Why you shouldn’t – But you’re going to anyway – So here’s a Primer
“Is that a broadsword on your belt, or are you just glad to see me?”
I hope you smiled at that line. I think it’s one of my best. My name is Melodie Campbell, and I write madcap comedies. (This is a self-help group, right?) Sure I’d like to kick the habit and write a ‘real’ book with literary merit. <author grimaces here>
Okay, so that’s a lie. Leave The Bootlegger’s Goddaughter behind? Not write a sequel? I’m starting to hyperventilate. Actually, I love writing comedies. It’s in my blood.
A GREEK MASK
Some people are born beautiful. But most of us aren’t, and we look for ways to survive the slings and arrows of life. Sometimes we choose to hide behind a mask. That Greek Comedy mask was the one I picked way back.
COMEDY IS TRAGEDY BARELY AVERTED
People smarter than me have concluded that tragedy is the root of all comedy. Making fun of our foibles is indeed one way to cope.
As a means of self-preservation in the cruel world of teenagers, I looked for the ‘funny.’ More often than not, I made fun of myself. This was easy to do. I knew the target well and there was a wealth of material. And it didn’t hurt anyone else, so people liked it.
When I left school and had a ‘real’ job, I started writing stand-up on the side. I rarely delivered it – usually I wrote for others. That led to a regular newspaper humour column, and more.
So when it came to writing novels, I fell back into ‘safe mode.’ Write it funny.
Lesson 1 (the first of 8): The rule of ‘WORST THING’
(aka: Never go easy on your protagonist.)
Comedy writers take a situation, and ask themselves ‘what’s the worst thing that could happen now?’ And then, ‘what’s the funniest?’
What’s the worst thing that could happen to The Goddaughter when she is reluctantly recruited to carry hot gemstones over the border in the heel of her shoe? Predictable would be: she gets caught at customs. But I don’t want predictable. I want funny.
Instead, the shoes get stolen. By a complete amateur! It’s embarrassing, that’s what it is. How is she going to keep this from her new boyfriend Pete, who thinks she’s gone clean? And what the heck is she going to tell her uncle, the crime boss?
Nothing, of course. She’s going to steal them back. Or die trying.
And hopefully the audience will die laughing.
Yes, some people will turn up their noses and say this type of plot is silly. Reviewers may discount the book for not dealing with the ‘important’ issues of today. So…do you really want to join me in this reckless trade? Read below.
