Write On This ... Exercise

Thanks to for this exercise over at the Writing.COMedy Workshop

Satire is a fab way to write, and it's a bit like playing poker: easier to play than to describe, and has simple rules, but can take a life-time to master

Satire: A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit.

Choose a subject that’s interesting and well known. If you write a satire about a person or situation your audience doesn’t really know about, your satire will probably not be much of a success. By writing about something people can identify with, you’ll also gain a wider audience.

You should gain as much knowledge about your subject as you possibly can. Your reader needs to see that you know what you’re talking about. Also, make sure your satirical argument is a valid one. You’ll end up sparing yourself a lot of embarrassment that way.

Be deliberate. Whatever you do, don’t hurry yourself. Consider what you want to say with your piece first and how you want to say it. Make sure that any underlying message is going to be picked up on by your reader. Often you have an idea and you just want to run with it, but satire is tricky sometimes, so it’s better if you take a calmer, slower approach to your writing.

Keep it as uncomplicated as possible. You don’t want to confuse your readers and you want them to understand what you’re getting at. Keep the target of your satire and your audience in mind at all times while writing. Satire is a clever type of comedy, but it won’t seem clever if you’re the only one that understands it.

Here's an old example from the Acme Vaults:

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