Unintentional Humor

[AmberSolis]

Ever wrote a line and at the time it seemed ok, then later you looked back on it and said, "What in the Hell was I thinking?"

I've got bunches of examples. Once I wrote: "Doug was immediately turned on by her topological curvature. "Good Heavens," he said, "You've got so much surface area in that pulchritude you must have trouble staying warm in the middle of the summer."

"That's why I never sleep alone," she said. "I need a man with a PhD and a big slide rule!"

Yeah. I knocked myself out of my own chair from laughing when I re-read that in editing. Nobody cares about surface area! Nobody cares about "topology" and "pulchritude," even though they appreciate them every time they look at someone. Heck, most folks probably don't know that "pulchritude" is something that is very nice.

Anybody else have a moment where your own words went completely off the rails on you?

Love,
Amber

 

[Euphony]

Overly cute happens.

You feel in a groove and endorphins can push you into a similar state as when you are with a partner who eye rolls your foolishness but loves you for all the rest.

Trouble is, readers won't be in this same state.

Most times you are better off killing your darling. Or figuring out the core of what's really working for you then dialing back the levels.

Or... for those you cannot sacrifice, use a secondary character or reaction as a stand in steam release valve for the reader's are at. (give them an eye-roller to commiserate with)

You *can* build up the relationship, letting the in love foolishness read as that. (hopefully we all can relate to that experience)

But there is a danger to that. The state you are in is often one you shouldn't be trusted to mindfully do that groundwork.

It can get away from you and you write even MORE nonsense to justify the one off nonsense you were trying to fix in the first place.

 

[AchtungNight]

No, but I do enjoy spontaneous jokes sometimes.

 

[MrPixel]

Heck, most folks probably don't know that "pulchritude" is something that is very nice.

I've always read (and used) this in adjective form, "pulchritudinous." Never have enough tiles to use it in Scrabble, tho'. Or it goes off the board.

 

[AmberSolis]

... and nobody under 50 even knows what a slide rule is,m anymore. Jeez, Amber, date yourself much?

"I'm dating myself, but it isn't working out. We have the same problems. And I've learned I just can't count on myself. I wish I could, but I'm way too unreliable."

 

[AchtungNight]

As long as you can still laugh at your spontaneous jokes, you’re probably doing fine writing them. Just make sure they aren’t too niche.

Spontaneous humor from my latest story.

[Swinger club executive reads a new member application] “Why does she want to join us? She says her marriage is ending and she wants a vacation in ethical non-monogamy. Hmm, that seems acceptable.”

“How did she hear about us?”

“Her husband is one of our members?”

“We may have a problem here…”

 

[12oclocktales]

Ever wrote a line and at the time it seemed ok, then later you looked back on it and said, "What in the Hell was I thinking?"

I've got bunches of examples. Once I wrote: "Doug was immediately turned on by her topological curvature. "Good Heavens," he said, "You've got so much surface area in that pulchritude you must have trouble staying warm in the middle of the summer."

Our minds must reside in similar gutters because I just finished a story where a woman opens her body to her lover “like a navigation chart to a sea captain.” I remember smiling when I wrote it, but didn’t think of it as particularly humorous. But what do I know, as I’m frequently told.

 

[yowser]

Ever wrote a line and at the time it seemed ok, then later you looked back on it and said, "What in the Hell was I thinking?"

I've got bunches of examples. Once I wrote: "Doug was immediately turned on by her topological curvature. "Good Heavens," he said, "You've got so much surface area in that pulchritude you must have trouble staying warm in the middle of the summer."

"That's why I never sleep alone," she said. "I need a man with a PhD and a big slide rule!"

Yeah. I knocked myself out of my own chair from laughing when I re-read that in editing. Nobody cares about surface area! Nobody cares about "topology" and "pulchritude," even though they appreciate them every time they look at someone. Heck, most folks probably don't know that "pulchritude" is something that is very nice.

Anybody else have a moment where your own words went completely off the rails on you?

Love,
Amber

I actually really like this exchange and have characters who think similarly.

And 'topology' is a thrillingly seductive word.