The anatomy of a joke

摘自： Toastmasters Magazine. July

The elements of comedic surprise.

Laughter is created when surprises present.  To be more specific, laughter is created when there is a comedic element of surprise.  A comedic surprise is a test without serious repercussions.  A joke structure that works means the audience believes one thing to be true; however, it is revealed that something else is actually true. The involuntary psychological reaction is usually laughter.

The techniques for making a surprise humorous include:

☞ Consciousness

☞ Misdirection

☞ Revealing the punch word or punch phrase at the last possible moment.

In a well-structured joke, it's not only about having a good twist; it's about connecting the setup and punchline in a logical way.

It helps to have a buildup to the twist. Usually, the first line is informative. When misdirection is used, it lulls the audience into having a certain expectation. It can also create tension, which the twist releases.

Writing a joke

When writing a joke, always begin with the truth. Don't try to be funny as your first step.  Being funny to early often creates ideas that are overdone, or unbelievable.  Start real.

The 4-step joke-writing process

Step 1:  Start with a factual, truthful piece of Information.

Step 2:  List 10 assumptions.  Each assumption can be investigated and questioned until useful alternative meanings can be discovered and formed into jokes.

Step 3:  Investigate the assumptions. Look at each assumption and ask questions about it until you find a funny twist.

Step 4:  Make the joke concise, provide misdirection and put the punch as close to the end as possible.

最后原文附上：

图片发自App

图片发自App