons.</p>
Julie Liddell Whitehead<p><a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/Wordweavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Wordweavers</span></a> July 19 - Do you use humour in your stories, and if so, what sort of humour?</p><p>I do, but it's usually unintentional on the part of the character. Dark and understated humor is usually how I style it.</p>
NaraMoore ⛩️👻八尺様👻⛩️ at Fedi<p><strong><a href="https://sakurajima.moe/tags/Chuck" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Chuck</span></a> Stevens</strong></p><p><strong><a href="https://sakurajima.moe/tags/wss366" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>wss366</span></a> <a href="https://sakurajima.moe/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> 7/19 Use humor: Reck'on I do</strong></p><p><strong><a href="https://sakurajima.moe/tags/WritersCoffeeClub" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WritersCoffeeClub</span></a> 6/16: Use eye dialects?</strong></p><p>“<strong>Chuck</strong>” Stevens rang the <strong>chuck</strong> wagon triangle. He was used to the nickname as well as the tired jokes that tickled the cowhands’ funny bone.</p><p>They greeted his limp with, “Did ya fall in a <strong>chuck</strong>hole?” Or one would holler at dinner, “Are we havin’ <strong>chuck</strong> roast?” Another would reply, “Naw, just range-hare frick-a-zee.”</p><p>He’d hear that one tonight. Supper was stewed rabbit, caught by one of the boys, with cheese biscuits made from cheddar bought in the last town.</p><p>“Come’n get it ’fore I <strong>chuck</strong> yer out!” he yelled. Better to laugh with ’em than to be laughed at.</p><p><a href="https://sakurajima.moe/tags/MicroFiction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MicroFiction</span></a> <a href="https://sakurajima.moe/tags/TootFic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TootFic</span></a> <a href="https://sakurajima.moe/tags/nmv366" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>nmv366</span></a> <a href="https://sakurajima.moe/tags/NMPrompts" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NMPrompts</span></a> <a href="https://sakurajima.moe/tags/NMWCC" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NMWCC</span></a> <a href="https://sakurajima.moe/tags/Drabble" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Drabble</span></a> <a href="https://sakurajima.moe/tags/Cowboy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Cowboy</span></a> <a href="https://sakurajima.moe/tags/EyeDialect" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EyeDialect</span></a> <a href="https://sakurajima.moe/tags/Food" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Food</span></a> <a href="https://sakurajima.moe/tags/NMWW" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NMWW</span></a></p>
Kagan MacTane (he/him)<p><a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> day 19: Do you use humor in your stories, and if so, what sort of humor (whimsical, sarcastic, satirical, etc.)?</p><p>The story I'm writing isn't primarily a humorous one. But I don't shy away from humor if it should happen to arise naturally from events or situations, or people's attitudes, or if a character just naturally wants to crack a joke.</p>
Orion (he/him)<p><a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/Wordweavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Wordweavers</span></a> July 19 - Do you use humour in your stories, and if so, what sort of humour?</p><p>In my novella, the humour was mostly filtered through my lead's sensibilities:</p><p>"Fuck you, Zeus," she thought, but quietly. Zeus could be listening.</p><p>In my work in progress, the humour that's there is all from my comic relief character. He's a goofy kid who turns into a playful teenager. The examples are all contextual, though, so I can't quote any.</p><p><a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/Writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Writing</span></a> <a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/Writers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Writers</span></a> <a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/WritingCommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WritingCommunity</span></a> <a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/WritersOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WritersOfMastodon</span></a></p>
Eric Johnson, Author<p><a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/Wordweavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Wordweavers</span></a> Day 19 - Do you use humor in your stories, and if so, what sort of humor (whimsical, sarcastic, satirical, etc.)?</p><p>I mainly shoot for dark humor in my books. Military life takes you to a different place, especially if you've served in combat. So I do that when and where I can mostly.</p>
amPennyfeather<p><a href="https://mas.to/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> 7/19 Do you use humor in your stories, and if so, what sort of humor (whimsical, sarcastic, satirical, etc.)?</p><p>I use humor lightly, and the type differs depending on what a situation and character calls for.</p><p>Although, sarcasm is definitely one of my favorites. Little fun teasings between characters, especially as their connection and affection grows. And moments of silliness that make you laugh just because the characters are laughing.</p><p>Situational, natural stuff. Just for funsies.</p>
Ray Ingles<p><a href="https://bookstodon.com/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> 19: Do you use humor in your stories, and if so, what sort of humor?</p><p>Sarcasm always; dark-ranging-to-event-horizon-level humor at times. I'm definitely more 'chuckle' than 'LOL' - but I try.</p><p>I'm a fan of the "Explain, Explain... Oh Crap" trope, and "This Is Gonna Suck." I like to plant a few seeds and eventually point out the consequences when they all come together. 😁</p>
Mistress witch writes<p><a href="https://mastodon.art/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> Jul 19<br>Do you use humor in your stories, and if so, what sort of humor (whimsical, sarcastic, satirical, etc.)?</p><p>I'd say that I get to a satirical point where my humor is so dark and evil, I scare people. It happens rarely, but when it does, it has consequences : D</p>
C. R. Collins<p><a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> Jul 19<br>Do you use humor in your stories, and if so, what sort of humor (whimsical, sarcastic, satirical, etc.)?</p><p>Absolutely. It's part of life &amp; is fun. Why would I focus only on the sad or angry emotions? I tend to drop my characters into absurd situations, because the world is like that. I also enjoy a good banter.</p>
Dr. Rachel Reddick<p><a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> Jul 19: Do you use humor in your stories, and if so, what sort of humor (whimsical, sarcastic, satirical, etc.)?</p><p>Very much yes! The manuscript I should be revising right now has a fairly strong strain of humor in it. Situational humor may come out on top, with a fair amount of sarcasm and whimsy, depending on characters involved.</p><p>I don't do much direct satire, in this book or others, though I am making some side commentary in this one (on Marvel/superhero tropes).</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/amwriting" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>amwriting</span></a></p>
Rachel A. Rosen<p><a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> 19: Do you use humour in your stories, and if so, what sort of humour?</p><p>Personally, I think my writing is hilarious. YMMV. To be clear, my last story ended with two orca whales devouring a billionaire between their jaws like that scene in Lady and the Tramp.</p>
Sifaseven<p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> 19: Do you use humour in your stories, and if so, what sort of humour?</p><p>Tink has a dry, sarcastic sense of humour. It's not for everyone. 🤣 There are times when that humour falls flat for people she talks to.</p><p>Funny things do happen in her story, but I don't plan when they happen. Sometimes it lands, and if it really doesn't, I edit it out.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/writingcommunit" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>writingcommunit</span></a></p>
Joyce Lionarons<p><a href="https://hcommons.social/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> July 19. Do you use humor in your stories, and if so, what sort of humor? </p><p>I use some humor, some verbal, some situational. I don't use a lot of humor because I'm never sure if others will find it funny and there's nothing worse than humor that falls flat.</p>
Christina Anne Hawthorne<p><a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> 19<br>humor</p><p>Any &amp; all kinds of humor are in my writer toolbox,.</p><p>I use it strategically. It also depends on the scene, Deep POV character who’s narrating, the other characters involved, &amp; how the scene fits into the overall work.</p><p>Humor is one of the elements that I never, ever plan. It has to occur organically or it doesn’t go in.</p><p>Likewise, after the story has sat for a while (months, in my case), if it doesn’t spark the desired reaction, I cut it.</p><p><a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/AmWriting" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AmWriting</span></a> <a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/WritingCommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WritingCommunity</span></a></p>
Jo Graham<p><a href="https://wandering.shop/tags/wordweavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>wordweavers</span></a> Do you use humor in your stories and if so, what sort of humor?</p><p>I love and adore witty banter! A smart couple bantering is definitely an earmark of mine and something I enjoy writing so much. There's some of it in the Giulia books - their long riffs on ducks in scripture or other funny bits. But the most banter is Mitch and Stasi in Steel Blues and Silver Bullet. I was doing the 1930s screwball comedy which is contemporary for them and it's hilarious!</p>
Will Elm<p><a href="https://indieauthors.social/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> July 19. Do you use humor in your stories, and if so, what sort of humor?</p><p>I use humor pretty sparingly. Most of it is just silly and usually not particularly funny.</p>
GaH Learner<p>19. Do you use humor in your stories, and if so, what sort of humor (whimsical, sarcastic, satirical, etc.)?</p><p>I can't write humour deliberately. I hope that the conversations and banter between my characters has some humour sometimes.<br>Everything else is purely accidental.</p><p><a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> <a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/GL725" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>GL725</span></a></p>
Sarah J Hoodlet<p><a href="https://writing.exchange/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> 19Jul—Do you use humor in your stories, and if so, what sort? (whimsical, sarcastic, satirical, etc.)</p><p>Humor can be found in my stories. My preferred type is witty and sarcastic, although I also use a fair amount of suggestive humor by way of innuendo and body language (when it makes sense).</p><p>Some characters are funnier than others, and some are funnier WITH others. I love the dynamics at play.</p><p>But while there is humor in my stories, they're not "funny stories" by any stretch.</p>