Some writing prompts from this website (there are more!)
David Sedaris
Assignment
Humorous Writing
Prompts:
Prompt 1:
Lists, lists, lists. To-do lists, Honey do lists, check lists, punch lists, laundry lists... Seems like there is a list for everything. Write a humorous list of things you are NOT going to do today
Lists, lists, lists. To-do lists, Honey do lists, check lists, punch lists, laundry lists... Seems like there is a list for everything. Write a humorous list of things you are NOT going to do today
Prompt 2:
The word "extreme" is enjoying extreme popularity these days. We seem to have extreme EVERYTHING. This fits well with humor, because exaggeration can make or break a humor piece.
For this prompt, let's take it up a notch. Take an everyday experience and make it extreme. Extreme Dog Walking. Extreme Birthday Parties. Extreme weed prevention.
Whatever you pick, make it funny in the extreme
The word "extreme" is enjoying extreme popularity these days. We seem to have extreme EVERYTHING. This fits well with humor, because exaggeration can make or break a humor piece.
For this prompt, let's take it up a notch. Take an everyday experience and make it extreme. Extreme Dog Walking. Extreme Birthday Parties. Extreme weed prevention.
Whatever you pick, make it funny in the extreme
Prompt 3:
Create a ridiculous
holiday to celebrate. You can use your holiday to rant about holidays in general,
or go the opposite direction and create a silly holiday for something that you
can't live without. (Post-it notes, anyone?)
Still not inspired? Try looking at some of the REAL holidays that made it into the books.
http://www.butlerwebs.com/holidays/default.htm
Still not inspired? Try looking at some of the REAL holidays that made it into the books.
http://www.butlerwebs.com/holidays/default.htm
Prompt 4:
Reality TV. Go ahead, make fun of it. You know you want to.
List ten humorous ideas for reality TV shows. Pick the one that appeals to you the most and write 500 (or more) words about what viewers would see on your show.
Reality TV. Go ahead, make fun of it. You know you want to.
List ten humorous ideas for reality TV shows. Pick the one that appeals to you the most and write 500 (or more) words about what viewers would see on your show.
Prompt 5:
The "How To" article is a staple of popular magazines. We are humorists. We don't need "How To" ho hum articles. What we need are "How NOT To" articles.
Examples:
The "How To" article is a staple of popular magazines. We are humorists. We don't need "How To" ho hum articles. What we need are "How NOT To" articles.
Examples:
- How NOT to get a cat out of a tree.
- Ten things NOT to do if you want to get lucky with the ladies.
- How NOT to find serenity through the art of Feng Shui.
Brainstorm a list of
five. Write about the one that tickles your funny bone the most.
Prompt 6
I own an alarm clock that is smarter than the average human. It automatically sets itself to the correct time, has an alarm that only sounds on weekdays and a separate alarm for weekends. It even knows the day of the week without any input from me. I suspect it is plotting to take control of the VCR any day now; microwave and laser printer to follow.
Are you technologically challenged? Does a universal remote make you want to run screaming in the streets? Or maybe you are one of the gifted. Maybe you have a talent for bailing out the techno-challenged and can't help but shake your head at all the fuss. (In which case I will feel perfectly justified in hating you. Be warned.)
Write about the challenges of today's technology, or about belly button lint. Your choice.
I own an alarm clock that is smarter than the average human. It automatically sets itself to the correct time, has an alarm that only sounds on weekdays and a separate alarm for weekends. It even knows the day of the week without any input from me. I suspect it is plotting to take control of the VCR any day now; microwave and laser printer to follow.
Are you technologically challenged? Does a universal remote make you want to run screaming in the streets? Or maybe you are one of the gifted. Maybe you have a talent for bailing out the techno-challenged and can't help but shake your head at all the fuss. (In which case I will feel perfectly justified in hating you. Be warned.)
Write about the challenges of today's technology, or about belly button lint. Your choice.
Prompt 7:
Internal dialogue. Thinking one thing, but saying another. The interplay of opposites can really punch up humor.
For today's prompt, brainstorm 5 people you might have a mundane conversation with (spouse, telemarketer, neighbor) and use an internal dialogue to punch up the humor of an otherwise routine exchange. Think in terms of: I said... but I thought...
Internal dialogue. Thinking one thing, but saying another. The interplay of opposites can really punch up humor.
For today's prompt, brainstorm 5 people you might have a mundane conversation with (spouse, telemarketer, neighbor) and use an internal dialogue to punch up the humor of an otherwise routine exchange. Think in terms of: I said... but I thought...
Prompt 10:
Take a look at the winners for this year's Wacky Warning Label contest. http://www.wackywarnings.com/
Devote 500 words to a humorous warning label that doesn't exist but should. Be sure to include your version of the label and why it is needed.
Take a look at the winners for this year's Wacky Warning Label contest. http://www.wackywarnings.com/
Devote 500 words to a humorous warning label that doesn't exist but should. Be sure to include your version of the label and why it is needed.
Prompt 11:
Take a few minutes today to read something by your favorite humorist. Then pick a topic and write a piece in the same style.
Take a few minutes today to read something by your favorite humorist. Then pick a topic and write a piece in the same style.
Prompt 12:
Take something you are frustrated with: The toilet seat left up again? The folks who seem to hold family reunions in the middle of the aisle at Wal-Mart? Whatever it is, take the incident and write a humorous revenge piece. What are the ridiculous lengths you would go to?
Take something you are frustrated with: The toilet seat left up again? The folks who seem to hold family reunions in the middle of the aisle at Wal-Mart? Whatever it is, take the incident and write a humorous revenge piece. What are the ridiculous lengths you would go to?
Prompt 14:
Write the "real" definitions of words or catch-phrases. What is your meaning of "user friendly". How do you define "some assembly required"? Make a list of ten related words and define them.
Write the "real" definitions of words or catch-phrases. What is your meaning of "user friendly". How do you define "some assembly required"? Make a list of ten related words and define them.
Prompt 15:
Sometimes you just have to embrace silliness and see what happens.
Today, while getting my morning exercise, I encountered a turtle. I don't know what a box turtle was doing wandering down the side of a city street, but I took it upon myself to rescue him. I realized about halfway home that he may not have viewed it as a rescue. Most likely he viewed it as alien abduction.
When I got home, I sent an e-mail to a friend, detailing the adventure from Mr. Turtle's POV. Here is an excerpt:
One fine and sunny morning, Mr. Turtle had an adventure.
Where am I? he wondered as he stared at the tall concrete curb. What is all this asphalt? Where is Miss Lola? And my wallet?
Try as he might, Mr. Turtle had very little memory of the previous night. Now, it could be that he didn't remember because he was a small amphibian with a teeny, tiny brain. Or, it could have been all the margaritas. Either way, his head hurt.
Mr. Turtle was having a bad morning.
"Perhaps," he said to nobody in particular, "I should lay here and bake myself to death!"
Just then, a shadow approached. Mr. Turtle ducked inside his shell. Next thing he knew, he was airborne! he poked his head out and had a look around. He was flying!
"Maybe this is all just a very bad dream," he said.
But no. It wasn't a dream. Mr. Turtle found himself the captive of a giant hand. The hand was the strong silent type. It didn't say a word. It's companion, The Enormous Head did all the talking. Unfortunately, Mr. Turtle didn't speak Enormous Headese.
Today, take a normal event and write about it from a skewed point of view. Run with it and don't look back. Most importantly, have fun!
Sometimes you just have to embrace silliness and see what happens.
Today, while getting my morning exercise, I encountered a turtle. I don't know what a box turtle was doing wandering down the side of a city street, but I took it upon myself to rescue him. I realized about halfway home that he may not have viewed it as a rescue. Most likely he viewed it as alien abduction.
When I got home, I sent an e-mail to a friend, detailing the adventure from Mr. Turtle's POV. Here is an excerpt:
One fine and sunny morning, Mr. Turtle had an adventure.
Where am I? he wondered as he stared at the tall concrete curb. What is all this asphalt? Where is Miss Lola? And my wallet?
Try as he might, Mr. Turtle had very little memory of the previous night. Now, it could be that he didn't remember because he was a small amphibian with a teeny, tiny brain. Or, it could have been all the margaritas. Either way, his head hurt.
Mr. Turtle was having a bad morning.
"Perhaps," he said to nobody in particular, "I should lay here and bake myself to death!"
Just then, a shadow approached. Mr. Turtle ducked inside his shell. Next thing he knew, he was airborne! he poked his head out and had a look around. He was flying!
"Maybe this is all just a very bad dream," he said.
But no. It wasn't a dream. Mr. Turtle found himself the captive of a giant hand. The hand was the strong silent type. It didn't say a word. It's companion, The Enormous Head did all the talking. Unfortunately, Mr. Turtle didn't speak Enormous Headese.
Today, take a normal event and write about it from a skewed point of view. Run with it and don't look back. Most importantly, have fun!
Prompt 16:
Take this job and shove it. How many times have you looked at some unsavory task and thought those words? Well, maybe not those EXACT words.
Your mission for prompt 16 is to write a letter of resignation. Quit your day job (at least on paper). Rebel against doing yet another load of laundry. Abandon your post as jack-of-all-trades. Just make your explanation funny.
Prompt 17:
I have an affinity for those stores where everything is a dollar. I just can't help myself.
Today, while browsing the Halloween displays (also a weakness) I became enamored of rows and rows of little, brightly-painted, ceramic witch shoes. Did I stop to ask myself: "Self, what on earth does anyone need with little ceramic witch shoes?" No. That would be a rational act. Impulses are not rational. Instead, I found myself admiring each different style and plotting where they fit in with my holiday decor. I entertained the notion of lining them up outside my front door so that people might think I had miniature witches with very sore feet living inside my house. I also entertained the notion of testing my witch cackle right there in the store, just to see what would happen, but fortunately, regained my senses in time.
Your mission: Write 500 words about a silly impulse. It could be something you have done. It might be someone else's impulse that had an impact on you.
Maybe you will write about the consequences of your impulse. Or maybe, like me, you can say you overcame your impulse when you realized you had WALKED to the dollar store and couldn't imagine carrying all those clanking ceramic shoes home inside a plastic bag.
Take this job and shove it. How many times have you looked at some unsavory task and thought those words? Well, maybe not those EXACT words.
Your mission for prompt 16 is to write a letter of resignation. Quit your day job (at least on paper). Rebel against doing yet another load of laundry. Abandon your post as jack-of-all-trades. Just make your explanation funny.
Prompt 17:
I have an affinity for those stores where everything is a dollar. I just can't help myself.
Today, while browsing the Halloween displays (also a weakness) I became enamored of rows and rows of little, brightly-painted, ceramic witch shoes. Did I stop to ask myself: "Self, what on earth does anyone need with little ceramic witch shoes?" No. That would be a rational act. Impulses are not rational. Instead, I found myself admiring each different style and plotting where they fit in with my holiday decor. I entertained the notion of lining them up outside my front door so that people might think I had miniature witches with very sore feet living inside my house. I also entertained the notion of testing my witch cackle right there in the store, just to see what would happen, but fortunately, regained my senses in time.
Your mission: Write 500 words about a silly impulse. It could be something you have done. It might be someone else's impulse that had an impact on you.
Maybe you will write about the consequences of your impulse. Or maybe, like me, you can say you overcame your impulse when you realized you had WALKED to the dollar store and couldn't imagine carrying all those clanking ceramic shoes home inside a plastic bag.
What is the source for these prompts??
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