MASTER LISTS FOR WRITERS: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More by Bryn Donovan Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Bryn Donovan
innately optimistic about this kind of humor, because it suggests that our lives are filled with more possibilities than we had considered.
With several of these situations, whether it’s funny or not is a matter of degree, just as it is in real life. A little teasing may be amusing, while a cutting remark is just plain mean. A tiny failure may be funny, while a huge one is tragic.
Of course, it all depends on your treatment, but here are some situations likely to make your readers laugh.
A character mistakes one person for another.
Someone misunderstands her immediate situation, which makes her behavior completely inappropriate. For instance, she believes she’s on a first date with a cute guy, when it’s actually a job interview.
A character is extremely proud or thrilled about something that most people would not feel that proud or thrilled about.
Someone is horrified by a situation or an aspect of another person that most people would appreciate.
Someone’s wacky scheme is not playing out as he had hoped.
Someone is going along with an activity that is way out of her comfort zone.
After expecting to hate an activity, a character winds up totally getting into it.
Someone’s attempt to lie his way out of trouble fails and makes things more complicated.
A nervous character keeps misspeaking and makes an ass of herself.
Under the influence of alcohol or medication, a usually reserved character is goofy or otherwise lets his guard down.
Someone who no one expects to be sassy and/or a badass is sassy and/or a badass.
A crass or free-spirited character socializes with refined or repressed people.
Someone puts an incredible amount of thought and effort into something that most people would consider no big deal.
A planned event or performance is a disaster, or just comically underwhelming.
A series of small things go ridiculously wrong for the character as she tries to accomplish a basic objective, such as get ready for work, drive to work, or give a presentation.
Someone tough is revealed to be a total softie in some way that nobody knew about.
A character uses an object, a service, or a public or private space for a very different purpose than what it was created for.
Someone is pretending everything is fine, even though something has gone outrageously wrong.
A character keeps insisting that something doesn’t bother her, but makes it abundantly clear that it does.
Intentionally or unintentionally, someone embarrasses her friend by sharing or inventing mildly embarrassing information about him or his past.
Two people who can’t stand each other or are irritated with one another have to pretend to be in love.
An undemonstrative person has to deal with a very affectionate one.
Someone witnesses something he would have preferred to never see.
A character treats a serious situation in a playful way.
Someone breaks the rules in a spectacular fashion.
10 PLOT POINTS THAT CAN MELT READERS’ HEARTS
It’s not hard to think of tragedies and losses that will break your readers’ hearts. If you want to make readers cry in a good way, however, something here might do it.
Someone forgives a penitent person for a big transgression.
A character or team with significant limitations or challenges finally triumphs.
A person (or a dog) nearly dies but makes a recovery or gets a reprieve.
Someone finally confesses his love—or two people finally admit it to each other.
A character gets a large or meaningful gift, or a touching letter (or a bunch of them), from a person who died or is separated from her.
Someone helps heal another person’s long-buried hurt or grief.
A misfit or an overlooked character is accepted or recognized by an individual or a group.
A character chooses to take a heroic action that seems fated to ruin him.
Someone makes a grand gesture of love that makes her vulnerable.
Two people who love each other and have been separated for a long time are finally reunited.
50 GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS
One of the
With several of these situations, whether it’s funny or not is a matter of degree, just as it is in real life. A little teasing may be amusing, while a cutting remark is just plain mean. A tiny failure may be funny, while a huge one is tragic.
Of course, it all depends on your treatment, but here are some situations likely to make your readers laugh.
A character mistakes one person for another.
Someone misunderstands her immediate situation, which makes her behavior completely inappropriate. For instance, she believes she’s on a first date with a cute guy, when it’s actually a job interview.
A character is extremely proud or thrilled about something that most people would not feel that proud or thrilled about.
Someone is horrified by a situation or an aspect of another person that most people would appreciate.
Someone’s wacky scheme is not playing out as he had hoped.
Someone is going along with an activity that is way out of her comfort zone.
After expecting to hate an activity, a character winds up totally getting into it.
Someone’s attempt to lie his way out of trouble fails and makes things more complicated.
A nervous character keeps misspeaking and makes an ass of herself.
Under the influence of alcohol or medication, a usually reserved character is goofy or otherwise lets his guard down.
Someone who no one expects to be sassy and/or a badass is sassy and/or a badass.
A crass or free-spirited character socializes with refined or repressed people.
Someone puts an incredible amount of thought and effort into something that most people would consider no big deal.
A planned event or performance is a disaster, or just comically underwhelming.
A series of small things go ridiculously wrong for the character as she tries to accomplish a basic objective, such as get ready for work, drive to work, or give a presentation.
Someone tough is revealed to be a total softie in some way that nobody knew about.
A character uses an object, a service, or a public or private space for a very different purpose than what it was created for.
Someone is pretending everything is fine, even though something has gone outrageously wrong.
A character keeps insisting that something doesn’t bother her, but makes it abundantly clear that it does.
Intentionally or unintentionally, someone embarrasses her friend by sharing or inventing mildly embarrassing information about him or his past.
Two people who can’t stand each other or are irritated with one another have to pretend to be in love.
An undemonstrative person has to deal with a very affectionate one.
Someone witnesses something he would have preferred to never see.
A character treats a serious situation in a playful way.
Someone breaks the rules in a spectacular fashion.
10 PLOT POINTS THAT CAN MELT READERS’ HEARTS
It’s not hard to think of tragedies and losses that will break your readers’ hearts. If you want to make readers cry in a good way, however, something here might do it.
Someone forgives a penitent person for a big transgression.
A character or team with significant limitations or challenges finally triumphs.
A person (or a dog) nearly dies but makes a recovery or gets a reprieve.
Someone finally confesses his love—or two people finally admit it to each other.
A character gets a large or meaningful gift, or a touching letter (or a bunch of them), from a person who died or is separated from her.
Someone helps heal another person’s long-buried hurt or grief.
A misfit or an overlooked character is accepted or recognized by an individual or a group.
A character chooses to take a heroic action that seems fated to ruin him.
Someone makes a grand gesture of love that makes her vulnerable.
Two people who love each other and have been separated for a long time are finally reunited.
50 GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS
One of the
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