Why Comedy Is Important in Your Writing

by Ofelia Montelongo

As writers, we all have different techniques and diverse genres in which we like to write. However, there is a component to writing that I believe is important to add, regardless of the genre; that component is comedy.

Yes, we might be writing drama, sci-fi, horror, tragedy, or any other. However, humor is almost like love in any narration; it needs to be added to create a compelling story. I’m not suggesting you become a comedian, just that you insert realistic pieces of humor into your narration and your characters. The effect of comedy produces laughs, and laughs spark our lives. If you make your reader laugh occasionally, he/she will be engaged.

People remember moments that make them feel good; they rarely remember moments that make them suffer. Also, making your reader laugh will make him/her feel like he/she is understood because you have made your characters imperfect, just like the rest of humanity. None of us is perfect – we all have flaws and we make mistakes.

Let’s not confuse comedy or humor with disrespect or humiliation; the humor I’m suggesting is the one we use with our friends when telling a story, or when something funny happened at work or something on the street caused you to laugh. We all are humans, and most of the time we are looking for happiness, or to have a good time and be entertained for a moment.

It is unrealistic to be dramatic all the time; even in tragedy, humor is important. Laughter is natural and empathetic. People laugh to ease the pain, which makes humor therapeutic.

It becomes an art to add humor to realistic situations in your writing. But, with imagination and creativity, you can create powerful moments, scenes that become genuine and surprise your readers.

The spirit of humor in every piece of writing enhances the experience of the reader as he/she tiptoes into the writer’s world. The little details make us smile, and we enjoy smiling. And if we enjoy what we read, we tend to recommend it, and we share. And isn’t what a lot of us are looking for, as writers – to be read and to be understood?

___________________
Ofelia Montelongo is an aspiring published author. She is writing her first novel, Pilgrims or Something Like That. Originally from Mexico, she has a Bachelor’s in accounting and finance and an MBA. She is currently working on her Bachelor’s in English and Creative Writing. Ofelia is also a freelance photographer and has her own business in Scottsdale (Chocolate Tour of Scottsdale). Read more at Writing My First Novel. eMail Ofellia here or “like” her on Facebook.