Humor writing by exaggeration is a common writing technique in humor storytelling. Like when sharing about a funny incident you observed during the day with your friends or family.
And as you tell the story, you exaggerate in a few places, because, well, it’s more entertaining. And everyone laughs as expected.
So you tell it again to another group and it’s even funnier than before.
Why?
Because you increased the drama and embellished it more than the first time. Add some here, take away a little there. Or perhaps insert your own, humorous, color commentary. In essence…you exaggerate the truth.
Humor writing by exaggeration is based on a simple premise. Take the truth and stretch it. The humor comes from how creatively, and how much you’re able to stretch without going too far.
So here are three ways to use exaggeration in your pursuit of humor writing.
Writing Humor through One line Exaggeration Jokes
There are two parts to a one liner exaggeration joke. The set-up and punch line.
The one liner, exaggeration joke was a regular part of the comedy routine used by former Tonight Show host, Johnny Carson. In fact, he often used the audience to set-up the joke during his monologue.
Johnny: I visited a small town the other day.
Audience: How small was it?
Johnny: It was so small…
…you had to make a reservation to use the parking meter
…during snowstorms, salt was spread using a salad shooter
…the municipal water system’s pump was supplied by Water Pik
The set-up line leads you toward a general assumption and the punch line surprises you with a twist you didn’t expect. One that exaggerates the truth to a level of absurdity.
Writing Humor Through Exaggerated Anecdotes
Humorous, anecdotal stories—like the ones you tell about your day—are more than just a joke consisting of set-up and delivery. They’re universal in nature because they represent an average, everyday life. Funny stories that could happen to any of us.
Often it’s truth with an emotional aspect to it. Like an embarrassment, unpleasant experience or pain that everyone relates to in some fashion.
Like your last visit to the dentist who had an unhappy childhood and now takes sadistic delight in tooth extraction.
Dave Berry, Bill Cosby and Mark Twain all used exaggeration in anecdotal narratives.
Here’s Mark Twain describing the sour experience of eating his first tamarind.
They pursed my lips till they resembled the stem-end of a tomato, and I had to take my sustenance through a quill for twenty-four hours. They sharpened my teeth till I could have shaved with them, and gave them a wire edge that I was afraid would stay, but a citizen said, “no, it will come off when the enamel does” –which was comforting at any rate.
Writing Humor through Exaggerated Characters
When writing short, humorous skits, there’s not much time for character development. So I create exaggerated characters by using common stereotypes.
The vain, female Diva, the dumb jock, the shifty guy lurking in the shadows, the nerdy geek and the miserly accountant.
Stereotypes make funny characters because your audience already knows something of the character’s motivation and reasons behind what they say and do.
Of course, the stereotype is just the start. Next you exaggerate the stereotype to the Max.
The female Diva is not just vain. She’s so vain that whenever she sees her reflection, she pauses to appreciate it. The dumb jock is so clueless he doesn’t realize the football helmet he misplaced is on his head. And the nerdy geek is so socially awkward he talks to computers like they’re people.
People laugh at them because these exaggerated, stereotypes don’t represent anyone in real life. Even though everyone can probably think of someone that’s a close resemblance.
So when you need to add humor to your writing, start with exaggeration. You’re probably already better at it than you think.
About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books on Amazon.com, articles on his blog, and writes copy for a variety of advertising and marketing communications clients.
Do you like reading books with humor?
Then check out my Christian detective novels Soul Pursuit and Finding Grace. You’ll enjoy engaging stories with a Christian message, fun characters, and witty dialogue.
A Church intramural sports league is a great way to engage young men and women in your church. Here are three advantages an intramural league offers over an inter-church sports league.
The Difference Between an Inter-Church & Intramural Sports League
Let’s be clear on the difference between an inter-church and intramural league.
In an inter-church league, you form a team—like basketball, softball, volleyball, etc.—from within your church and compete against teams from other churches in your community.
The league is a joint effort among participating churches and is led by representatives from each church.
An intramural league is formed by creating teams from within your congregation. It offers three advantages over an inter-church league.
A Church Intramural Sports League Engages More People
In an Inter-church league, you’ll engage 10 people on your basketball and volleyball team and around 15 for softball. And there’s competition on who makes the team roster and plays.
But in an intramural league, multiply 10 players per team times 4- 8 teams and you engage 40-80 people! So there’s room for everyone that wants to play.
The task of engaging that many people may even sound a bit daunting.
Competition releases the warrior side in men. Rather than discourage it, I plan for and even promote a competitive league environment. But it must be managed.
It’s difficult to exercise control over coaches and players from other churches in an inter-church league. But the players and coaches in an intramural league are your church members.
You recruit and direct the coaches, establish the direction and set expectations of behavior. And you’re the authority who enforces expectations and maintains accountability.
An Intramural Sports League Promotes Community
When different churches compete against one another, the “my church is better than your church” mentality is always present.
But in an intramural league, everyone is from the same church. You worship, pray, study, and serve together.
We also strategically plan fellowship opportunities during and at the end of the season to promote unity.
Even though you play hard, and perhaps, become a little testy in the heat of competition, it’s easier to let it go after the game because there is a greater sense of unity.
So now that you understand the advantages of an intramural sports league and the potential for engaging people in church life, why not start building your own intramural sports league?
About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
Want to build intramural sports leagues in your church?
I built an entire intramural sports league ministry that included basketball, volleyball, softball, golf, running, and aerobics classes that engaged several hundred people within our congregation qne reached into our local community. This book walks you through the entire process.
I use a strategic thinking discipline when I work-out to improve my professional success at work. While exercising my body, I exercise my mind too.
Call it cognitive calisthenics. Mental gymnastics. My daily smart time.
Other people working out at the gym listen to I-pods, watch wall mounted TVs, or scroll through smart phones. Nothing against that. I enjoy technology too.
But by using this regular block of time to strategically think through various work issues, I generate ideas and solutions that increase my work productivity in ways I never imagined.
Of course, imagining is an important part of the thinking discipline.
Maybe that’s because thinking…using the old noggin…as archaic as it sounds, taps into the most advanced technology ever invented—the human brain.
Its capacity to innovate, analyze, synthesize, conceptualize and organize is unsurpassed. But you have to actively use it. Intentionally engage it. Creatively exercise it. Regularly.
My strategic thinking routine begins with vision. I start by asking: What am I trying to accomplish? What’s the direction I’m going? The ultimate goal?
For me, vision is not a grand, idealistic notion. Eloquent words that look good on paper, but mean little. Rather, it’s a mental picture.
As I consider the outcome I’m trying to achieve. What does it look like in a real, practical sense? And what needs to happen to get there?
A better product, successful program, smoother workflow, improved communication?
As the mental picture forms, I map out a plan. The solution usually involves one or more of these areas:
Strategic Thinking About People
Who is the right person for a job? Who has the passion, experience, skills that are needed for a particular assignment, task or leadership position? Match people with their skill set, fit them in their sweet spot.
They will be more successful, productive and fulfilled in their work.
As I consider a particular job position, I am often surprised by who surfaces. It’s not always the one that initially comes to mind. But the one that, when thoughtfully considered, is the perfect fit.
Strategic Thinking About Technology
Sure, technology is cool. It improves your methods, processes, efficiencies and workflow. But it’s still only as effective as you make it. You define and direct how to apply it. Maximize it. And that takes thought.
So regularly evaluate applications for further improvement. Experiment with processes. Consider whether there’s a new or different method that works better.
Because just when you’ve mastered one technology, another one arrives on the scene. Is it really better? Maybe. But not always. Don’t let your thinking shift into automation mode. You might just automate yourself into obsolescence.
Strategic Thinking About Processes & Systems
What pieces and components need to come together so the systems and processes are smooth, seamless and efficient? How can they be organized to increase workflow? What timing is involved?
Thinking through is like assembling a giant picture puzzle. And it’s awesome when everything comes together and the vision in your mind springs to life.
So consider the available blocks of time in your schedule as an opportunity. And rather than de-activate your mind. Activate it. You’ll work smarter and achieve greater success by effectively using the most powerful tool ever invented.
You can experience a meaningful Christmas. In fact, it’s supposed to be that way. At least, it is for me. I enjoy many cultural Christmas traditions.
For example. I enjoy listening to cheerful tunes like I’ll Be Home For Christmas, Feliz Navidad and Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire. Watching uplifting movies like The Sound of Music, It’s a Wonderful Life and White Christmas.
I even like the Budweiser commercials featuring a majestic team of Clydesdale horses prancing through a snowy landscape.
They’re all carefully written to provide warm fuzzies. And they do!
But Christmas has much more to offer than cool commercials and sentimental feelings. It’s an opportunity to reflect on life’s deeper meanings. To re-evaluate and re-adjust priorities. As long as you keep it in proper perspective.
So in case you’re overly busy, overly stressed or perhaps overly cynical due to an overly commercialized holiday season, here are three ways for you to keep the meaning of Christmas…well meaningful.
To Experience A Meaningful Christmas Keep The Focus On Jesus Christ
Christmas is an actual, historical event—the birth of Jesus Christ. All of the gift giving and celebration that is part of the Holiday Season today originated with his arrival into the world. He came with a very intentional, spiritual purpose. And that purpose is where you find the meaning.
We all may believe differently about the event, who Jesus was, and the spiritual impact he makes. But we can agree he is the central character of the story. And insist he remain there.
It seems odd…even awkward there’s a concerted, social effort to celebrate Jesus’ birthday and carefully avoid mentioning the name of the birthday boy. How would you feel about being left out of your own party?
So cave in to social peer pressure, or choose political correctness if you want. But remove Jesus from Christmas and you lose the meaning. Of course, you’ll still have Budweiser commercials to make you feel good.
To Experience A Meaningful Christmas Embrace The Wonder And Mystery
Santa Claus is mythological. Even magical. But Jesus was real. Scriptures say he was God in human form. Fully human and fully divine. And that is an unfathomable mystery. A concept beyond human comprehension. You can only accept and respond to it through faith.
But when you consider the response of all the characters present in the Gospel story, there was a unanimous posture of amazement, wonder and worship.
The Angels, the shepherds and the wise men among others. Even his mother Mary “pondered these things in her heart.” The same sense of wonder and mystery surrounds his birth today. And if you choose to embrace it, you’ll be led, not to self-enlightenment, but towards the transforming presence of a person.
To Experience A Meaningful Christmas Keep It Real And Go All Out
You get out of it what you put into it. You’ve said that, right? Probably about your job. Maybe a hobby, a special project you were involved with or something else you’re passionate about. It applies to Christmas too.
Jesus never accepted mediocre, but demanded all-out followers. He still does.
You might even be filled with anger, loneliness, resentment, and doubt this season. None of those things intimidates God in the least.
In fact, Jesus often responded with the greatest level of love, mercy and grace to those who others considered a lost cause. The social rejects. He preferred honest and open disbelief over superficial loyalty.
You don’t even have to be a mean, old Scrooge. Approach Christmas with an attitude of cynicism, Ho-Hum business as usual, or nothing but a check-list and expect little meaning in return.
You see, Christmas has always been about the heart. It’s yours to give or withhold as you choose. But know that God makes a promise: He reveals himself to those who seek Him with all their heart.
Christmas is about God showing up. But you have to show up too. And when you do, you’ll meet Him in a new, fresh way that offers ultimate meaning.
We live in a culture of quickly changing laws. And there’s a real question behind changing laws that no one is asking.
And now that casinos are multiplying like frisky rabbits, marriage is redefined and entrepreneurs advocate for looser drug laws, I wonder. What direction are we going as a country?
Because what some call progressive, also qualifies as moral decline. At least from a Biblical perspective.
But changing laws presents another question too. One that’s practical. Affects everyone. And it isn’t religious or political.
Is anyone paying attention to it?
Laws Are Actually Based On Something, Right?
The American legal system is rooted in Judeo-Christian teaching. Meaning, the Bible. These Biblical laws come from a Sovereign God and absolute truth.
Laws—not a special interest group, a politician, or wealthy corporation—guide legal decisions. Therefore, citizens are equal under the law. And changing laws requires a deliberate, legislative process.
A Changing Society And Changing Laws
Since God reigns supreme His laws are absolute. Therefore, certain human rights are inalienable. Simply because God says so. And therefore off limits to human tampering.
Citizens conform their behavior to the laws rather than conform the laws to their behavior.
Sure. Parts of the Bible are open to interpretation. But laws forbidding cheating, stealing and murdering are pretty straightforward. Those three at least, are still intact.
But we’ve updated other Bible laws like adultery, drunkenness and dancing to contemporary, moral standards.
Wait a minute. Dancing was slipped in by the Baptists.
And what happened?
Well, gradually, relative truth replaced absolute truth. And more changing law enhancements followed. You know. Contemporary moral updates. Especially for those nit picky religious laws that only a few fanatics followed anyway.
And the idea of conforming my behavior to the rules changed to conforming the rules to my behavior.
So now that we’ve embraced relative truth, which says laws are open to re-writing. The next question is…
Who Decides The Changing Laws?
And the answer? Whoever holds the power.
Cloaked within the clamor for individual rights, the celebration of progressive laws and a permissive society lurks something ominous.
If truth is relative and laws arbitrary the ruling class dictates the changing laws. All of them.
Even the rights once considered inalienable. Tossed out with the absolutes. Making freedom a fanciful illusion.
But then, maybe with all the drugs, sex, and gambling we won’t notice or care.
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