A Pet's Very Busy Day
Chronicle a day in the life of a pet from the pet’s perspective, using humor to imagine their thoughts on everyday events and their human's odd behaviors.
Suggested length: An essay or article: 800 to 2,500 words
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- End with something the reader can do or think about today.
- State your main point in one sentence before you start.
- Include a counterargument and answer it fairly.
Writing humor and satire books
Laughs first, with a point under the punchline.
Comic fiction sets out to make readers laugh; satire uses that laughter to skewer something real, from war to bureaucracy to the publishing industry. Either way, the jokes have to land on almost every page.
What readers expect
- A distinctive comic voice
- Absurd situations played straight
- A target, in satire
- Running jokes that pay off
A tip before you start
Play it straight. Characters who take the absurd seriously are funnier than ones winking at the reader.
More Humor prompts
- When the Trend Goes Too FarCreate a satirical piece about the latest trend that you think has gone too far. Use irony and exaggeration to highlight the absurdity of the trend…
- My Most Embarrassing MomentWrite an essay exploring the comedic potential of your most embarrassing moment. Include not just what happened, but also the thoughts that ran…
- The Miscommunication SpiralRecall a time when a simple miscommunication led to a chain of ludicrous events. Narrate the scenario with an emphasis on the escalating…
- Surviving the Family GatheringImagine you are writing a witty guide on "How to Survive Your Family's Annual Gatherings." Use anecdotes, humorous survival tips, and illustrate the…
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