Hey! When I write I usually wind up making it more dark than intended. How do I add comic relief and/or know when to add it?
As someone who consistently finds their writing darker than intended (or even imagined), I understand the struggle of finding a way to lighten up the mood a little bit.
When it comes to comedic relief, here are a few ways to incorporate it in your writing:
The comedic relief character or moment:
- A serious character makes a sarcastic comment that is taken literally
“Yes, you should definitely jump off the bridge.”
- A literal comment is taken as sarcastic/joking
“If you hit that button, the entire room will explode”
*rolls eyes* “You mean this button?”
- Characters who blurt out whatever they are thinking
Could be a curse word coming from a character who never curses
Blurting out something embarrassing
- Have a character get their words mixed up
Think of sound-alike words: they say “Cherry” instead of “Ferry” or something.
Calling a rifle a “boom stick” or something: this can happen if your character speaks a different language, or is from a different place, or fumbles with their words a lot
- Insert an inappropriate response that makes the reader giggle
Someone proposes, and a character starts choking on their wine
The villain threatens to kill them, and the hero holds up a hand and yawns
Speeding away from a bank robbery when a character pokes their head from the back seat and announces, “Wait, we’re missing Tony!”
Anything to create that, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” moment
- Introduce a blunt character to a sensitive topic or person
“Your face is blazing red.”
*Clamping hands on face* “W-what? Oh, sorry, I just…”
“Did you confess your love to him?”
*Eyes opening wide, going even redder*
*Enter romantic interest, having heard everything* “Sorry, what?”
- Likewise, have a sensitive character navigate around a blunt topic
“Listen. When someone asks you how they look… you can’t just say they look like a bloated toad.”
*looking confused* “So I’m expected to lie?”
*Swallowing hard* “You’re, uh… no, not lie exactly… just be nicer?”
- Create a massive misunderstanding between characters
“I thought you said you were pregnant!”
“I wasn’t talking about me!
- When a character is oblivious to the obvious
“So… explain to me again just what happened.”
*pulling hair out of head* “Did you not just see the explosion?!”
“So that’s what that was!”
- The unexpected comment from the smart aleck character
I always think of El Dorado when Tulio and Miguel are adrift at sea with no supplies and no land in sight:
“Tulio, did you ever imagine it would end like this?”
“The horse is a surprise.”
Utilize humourous language:
This can be in the form of:
An unexpected metaphor or simile
Click here for more ideas!
Make the situation funny:
You know how this one goes…
To release the tension in your writing
If you want to lighten up your writing (if you personally feel like its too dark, depressing, gory, or some of your readers feel it necessary)
To remind readers that there is a light at the end of the tunnel
To give the reader some relief
When comedy hurts: Click here
If you’re writing about a serious/heavy topic (illness, injury, abuse, rape, assault, life flashing before the eyes, etc.), inserting comedy can take away from the gravity/seriousness of the situation
Comedy can undermine the credibility of a character, making them appear less threatening. If you want a villain who gives nightmares, leave the comedy out
Comedy can also make your character look like a jerk. If you have someone in the hospital, and you want your character to come across as kind and considerate, you don’t want the first thing comes out of the character’s mouth to be some horrible, brash joke. You’ll want to match the dialogue with the tone.
If your reader cares about a character, humiliating them won’t make the character laugh. It will make them cry.
“If you have a genuinely serious or emotional scene, don’t make that scene into a joke–treat it with the gravity it deserves”
Comedy during a sincere high stakes/dramatic scene will take away from the moment. Readers will not like the interruption, especially if emotionally invested.
See the above link for more ideas!
And this link as well: Tips for Writing Dark Stories, Settings, Characters
I also want to put out there that darkness is not bad! Sometimes darkness makes a novel or writing snippet more powerful. Sometimes the heaviness needs to be felt.
Hope this helps, and thank you for the ask!
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