Humor-writing with Elissa Bassist

Short Humor & Satire Writing

Are you looking for ways to make friends as an adult and also write humor and satire? In this 2-day workshop experience, we’ll break down the short comedy piece to write, rewrite, and publish our own.

While there are many forms of comedic writing, from sketch to Sedaris, in this class we’ll focus on the kind in The New Yorker’s Shouts & Murmurs.

We’ll cover the foundations of comedy writing (premise, structure, speaker, tone of voice, target, point of view, and deviating from reality) and every comedic trick that writers can use in all writing, including personal essays, novels, and dating profiles.

Plus, short humor is the best gateway to comedy writing as a career or hobby.

There will be readings, infinity handouts, and brainstorming exercises to bring out what you have to offer as a writer and joker. Day 1 homework will be to write a short (150-500 words) piece (parody, satire, character monologue) to share and workshop for compliments on day 2.

After two days, everyone will write/be funnier and will know how to conceive of, draft, polish, and submit short original humor and satire, but if not, it’s not my fault. BYOB.

Class takes place online on October 19 and 20.

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Writing classes are supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

This program is part of the Unterberg Poetry Center.

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Online programs:
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Instructor

Elissa Bassist

Elissa Bassist is the editor of the “Funny Women” column on The Rumpus and the author of the award-deserving memoir Hysterical, published by Hachette. As a founding contributor to The Rumpus, she’s written cultural and personal criticism since the website launched in 2009. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Marie Claire, Creative Nonfiction, and more, including the anthology Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture, edited by Roxane Gay. She teaches writing at 92NY, The New School, Catapult, and Lighthouse Writers ...

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Humor-writing with Elissa Bassist