Why Humor in Writing Matters

Let’s face it the world’s a little rough around the edges right now. We’re all just trying to hang on with a sense of dignity and maybe some semblance of joy. What better way to bring that spark back than through laughter?

Humor in writing isn’t just about cracking jokes or tossing in a punchline here and there. It’s also about making people feel a little more hopeful. When you get someone to laugh—really laugh—you’re giving them a moment of relief, and that’s no small thing. In a world full of stress, division, and doomscrolling, writing that makes people laugh is practically a public service.

But Humor Writing is Hard

Yes it is. Humor writing is an art form that often doesn’t get the respect it deserves. It’s not easy to be genuinely funny on the page. Timing, voice, rhythm all has to be just right.  It took me several tries and multiple submissions before I landed a humorous list article in Chortle

It’s true that there aren’t a lot of markets explicitly dedicated to humor fiction but that doesn’t mean the world isn’t hungry for it. We live in a content-rich era where new voices and niches emerge every day. If you’re funny and you can write? That’s power. That’s potential. That’s brand-building magic.

Look at the Legends

Let’s talk about The Simpsons for a second. When that dysfunctional, animated yellow family debuted in 1987, there really wasn’t a flourishing market for adult animated comedy. But now we have Family Guy, South Park, Archer, Rick and Morty, BoJack Horseman, and even Futurama (RIP) They all owe a nod to that one oddball show that made us laugh and essentially started a whole market segment. That one funny voice became a cultural juggernaut and opened the doors for countless others. Humor doesn’t just entertain it expands what’s possible.

So What’s the Takeaway?

We need more funny people in the world right now. If the geopolitical landscape is telling us anything at the moment, it’s telling us that we need clever observations to remind us not to take it all too seriously. We need stories that make us laugh and forget our troubles for a few minutes.

So go forth and write something hilarious. Be brave enough to be funny. Your sense of humor might just be someone’s favorite moment of the day.

Here are a few resources to get you started:

Abbie Emmons: 5 Genius Tricks for Writing Funny Dialogue

Scott Dikker’s Substack – I recently read Scott’s book How to Write Funny where he did a great job dissecting humor.

Slackjaw’s Resources for Writers

Joni B. Cole’s post on Jane Friedman’s Blog: Finding the Funny: 8 Tips on Writing Humor

Leigh Anne Jasheway’s Post on Writer’s Digest: How to Write Better Using Humor

Neil Thornton’s Comedy Writing Workbook

Time.com – How to Be Funny: The Six Essential Ingredients To Humor

Side note: I am going to be a first reader for Alex Shvartsman’s UFO anthology again. He is up to number 10. I believe submissions will be opening up around April 2026, so start working on those humorous Sci-Fi stories!

-James