The 5 simple Riddle Steps!
1. First of all, think of an object. This will be the answer to your riddle. (for example: fire)
2. Next you want to think about how you can describe that object. (for example: fire is hot,
needs air, etc.)
3. Once you finish that you need to think of ways to tell your audience this in a less obvious
but more interesting way. Set up the riddle so it is in your objects point of view. (for
example: I breathe oxygen, but I do not have a mouth.)
4. Finally, put together all of the hints in the riddle not forgetting to use "I", and at the end
of the riddle say,"Who am I." (for example: I breathe oxygen, but I do not have a
mouth. I can brighten up dark times, but used wrongly I can terribly ruin good times. I
move around a lot, but I do not have a body. Who am I?)
5. Test the riddle out on somebody!
The Tips!
1. DO NOT give the answer right after you tell the riddle.
2. Try to pick something that most people would know about. Don't pick an object that you
think people may have never heard of.
3. Also don't get too crazy with the hints in the riddle, yet don't make it too easy.
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Most riddles are a form of lateral-thinking puzzle. To get them, you have to move laterally in your mind, away from the expected line of thought. This is especially true of funny riddles. What did the others do when the cannibal was late for dinner? They gave him the cold shoulder, of course.
Then there are the riddles that aren't really jokes, but they make you smile when you hear the answer. If a plane crashes on the border of the U.S. and Canada, in which country do they bury the survivors? They don't bury survivors, of course. Laughter is good for the brain.
Tips on HOW to be funny:
1. Think beyond jokes. Jokes can be funny, but being funny is about much more than being able to tell jokes as they can sometimes get old if they are used too often!. If you simply repeat jokes that you've heard, you're not so much being funny as repeating something that somebody funny thought of. Most of the following steps can be applied not only to becoming funnier overall, but also to becoming a good joke teller.
2. Broaden your base of material. In everyday conversation, being funny is mostly about having something funny to say about something that comes up in the course of the conversation. Sometimes this can be a prefabricated joke, but more often you're on your own, and if you're to have any hope of thinking up something funny, you've got to know something about the subject of the conversation--the more you know, the better.
If you know a tremendous amount about 17th century poetry, you've probably got a good chance of saying something funny when that comes up in conversation. As a general rule, people who are very focused on one hobby, occupation, or sitcom are often very funny to other people who are also wrapped up in that particular pursuit.
3. Learn from the best. In the same way that good writers are almost always prolific readers, really funny people usually are familiar with the techniques of other funny people. Watch funny movies and shows, read funny books, and go see some stand-up comedians. If you have very funny acquaintances, pay attention to what makes them funny. Immerse yourself in humor and you'll develop a toolbox of techniques you can use to be funny.
4. Look for the humor in everyday situations, and see what others don't. This brings up the old question of what is funny. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) researchers have looked at this and haven't found any hard, fast rules. There is some consensus, however, that the humor response is similar to the fear response, and thus the unknown, the surprising, and the incongruous are often funny. You can find these by looking, for example, for connections between dissimilar things or by looking for the unexpected in the familiar. On a more basic level, just pay attention to what people around you are saying and doing.
5. Know your audience. As step two suggests, different people find different things funny. You can, of course, be funny to yourself, but if you want to be funny to other people, you need to have at least some idea of what they find funny. When you're in a group of people you don't know, for example, just listen to what subjects they talk about and what makes them laugh. Generally the better you know someone the easier it will be to make them laugh.
6. Be quick. People can appreciate even a slightly funny comment if it's said at the right time (usually as soon as possible after the event that precipitated the comment). If you wait too long, however, even very funny comments will lose their impact. For example, if someone says something to you and you think of a witty comeback two hours later, you're probably better off just keeping it to yourself. It won't be funny anymore, and you'll look slow, and sometimes, really stupid.
7. Develop a comedic personality. Be yourself. You can't be all things to all people, so you should develop your own unique brand of humor. In other words, learn from comedians and friends, but don't try to duplicate them (unless you're doing impressions, which can be funny).
8. Forgive yourself. Sometimes a joke will fall flat, or an observation that cracks you up will just make others groan. Don't be discouraged. Learn from your comedic errors, and keep trying. Even the highest paid comedians don't always get a laugh, and no one expects anybody to be funny all the time. If you feel like you're temporarily off your game, though, don't try to force humor.
9. Take it easy. Don't tell 10 jokes over a 2 minute period. Be conservative and tell the jokes at the right time.
10. "Quick liners." With many jokes, the shorter the better. short jokes or add-ons to others can be hilarious!
The Tips
1. Practice callbacks. You may have noticed that many comedians will tell a joke and then
bring it back in one version or another, usually getting as big a laugh (or bigger) on the
second time than on the first. This is called a callback, and you can use this technique,
too. If you come up with a joke or observation that gets a big laugh, subtly bring it back
a little later. As a general rule, though, don't try to call something back more than 3
times.
2. It's not all verbal -- sometimes doing a funny dance, or making a funny noise, can work
in the right situation. Just make sure you're not making a complete fool of yourself. You
want people laughing with you, not at you.
3. Fantasize about the situation you're in and you might find something funny that you can
then tell others. This works best with people that have a similar way of thinking with you.
4. Don't try to think of jokes. Let them come naturally during conversation. The more you
practice the above techniques, the more naturally funny observations will come to you.
5. Don't be afraid to make fun of yourself. Self-deprecating humor is a lot safer than
making fun of others, and it can be really funny. Just be careful not to sound pathetic or
whiny, especially if you're trying to impress a date.
6. Try not to be funny. You should not try to tell a joke because you want people to think
you're funny. You have to go at your own pace. You need to say something at the right
time and the right instinct. It will be funny.
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