Here are some helps in developing your sense of humor:
• Humor writing (My Taylor University class)
• Laughing matters
• Spreading the Word with wit
• Writing with Banana Peels (my book on humor writing)
Plus . . .

Twenty comedy tools

1. Anecdotal/Situational
2. Paired phrases/words
3. Overstatement/Exaggeration
4. Understatement
5. Relate-ability
6. Plays on Words
7. Take-offs
8. Reverses
9. Associations
10. Non Sequitur
11. Satire
12. Absurdities
13. Triples
14. Incongruities
15. Toppers
16. Funny Words
17. Pop Lines, Take-offs and Parodies
18. Running Gags/Repetition
19. Insults [not recommended]
20. Shock, obscenity [not recommended]

Brainstorming humor

Take a topic, and then ask . . .

Qualities
What if it were bigger? smaller?
What if it were a different color? shape?
What if it were upside down? inside out?
What if it were younger? older?
What if it were faster? slower?
What if it were lighter? heavier?
What if it visible? invisible?
What if it were edible? inedible?
What if it were easy? hard?
What if it were animate? inanimate?
What if it were movable? immovable?
What if it could talk? was mute?
What if it were male? female? asexual?
What if it were evil? were righteous?
What if it were the exact opposite?
What if it ran in reverse?

Uses
What if it were used for something other than its intended usage?
What if it came with instructions? without instructions?
What if it were high tech? low tech?
What if the government took it over?
What if it were regulated? unregulated?
What if it were free? sold?
What if it were taken to the extreme?
What if it were made into a TV show? a song?

Other
What if it were combined with X?
What if it had never been invented?
What if it were in the future? in the past?



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