In the second part of my analysis of Hitchhikers I extract micro and macro techniques for creating comedy. (You don’t need to have listened to the 1st part for this to make sense).

Micro comedy techniques include:

1. Garden Path – lead readers to expect a certain outcome, then deliver another.
2. Emphasis on what comes last
   • Not so much a humour technique, but generally the last word in a paragraph has the most impact. (like we saw in that last quote)
3. Literal Mis-interpretation: take a term normally used just to convey an idea, then actually follow through with the meaning:
4. Fun with Homophones
5. Reframe – how can you make readers see a common thing or a common concept in a different, more humourous, absurdist, satirical way?
6. Oxymoron – the linking of two ideas which really don’t make sense together

Macro techniques include:

1. Genre awareness
2. Escalation
3. Absurdism
4. Surprise! (aka Subverting Expectations)
5. Synthesis with the theme:

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Stitcher

Or click here to listen online

***

Shownotes:

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FunWithHomophones

https://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/humor-writing-filled-novel

Want to read my free short story? Get it here: A Clockwork Prison

Want awesome short stories, bite-sized writing advice, and lists of the best books to improve your craft? Join my VIP email list!