This week: Sarcasm As an Element of Drama Edited by: Joy's busy haunting  
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“Take my handkerchief, Scarlett. Never, at any crisis of your life, have I known you to have a handkerchief.”
Rhett Buttler in Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
"There’s a sign on my office wall, which reads – In the event of emergency, bang head here. Long ago, Peterson had pointed out that it was much too high up on the wall for my head to reach and I had replied that it wasn’t my bloody head that would be banged against the wall. I would give anything to have that sign now. It would be something to aim at."
Jodi Taylor, The Chronicles of St. Mary’s
“... he who's down one day can be up the next, unless he really wants to stay in bed, that is...”
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote
"The buzzing was like the eager purr of a muscle car that had just been started, but left in neutral. That was another of Cody’s metaphors for it; I’d said the sensation felt like an unbalanced washing machine filled with a hundred epileptic chimpanzees. Pretty proud of that one."
Brandon Sanderson, The Reckoners
Hello, I am Joy's busy haunting , this week's drama editor. This issue is about using sarcasm to create additional drama in our stories.
Thank you for reading our newsletters and for supplying the editors with feedback and encouragement.
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Welcome to the Drama newsletter
Have you ever used sarcasm or irony on yourself or others? I believe most of us use such means, caustic or not, with or without knowing. For example, decades ago in my youth, when the maid was sick and I was asked to do the dishes, I remember saying, "Yeah, sure, I can't wait to soak my hands in harsh soapy water and ruin my skin!" which hadn't sit well with my mother. By that time, I had already read Don Quixote and perfectly knew the effect of what I was saying.
Then, who can forget Winston Churchill, replying to a lady who said he was drunk, as: ""My dear, tomorrow I will be sober, and you will still be ugly!"
As such, sarcasm can be described as mocking humor mixed with caustic use of words that carry double meanings and they are mostly spoken. In fiction, sarcasm comes either from the storyteller or the author or it is in the speech of the characters.
That said, in writing fiction, insults and sarcasm can add depth to character interactions, create tension, and point out the key traits of the characters. It is the reason why many classic or contemporary works use sarcastic dialogue or narration. This provides layers of meaning and humor to their stories, since sarcasm can be a social commentary or satire while it adds a semi-comedic aura to a situation.
In Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, the most disliked character, Mrs. Norris, has a form of profound but quiet sarcasm. She says about the placement of the main character as a child, "A prison indeed? Sotherton Court is the noblest old place in the world....What if they were among them to undertake the care of her eldest daughter, a girl now nine years old, of an age to require more attention than her poor mother could possibly give?" This is because Austen uses Mrs. Norris to show the importance of single women and widows in the society of the time.
For all that, in writing a story, the use of sarcasm, subtle or direct, when added to an insult can reveal the dynamics among the characters and establish the hierarchy of power in their relationships. For example, a character who uses biting insults may feel dominant, or their insults might mask insecurity.
Also, the way a character talks to others by using sarcasm can show the true make-up of their personality and especially their backstory. For example, if a character has a troubled past, their insults may carry more weight or bitterness, hinting at their unresolved past issues.
In addition, a sarcastic remark can escalate a situation immediately, which may end up in a full-blown conflict and/or it may even lead to the climax of the story. Then, there's the good-humored sarcasm between friendly characters, showing trust and respect underneath their words.
The tools sarcasm uses can be understatement, opposite meaning, or exaggeration. It works the best when sarcasm is delivered, as if a punch, in short and sharp replies. A character who is sarcastic may also pause before delivering the punch or put emphasis on some of the words. In addition, mostly, a flat and emotionless delivery works the best.
Sarcastic characters are usually cynical, frustrated, and weary. So their biting remarks serve as a shield for them against their emotional discomfort and vulnerability.
As an example, a made-up dialogue between two characters can go like this: "You did make a mess, here! You are brilliant!"
"Finally, you could recognize my genius!"
In writing from a first-person or close third-person perspective, we, as writers, can allow the readers into such a character's head. This way we can have the characters comment internally, as well. As a "Writer beware!" advice, however, balance is the key. Too much sarcasm can exhaust the reader or even make the characters unlikeable
May all your sarcasm work well for you and your characters!
Until next time! 
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 Enjoy!
And just because we all like this one
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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 This Issue's Tip: A sarcastic tone often has a flat, almost emotionless delivery. In writing, this can be suggested by using short, clipped sentences or by explicitly stating their tone, as “she coughed and then uttered in a voice thick with sarcasm...”
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Feedback for "The Drama of the Lone Detective"
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Quick-Quill 
I loved this Newsletter. It's right down my alley. I read Rex Stout and Perry Mason after watching the TV series. I realized the two were not the same. I got into True Crime after reading Anne Rule and Joseph Wambaugh. When I wrote my first novel, I realized my detective moved through the case, doing what they do. He needed a flaw. I had to go back and completely rewrite the story, adding something to connect with the reader so he had a change by the end. It's what I loved about old Detective stories, they had character.
Thank you for the input. And yes, I so agree. Those old detectives did have character.
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Damon Nomad 
I like crime drama to read or write, usually with an element of mystery as a natural part of the long story arc. I found your observations about a lone detective interesting and insightful. I was pleasantly surprised to see you featured my novel Rural Justice as one of your picks.
Thank you. I read parts of your novel and loved it. One of these days, I plan to read the whole thing.
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Drama: September 10, 2025 Issue [#13321]
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