Balancing Heavy Topics with Humor

 

By CL Montblanc

For some, it might seem blasphemous for me to suggest that heavy topics can coexist alongside humor, but I would even argue that comedy can easily enhance the delivery of these topics. Especially when dealing with young readers. Incorporating moments of levity into a darker narrative can accomplish many things; it can heighten emotional resonance, make deeper themes more digestible, and most of all, reflect a more authentic human experience. However, this can also be a delicate balance to manage—with some dire consequences if done wrong. Here, I’ll be sharing my personal viewpoints and strategies as someone who wrote a young adult dark comedy novel that tackles violence, bullying, homophobia, and more.

Why a dark story might not always pair best with dark themes

There are a few potential drawbacks to going all-out with darkness in a narrative. For one, too much negativity at once with little reprieve can be taxing for readers. Oftentimes people pick up a book for the purpose of escapism, hoping to relax and enjoy themselves, which means they might be less likely to pick something up that promises to be bleak the whole way through. Of course, there are exceptions to this, but I think it’s particularly true with kidlit—that audience tends to seek entertainment over, say, trying to expand their worldview or process difficult emotions. That being said, there’s still a need to have certain tough conversations with kids and teens. It may just be easier in some cases to mix those topics into something they’re more eager to consume, as one might hide veggies in other foods.

Making heavy topics digestible

I personally believe that the best way to get through to YA readers is to capture a genuine teen voice and experience. How to write authentically for teens as an adult is an entirely different discussion, but one relevant point here is that they more than any other age demographic already tend to combine their humor with darkness. It’s tough to grow up in a world like ours, and to temper the darker part is only natural. Life is so absurd, and that’s especially true for some of its worst attributes. You’ll see plenty of examples of this on social media sites like TikTok—half of my feed consists of young adults telling stories about traumatic events in their lives in a humorous fashion. We laugh so that we don’t cry, right? Or maybe a little of both at once…

Identifying opportunities for humor

The simplest, easiest way to infuse humor into a story is through dialogue. That’s because no matter what horrors might be happening within the plot, there’s always a smart-ass character or two who might want to crack a joke about it. Of course, the solution here isn’t to just add in an arbitrary comic relief character to one’s story—though I do have quite a fondness for those! What makes dialogue comedic isn’t pure wit, but rather, having characters that clash, contrast, and play off of one another.

For example, many romance novels utilize tropes like “grumpy x sunshine” because those two opposite archetypes—neither comedic in nature on their own—lead to some fun dynamics, and thus good banter. There’s also situational humor, which might be more difficult to incorporate into a heavier book, but is certainly also a staple. A classic example of this one would be a cold, hard-ass character being forced to take care of a baby. Again, the plot really has to allow for humorous situations in the first place, which is why I chose to go with mystery as my debut novel’s main genre. Mystery-solving involves a lot of snooping and potential antics, which I thought would be an ideal medium for a dark comedy. This notion is supported by “cozy mystery” being a staple genre, with similar blends seen in other popular media like Knives Out and Only Murders in the Building.

Why timing is everything

One important thing to be wary of when infusing humor into a more dramatic scene is causing tonal whiplash. A poorly timed joke might dampen the emotional impact of a scene, or put the resonance of your message at risk. I dialed way back on humor around the “dark night of the soul” section of my novel, when the darkness was starting to hit its emotional peak. The main character’s situation was not funny at all, and so the only humor she could muster consisted of taking a jab at herself with self-deprecating jokes rather than being fueled by joy. On the opposite end of this, humor can serve as a strong punctuation mark when used at the perfect moment. For example, it might help us transition from a difficult scene back into a more tonally neutral portion of a story, lifting us out of the fog with an indication that things might become okay again.

In summary, heavy topics, while important, can often weigh on readers, which is why humor has the potential to help balance them out. (And of course, to avoid this combination going south, a lot of strategy and thoughtfulness is required.) But humor can be such a strong bridge that allows young readers to engage with complex themes, and because of this, I’ve personally chosen to take on an unorthodox blend of genres and tones. I’ve also been hearing that many teens are looking for lighter, more “fun” books lately, so perhaps we can meet that demand without abandoning these authentic—often tough—stories that we are so passionate to share.

CL Montblanc is a writer, producer, and escape room enthusiast. Despite hailing from Texas, CL is intimidated by both horses and very large hats. If you have any leads on where to acquire buried treasure, or a decent bagel, you can find CL on social media. Pride or Die is their debut novel. You can learn more at CL Montblanc website.

Playing to Your Audience

He may look like he's paying attention to you, but he is probably more interested in the nut he sees on the other side of the rock. Same can be said for some in the audience that you are trying to engage. They may be looking at nuts as well. It could be a package of cashews or someone that's off their rocker. Either way, they aren't paying attention, so don't fall off your rocker cause the squirrels aren't going to save you.

Guess what? That's just fine. You don't need rocker saving squirrels or eyes down in cashew eaters.

Some aren't paying attention because of the going ons. Some aren't paying attention because they have no interest. Some will come around. Some won't ever come around. Before we go round and round I'll get to the point. Don't want anyone vomiting on the poor squirrel.

Your audience is what you seek and need to engage with. Not THE audience. Don't beat a dead horse when they aren't ever going to look into what you are saying, your story, or even you. Don't beat a dead horse literally either. That is just wrong. You would get a different audience though.

Focus on the audience that is focusing on you. They are the ones who enjoy your work, get what your saying, and listen. They also can be great word of mouth to those of the same likes and tastes.

You will be far more genuine when not crying wolf from the rooftops. Or shouting on stage about how great you are, your work is, etc.

You are only great to certain people. Your work is only great to certain people. You can't please everyone with everything. Never can. Never will. If you aren't great to others, if your work isn't appreciated by others, or if others are just out to lunch then let them stay there.

Don't focus on changing those you can't. Play to your audience and allow the others to find the audience they want. If that is an audience for beating a dead horse...well...you are better off without them anyway.

Do you focus on everyone? Do you feel beaten if they all don't pay attention or like your work? How do you handle finding your audience?

You Get What You Pay For

 

For 25 years, I’ve been advocating for transparency in book publicity–a cornerstone of Books Forward’s culture since 2000.

It’s heartbreaking when authors come to us after their books have launched, sharing stories of disappointment with their initial publicity efforts. Many debut authors thought they’d hired the right experts, but were misled or let down. They ask if we can help get their campaigns back on track. While we do our best, it’s tough to fix an anemic publicity effort after a book has launched. Sometimes we can, but if we can’t, we’re always honest about that.

When you pay for a service, you are paying for the expertise, knowledge, contacts and creativity of a professional. Just as a lawyer charging $25/hour isn’t likely to be a Supreme Court litigator, or a $12 haircut isn’t coming from a top stylist, bargain-priced book publicity is unlikely to deliver the kind of buzz necessary to stand out in a market where more than 3 million books are published annually in the US.

There’s a reason that certain book publicity firms have clients who regularly hit bestseller lists and win major awards. Their value lies in their contacts, their ability to create compelling stories that the media wants to share, and their track record of securing stellar reviews. These qualities are built on years of experience, not shortcuts.

When you’re hiring a firm to represent your book–your blood, sweat and tears–ask tough questions. Be wary of “bargain basement deals” and understand what you’re truly getting for your investment. There’s a select group of highly sought-after publicists for authors who are serious about success, but they’re not a dime a dozen.

Great Clips is fine if you’re looking for a quick, generic haircut. But if you want to stand out , that’s probably not where you’re going. The same principle applies to book publicity: “Great Clips” prices will get you “Great Clips” results.

For all but a rare few authors whose books are “lead titles” for major publishers, the reality is clear: to rise above the noise of the other 8,000-plus books being released on the same day as yours, you must commit your resources–time, energy, and money–into promotion .

A top-tier book publicity firm will provide a detailed proposal outlining what they’ll do for you, how they’ll reach readers in diverse ways, how they’ll keep you informed about your campaign’s progress.

Their track record will show success with books like yours, along with insights into what works and what doesn’t…

Just as importantly, they’ll offer cutting-edge strategies developed by some of the most creative minds in the business.

Be deliberate when choosing a book publicity firm. Consider your budget of time, energy and money, and invest wisely in your book’s success

Julie Schoerke is the founder of Books Forward’s, an award-winning literary publicity company, and its sister publishing company, Books Fluent.

Some Common Fears We Writers Share.

JOIN US TODAY

 The awesome co-hosts for the May 7 posting of the IWSG are Feather Stone, Janet Alcorn, Rebecca Douglass, Jemima Pett, and Pat Garcia!

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.

Remember, the question is optional!

May 7 question - Some common fears writers share are rejection, failure, success, and lack of talent or ability. What are your greatest fears as a writer? How do you manage them?

When I first started writing for publication, I could write “all of the above,” but that’s not true anymore. 

I don’t fear rejection. I just don’t like it.  When it happens, I find a safe place to hang out for a while, then I set out again.

morguefile

I haven’t failed because I'm still writing and publishing, so I can’t fear that. 

Too much success? Is that possible? 

But now we get to something that does keep me on the ropes. There are times I’m sure I’ll never write the story I want to because I don’t have the talent or ability, and I'll add knowledge because that's a huge chunk of what writing well is all about. I’m dealing with a lack of knowledge right now as I work on a new story that I want to write. 

morguefile

The problem is I keep running into barriers—gaps in what I know. My only recourse is to fall back on research, so I’m not making a lot of progress on the book, but my knowledge base has increased in several different areas: maritime research, cybersecurity, and Alaska. I've even learned how to make a wireless telegraph and a smoke bomb. You never know when you're going to need some of those.

I read a post by Jacqui Murray on research that inspired me to continue my efforts to learn as much about my topic as possible. You might enjoy reading her POST, if you haven't already.

If I manage to successfully combine all that I've learned into a cohesive story, I hope to come up with something that people will want to read. I'll probably be posting about this newest challenge for a while.

Now, I'm off to see how other members have answered this month's question. 

Have a wonderful May!