Comedy Writing Tip: What Can Go Wrong?

My comedy writing tip is ask the question: What can go wrong? Brainstorm all the possibilities.

Writing guru Jack M. Bickham says:

“He must leave in worse shape than he was when he went in.”

Scene & Structure by Jack M. Bickham at p. 27.

And that’s perfect for creating comedy.

What can go wrong?

I just watched THE OUT-OT-TOWNERS (1999), a movie with Goldie Hawn, Steve Martin and John Cleese. HIGHLY recommend. I laughed out loud at several points. John Cleese has some of the best lines.

Goldie Hawn and Steve Martin are flying to New York where the Steve’s character has a job interview. What can go wrong when you are traveling? [SPOILER ALERT]

• Your flight is diverted to another state and there are no other flights in time for your interview
• You miss the train to New York
• The car you rented is defective (or you just can’t figure out how to work it)
• You can’t read the map so you get lost
• A trickster mugs you when you arrive so you have no money

And, all of those things are true-to-life and actual possibilities, but pile them on top of each other, and see how your character reacts. And there you’ve got your comedic plot.

So, if you’re writing a dinner party scene, what can go wrong? Off the top of my head:

• you burn the dinner
• the food is inedible (Bridget Jones Diary, anyone?)
• a drunken guest insults another guest
• hidden history between guests comes out
• a guest is allergic to the food, causing you to have to create another dish on the fly
• the guests get food poisoning
• the napkins bleed, staining something valuable
• your pet throws up (retching noise in the background)
• the neighbors upstairs throw a party, creating a lot of noise, stomping around upstairs.
• fire alarm goes off, such that you all have to evacuate

Some of these are obviously worse than others, but you can see how brainstorming what can go wrong can help build your plot.

Comedy Writing Tip 2: A Flawed Protagonist Makes Bad Decisions

As Evan Smith writes in this brilliant post, “comedy loves bad decisions.” “In many comedies, the lead character is their own worst enemy.” Id. Having the protagonist cause their problems starts their character arc.

Let’s Talk

Can you think of any more bad things that can happen at a dinner party? Or any party? Do you have any comedy writing tips?

Hope you are all doing well and staying safe.