A short YouTube talk by Julie Broad (founder of Book Launchers) explaining five practical ways to add humor to nonfiction writing to engage readers and be memorable. She uses personal anecdotes and concrete techniques—playing on the unexpected, the rule of three, irony, self-deprecation, and avoiding forced jokes—while advising authors to stay authentic and maintain credibility.
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Adding humor to your writing can be a great way to engage your readers and make your content more memorable. It definitely fits with our company mandate of making sure we only publish noboringbooks. So if you want to add a little humor to your book writing, or any of your writing for that matter, then this video is for you. Hey there. I'm Julie the book Broad. I'm founder of Book Launchers and author of soon to be four books. I am not a comedian, but I've always kind of wished I could be because other than a dream of being able to speak Spanish fluently, one of my big dreams has always been to just be funnier. I even took a three day comedy writing course because I wanted to add more humor to my work. I believe humor is a powerful tool for connection, being memorable, disarming. There's so many great things that bringing humor into your work can do. Actually, I found myself being unintentionally funny most of my life. Life like being so focused on a sales presentation I forgot to put my pants on when I was leaving my apartment once. I constantly look for my sunglasses everywhere only to find them on my head. I once got confused and asked if horses lay eggs, which happened in grade four. And what you really need to know is that I was in rural Alberta where most kids had horses and tractors before they could walk. So unintentionally funny thing to ask. So I'm unintentionally funny. But I also easily find humor in situations and I've learned to laugh at myself. But in writing well, there's some things that you can do that are going to at least get a chuckle and create connection to your audience with your work. So let's touch on those things. So number one, play on the unexpected. One of the keys to making your writing funny is to play on the unexpected. Like I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not sure. Why did the tomato turn red? Because it saw the salad dressing. Okay, those are just bad jokes. They're not really examples that most people would use in their nonfiction book. But if something is unexpected, unexpected in life, that's a great story to tell. So find those unexpected twists and turns in your life, writing and business and put them in your writing because readers will enjoy that. If you're going into a meeting with your boss and you're expecting to get fired, and then you actually end up getting promoted and you get to work with your best friend, maybe that's not super funny, but it's unexpected. And you might be Able to find just a little punch of humor in there. Number two, Use the rule of three. It's kind of funny, actually. It's tip two, but it's using the rule of three. I love airports. They have a certain je ne sais quoi. You know, the security, the food courts, the endless waiting, or my boss told me to have a good day, so I went home. This is just another way to add humor to your writing. It's the rule of three. So essentially, it's a list of three things where the first two are more ordinary and serious, and then the third is kind of out there or absurd. The buildup helps set the stage for the punchline so you can create a rhythm in your writing that adds to the humor and makes it more memorable. I know this doesn't really qualify, but it's one of my favorite jokes to tell my son. What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear. Forget it. I know you're groaning. It's okay. Number three, Irony. If you can spot irony in your life and business, write it down and use it. Irony makes for humor. It just makes for great reading. When someone compliments you for being a good listener, you could say, I'm sorry, what did you say? Really? Using irony, you can create a humorous contrast between what is expected and what is said, which can be very effective in making people laugh. I talked a lot more about this technique in a video on using figures of speech in your writing. But irony is everywhere, so watch for it and note it because it can make for a great humorous add to your book. Number four, make fun of yourself. Self deprecating humor is a great way to add humor. By making fun of yourself, you can show your readers that you don't take yourself too seriously and ultimately create a connection with them. I don't know what's true for you, but here's some funny things I've heard before. I'm not saying I'm bad at math, but I still count on my fingers. I'm not saying I'm a bad cook, but my smoke alarm is my most frequently used gadget. In my kitchen, of course. My personal favorite. I'm a really good driver. I'll keep you on the edge of your seat. I am not a joke teller. Okay? Really? None of those are examples that you would use in a book, really. It's telling stories about yourself of where you've been a little silly, a little absent minded. You've done something that you know, made you feel silly, but it can help others feel more comfortable and engage with you. So make sure you've got a great editor, by the way, who who will flag when you've taken this too far because you still want to maintain credibility when you're doing this. Finally, number five, don't force it. It's important to remember that humor is a bit of a delicate thing, and not everyone finds the same things funny. In nonfiction. You don't have to force the funny. Just trying to observe the world and throwing in a few laughs into your book will help engage your readers and reward them for their reading. But forcing humor into your reading doesn't feel natural. You know, I wanted to tell you a bad joke about pizza, but it was too cheesy. It comes across forced and awkward. Instead, just focus on your own unique voice and using humor in a way that feels authentic to you. By doing so, you will add humor to your writing in a way that will resonate with your audience and probably make them laugh. I hope you had at least a little bit of fun watching this video. And if you didn't, well, this one right here is far more serious, and you'll appreciate the tips I share on protecting and preserving your work. And if you're looking for more fun, well, this video right here, It's a guaranteed fun time. So go ahead, whatever you want. After this one, I'll be waiting for you.
