Writing Excuses Writing Excuses Season 3 Episode 27: Mixing Humor with Drama and Horror
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Dec 1, 2009 In this episode, the hosts delve into blending humor with drama and horror in writing. They discuss why humor and horror complement each other, how to make jokes without losing character depth, and why 'Shaun of the Dead' is a brilliant example. The episode includes a writing prompt, an audible sponsorship, and a preview of the next episode on 'The Hero with A Thousand Faces'.
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Build Drama First, Then Humor
- Start by building the dramatic core of your story with key plot or character moments.
- Then, strategically insert punchlines without undermining the drama, spacing humor around intense scenes.
Drama Drives Long-Term Reading
- Humor can make reading enjoyable, but drama and character depth make readers return.
- Pure humor without strong characters often fails to sustain long-term interest.
Humor Can Undermine Horror Tension
- Dan Wells shared revising a comedic scene in his horror book because humor diluted intended tension.
- Sometimes humor must be removed to preserve fear and maintain tone.