What Do You Imagine is The Secret (Shhhh) of Writing Humor?
(The clue is in the title)
Imagination drives comedy, and almost everyone has an imagination — or no one would ever get married. — unknown
I have good news for us writers! If you have a modicum — the ability to cum alamode? — of imagination, you can write humor. Have you ever tried to get ChatGPT to write a joke? To say it’s woefully inadequate to the task is like trying to build a skyscraper out of toothpicks with one hand tied behind your back. And as far as I know, AIs don’t marry yet either.
Here’s a quick illustration of the first step in humor conception. Pick any ordinary object: a plate, a beer mug, a phone, parts of the body, a mustache, etc., and imagine other uncommon uses for these items. Without being restrained by practicality, scribble down as many possibilities as you can think of. We won’t worry about editing our ideas — just free-associate. I’m going to use a pen for this exercise.
Here’s my quick list of possible uses of a pen:
a symbolic “sword” wielded by a “mighty” writer-warrior a means for opening a blocked airway an ink “straw” transfusing ink-beings a squid or octopus's signature on a contract a James Bond-style device for spycraft an object to use for estimating length and breadth a miniature baton for a tiny person the perfect partner for paper beings, a ying to their yang a stick to use however one would use a stick — building a fake campfire, creating a Chinese hexagram, poking a bear creating a frame for a piece of artwork a stylus for operating a futuristic machine
I rather like the octopus idea. Thank how much writing I could get done if I had eight legs and a never-ending source of ink?
“What if” imaginings allow us to combine different elements into new configurations creating something unexpected. This surprise is what makes people laugh. After that exercise — which I used as a kind of brain-warmer-upper — I worked on writing some humor bits. Here are the results.
- My dog Archie and I are planning a summer vacation. We’re traveling to Kentucky Fried Chicken. We’ve never been down south. For our next excursion we’re dressing up in our finest plaids and trekking to MacDonald’s. (Archie wants to pee on the golden arches.)
- What if God went on holiday? Where would he/she go? Is there some place better than heaven? And who’s qualified to substitute? I know my substitute teacher in high school was no angel.
Writing humor is an opportunity to let our imaginations run wild — the wilder, the better. I’m showing my examples for demonstration purposes. Though some of them maybe won’t make the grade, I don’t limit my ideas in the brain-storming stage. Editing and censorship come later.
It’s a misconception that imagination is solely about fanciful or unrealistic thinking. While creativity and innovation are certainly aspects of imagination, it’s important to recognize that imagination encompasses a wide range of cognitive processes, including the ability to visualize, conceptualize, problem-solve, empathize, and think abstractly. It’s not just about dreaming up fantastical scenarios but also about using mental imagery and creativity to explore and understand the world in new ways.
Therefore, imagination plays a crucial role in virtually every aspect of human endeavor, from scientific discovery to technological innovation to business entrepreneurship. It’s a fundamental aspect of human cognition that underpins our capacity for innovation, adaptation, and problem-solving in all domains of life.
Imagination is intelligence having fun. — George Scialabba
