Is That Funny? Am I Laughing? A No-Nonsense but Hilarious Deep Dive into Writing Humor

Are you ready to laugh a lot and learn? The focus is on funny business in this humor writing class. It includes five two-hour in-person sessions, one week apart, with each week's session built around a different kind of humor. Each class will involve a discussion of many humor writing techniques along with broader concepts of humor. Many handouts will be provided including tips, techniques, and examples relating to that week's category of humor. There will also be in-class writing exercises and weekly assignments for each session.

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Prior to Week One: All About You
Write a one-page humorous bio of yourself. Don't worry how it sounds, we just want to get an idea of who you are and your sense of humor.

Week One: Stand-Up Humor
Writing stand-up comedy, TV sitcoms, satirical revues, amusing speeches, snappy retorts. Also, each participant begins their own writing project (see Week Five).

Week Two: Sit-Down Humor
Writing humorous short stories and novels, essays, reviews, poetry, love notes to your honey.

Week Three: Lean-In Humor
Writing humor from YOUR personal perspective as a person with a particular ethnic or religious background, a particular physical or mental condition, or a unique situation (i.e., disability, addiction, non-binary sexual or gender identity, pet peeve, spouse of a circus clown, heavy-duty quirks, or even overwhelming normality).

Week Four: Break-Out Humor
We'll create our own humor categories and then write them.

Week Five: Showtime!
Each participant is invited to share the humor writing project they've been working on since the first session, using the many techniques we've discussed over the past month. Participation is not required but deeply, desperately and weepingly desired by the instructors.

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‍Details: Is That Funny? Am I Laughing? A No-Nonsense but Hilarious Deep Dive into Writing Humor takes place Saturdays, October 14, October 21, October 28, November 4, and November 11 from 10am-12pm in person at the Literary Cleveland offices, 13002 Larchmere Blvd, Cleveland OH 44120.

‍Prerequisite: None

‍Genre: Humor

‍Level: All levels

‍Format: Workshop

‍Location: This class takes place in-person at the Literary Cleveland offices, 13002 Larchmere Blvd, Cleveland OH 44120.

‍Size: Limited to 12 participants (including scholarships).

Scholarships: Two scholarship spots are available for this class for writers in Northeast Ohio. Apply by August 21. NOTE: You can apply for scholarships this semester even if you have received one for a previous semester.

‍Cancellations & Refunds: Cancel at least 48 hours in advance of the first class meeting to receive a full refund. Email info@litcleveland.org.