People are always curious as where do humorists get their wacky ideas all the time. Once awhile you may hit upon a funny line or silly joke, but to churn out an endless stream of funny ideas is no joke(no pun intended).
So, where and how do the professional comedy writers do it? It's all up in the head and the deep secret is the thinking process. The combination of creativity and imagination is the first step that will lead your thoughts to the funny finish.
To be imaginative and creative, you got to let your mind wander freely and illogically even to absurdity. Don't be inhibited. Many a times, the best joke appeared in the most unexpected combination.
Here are five techniques which you can generate humorous ideas:
1. Incongruity - by pairing of opposites or contrasts.
2. Reverse - by switching or reverting of situations.
3. Similarity - by pairing of the same or similar things, person or situations
4. Words - by using puns, oxymorons, cliches and figure of speech
5. Switches - by using others'ideas only as a starting point.
These are the four essential elements of humor:
1. Surprise - unexpected twist to the ending
2. Realism - truth or logic that can be related to or recognised
3. Exaggeration - simple distortion to the extent of absurdity
4. Victim - the butt of the joke