On Writing Well
Writing
Become a writer of humor

Become a writer of humor

from On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser

How to Apply This

  1. Focus on serious issues.
    Don't just fool around but communicate important things by using special devices such as irony, satire, parody, lampoon, and nonsense.

  2. Focus your humor on truths.
    Your readers will love to read about what they know to be true in a funny way.

  3. Let your humor touch concretely on life.
    For example focus on a social change - use humor to discourage cigarette smoking.

  4. Be yourself and don’t strain for laughs.
    Humour is elusive and subjective - a piece that one magazine rejects can be published by another that finds it a jewel. So, let your style be reflected in your writing and the right audience will appreciate it.

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