“How to Write Like a Funny Woman” Says Be Present, Make Strong Choices

Lizz’s Team Pick

When you’re laughing great big Santa Claus chuckles while reading Autostraddle, it probably seems like the words flow from my metaphorical pen to your laptop screen complete with hilarious and well timed pop-culture quips. That’s not actually always the case. I sometimes stare at paragraphs of boring words for whole minutes while wondering, “how exactly am I going to make Pretty Little Liars funny yet again? How many dinosaur jokes are too many dinosaur jokes?” It’s true, it actually takes some practice to learn How to Write Like a Funny Woman.

MOAR KITTY PURRY JOKES?!

The Rumpus Funny Women column editor Elissa Bassist wrote How to Write Like a Funny Woman in response to an Improv 101 class she took. I’m not sure Bassist’s advice is relevant exclusively to women, but she still reveals critical ancient comedy wisdom.

5. Make strong choices. The more specific you are (“I’m in a graveyard, and I’m a vampire slayer who is also a vampire [real scene that happened to me]”), the stronger you are communicating…. 5a. I can visualize a strong female lead who likes grilled cheese with American cheese and white bread; I do not have a clear picture of a character who eats food.

We talk a lot around here about movies with funny women in them and the general bizarre nonsense people claim about female comedians, but it’s interesting to get perspective and advice on actual writing. Particularly when it’s neatly divided up in to bite-sized numbered nuggets. Perhaps you won’t finish the article as a full-blown carbon copy of Tina Fey, but it’s still a great collection of advice for comedy (or any) writing.

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Lizz

Lizz is a consumer, lover and writer of all things pop culture and the Fashion/Style Editor at Autostraddle.com. She is also full time medical student at Brown University in Providence, RI. You can find her on the twitter, the tumblr or even on the instagram.

Lizz has written 261 articles for us.

3 Comments

  2. First, There are never too many dinosaur jokes!

    Second, despite not watching PLL or being into lady fashion I always look forward to reading your recaps ’cause you’re hilarious. So thank you for staring at your unfunny words for minutes at a time thinking up funny words.

  3. You are right, this definitely applies to a lot more than just how to write like a funny woman.
    Good advice, thanks for the find!

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