Rub a Little Funny on It: Humor in Short Fiction with Robert Morgan Fisher

We writers take ourselves SO seriously. But guess what? Even dramatic writing requires nuanced humor. Some say “Humor is a natural gift—it can’t be taught.” WRONG. It’s a process—just like anything else! But one has to learn how to use certain tools as well as study writers and stories that successfully employ humor. FACT: When forced to choose between two equally good stories—editors will go with the one that makes them smile every time.

CLASS DESCRIPTION

Even the most dramatic narratives have elements of humor. One might say they require it. Under the most desperate, dramatic circumstances there is always humor lurking. It’s often the only thing that can get us through. Where would a tragic novel like Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest be without McMurphy’s boisterous, ribald humor? In Thomas Harris’ Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal’s depraved sense of humor charms us against our will, giving this complicated villain immeasurable depth. By studying and discussing a variety of select short stories (both dramatic and funny), we will explore how to infuse your writing with whatever humor is required to make the story irresistible. Oh—and did I mention? We’re going to laugh. A LOT! 

CLASS OBJECTIVES

* Study and discuss the ways in which the assigned short stories utilize humor.

* Learn practical techniques for injecting humor into your story organically.

* Explore how humor can be an integral part of even the most serious, dramatic fiction.

* Conceptualize and write a short story of your own (or revise/analyze an existing piece of yours) that incorporates humor using the tools we’ve learned in class.

WHAT THIS CLASS WILL OFFER

Learning Activities: Each week we’ll read a pair of stories and discuss them in detail. The syllabus provides prompts to get the discussion going—but students are encouraged to come up with their own questions and avenues of thought.

ABOUT ROBERT MORGAN FISHER

Robert Morgan Fisher’s fiction has appeared in The Arkansas Review, Red Wheelbarrow, The Missouri Review Soundbooth Podcast, Dime Show Review, 0-Dark-Thirty, The Huffington Post, Psychopomp, The Seattle Review, The Spry Literary Journal, 34th Parallel, The Journal of Microliterature, Spindrift, Bluerailroad and many other publications. He has a story in the 2016 Skyhorse Books definitive anthology on speculative war fiction, Deserts of Fire. He’s written for TV, radio and film. Robert holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University, where he works as a Book Coach and Writing Specialist. He also develops courses and teaches for Antioch’s online I2P Program and runs a weekly writing workshop for veterans with PTSD in conjunction with UCLA. He often writes companion songs to his short stories. Both his music and fiction have won many awards. Robert also voices audiobooks. (www.robertmorganfisher.com)

Sign up using the form below to be notified when we offer this class next time! Email all your questions to i2p@antioch.edu

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