Come for the Mysteries. Stay for the Characters.
As I finished writing my YA mystery short story, “A Rose from the Ashes” in 2018, I faced a dilemma. My main character Rae has found her father. How did I write the scene without drowning it in gooey sentiment? I learned adding humor to enhance drama prevented this from happening. I knew I had… Continue Reading →
My prompt ties to my guest blogger this week, author Phillip Rivera. He writes hilarious stories about life as a dad in the suburbs. This photo inspired me to write a fun, domestic story, but it could also be a humorous superhero story, with this toddler possessing powers like Jack-Jack in The Incredibles movies. Who… Continue Reading →
No matter what genre, if a few characters in a story display a sense of humor, that hooks me as readily as quirky characters or an intriguing plot. Click here for a previous post on the importance of humor. Inserting humor into a story, especially one with a serious premise, can be difficult. I’ve discovered… Continue Reading →
In The Deer on a Bicycle: Excursions into the Writing of Humor, author Patrick F. McManus advises that when looking for inspiration for a humorous story, you should write “about your bad experiences, not your good ones.” When life is at its worst, humor can be at its best. My recent trip to St. Louis gives real-world… Continue Reading →
Humor in the arts has a bad reputation. It’s not considered as worthy as drama. How many comedies have won the Oscar for Best Picture? Not many. Yet humor helps us throughout our lives. I think it’s a necessary quality to cultivate. The importance of humor in my life is enormous. I’ve suffered from anxiety… Continue Reading →
JPC Allen Writes