Comedian and writer Caimh McDonnell shares insights on writing humor, discussing his book 'The Stranger Times' set in a weird Manchester world. The conversation covers characters, dialogue, conflict, genre, and inversion of expectation. McDonnell's journey from comedy to successful author is explored, offering valuable tips for incorporating humor into storytelling.
Infusing humor in fiction requires a unique approach, exploring character development, dialogue, and genre inversion.
Transitioning from stand-up comedy to novel writing, Quieve McDonald emphasizes the balance between humor and storytelling in dark genres.
Crafting strong villains and balancing humor in narratives can enhance storytelling, resonating with audiences.
Deep dives
Bringing Humor to Fiction Writing
Writing funny fiction can be challenging, requiring a unique approach to humor. In the podcast, the guest Quieve McDonald, known for his work in comedy and writing, talks about infusing humor into his book 'The Stranger Times.' The premise of the book revolves around strange news becoming real, resulting in a humorous yet fantastical narrative set in Manchester. The podcast explores the complexity of being funny in fiction and delves into techniques like character development, dialogue, conflict, and genre inversion.
Transition from Stand-up to Writing
Quieve McDonald shares his journey from transitioning between stand-up comedy to writing novels full of humor. Starting with stand-up comedy in London, McDonald ventured into sitcom writing for TV before delving into novel writing. His experience in stand-up comedy and scriptwriting provided a foundation for developing humorous narratives in his books, bridging the gap between live comedy performance and written humor.
Navigating the Dark Humor in Crime Fiction
The discussion reveals how darkness in crime fiction can be a comedic source through an inversion of expectation. Quieve McDonald points out the fine balance between incorporating humor and maintaining respect for the underlying seriousness of the plot. The podcast explores the interplay between humor and crime narratives, emphasizing the importance of context in balancing comedy with the intricacies of storytelling in darker genres.
Balancing Story with Humor
Maintaining a balance between storytelling and humor is crucial when writing. The speaker emphasizes the importance of respecting serious moments within a story, even while incorporating humor. While humor can enhance a narrative, it is essential to ensure that the audience's understanding and emotional engagement are not compromised by excessive comedic elements. By approaching storytelling with sensitivity and by prioritizing the narrative's coherence, authors can effectively blend humor into their work.
Crafting Villains and Comedy
Crafting villains in storytelling plays a significant role in creating engaging narratives. The discussion highlights the importance of strong and memorable villains in literature and cinema. Villains can serve as pivotal characters that evoke fear and tension, elevating the overall storytelling experience. Additionally, the conversation delves into the relevance of humor in writing, particularly in creating comedic moments that resonate with audiences. Finding a balance between humor and storytelling elements can enhance narrative depth and reader engagement.
We speak to Caimh McDonnell about humour. Caimh is a comedian and writer. He’s written for TV shows such as Mock The Week and Have I Got News for You. He was also a professional stand-up comedian and has written a dozen books under the names Caimh and CK McDonnell.
Being funny in fiction is hard, so we wanted to ask the Manchester-based Irishman how to do it - or at least, how he does it. The cover of The Stranger Times says: What if the weird news was the real news? An apt way to describe the premise.
The book is the first in a series of novels set in Manchester in which the weird phenomena of the Fortean Times is alive and well - from mythical beasts to UFOs. We get to explore this weird world through the staff of the namessake newspaper and the result is a Pratchett-esque treatment of the supernatural thriller/mystery genre. And it is funny.
Some things are easier to teach than others. You might argue that being funny is the hardest thing of all. Nonetheless, the conversation will hopefully give you some insights into how to bring humour to your writing. The conversation covers characters, dialogue, conflict, genre and the inversion of expectation.
Find out more about Caimh at whitehairedirishman.shop
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