Tuesday Tastemaker #37
dumb copywriting advice
Happy Tuesday, campers!
I recently kicked off a summer miniseries called The Laugh Track, where every Sunday I break down a different funny thing so we can take all the fun out of it and see what’s behind the curtain. (Sorry.)
It’s been making me think about some very common, very lazy, very stupid copywriting advice I hear ALL THE TIME:
“Use humor!”
“Using humour in copywriting blogs can be a great way to engage readers and make your content more memorable. People are always hooked in when they see something that makes them smile.”(1)
“Used strategically, humor in copywriting can be one of the most effective tools in a copywriter’s toolkit. It helps break down barriers, capture attention, and build stronger connections with your audience.” (2)
“The best way to insert humor into your content marketing? Just be yourself, sweetie. Write in a natural voice, as if you’re speaking to a friend. Don’t try too hard, overdo the jokes, or use humor that your audience dislikes.”
Here’s why I hate this advice, even if it’s not technically wrong:
If you’re the kind of person who consistently seeks out help and guidance in order to improve your (copy)writing, then “use humor” is just way too vague to do you any good.
And if you’re a writer who doesn’t think of yourself as “funny,” or if humor isn’t a good fit for your brand, or if you know you are funny but turn into a weird robot when you sit down to write… “be funny” is probably the least helpful thing anyone could say to you.
There’s also a misconception that humor is a binary—you’re either funny, or you’re not—which just isn’t true. Everyone has a sense of humor. Just like everyone can be creative. It’s part of being human.
All that said—humor can be taught. It can be studied and practiced and honed. Do you have any idea how much work a stand-up comedian puts into their material?
A LOT.
Quick story—I took voice lessons from 2020-2024 in an attempt to fix my atonal braying and become a karaoke star. (I SUCCEEDED, by the way. 😀)
I’ve always had an ear for music. There’s almost always music playing in my life (right now, for example, I’m listening to P-Funk and Jamiroquai); I used to play the flute; I could read music as easily as I could words.
I’m also a writer... but writing a song was a skill that was shrouded in mystery and mysticism for me. I could never do that, I thought.
But after four years of learning to sing everything from Judy Garland to Taylor Swift, I started to see that a song has a predictable, learnable structure:
first verse
pre-chorus
chorus
second verse
pre-chorus
chorus
bridge
third verse (maybe a fun key change here?)
pre-chorus
chorus (with some flourishes!)
Of course there are exceptions to this format; that’s what makes art fun. But if I ever wanted to attempt to write a song, I now have some very basic building blocks. Just like that.
Humor is like that, too. Learn the basics and you can write a pretty serviceable joke.
If you want to, that is.
Humor is so subjective and specific. My sense of humor is a mishmash of influences and experiences, including but not limited to:
- Inherited Pollack dorkiness
- Inherited Nigolian mischief (and relentless teasing)
- PeeWee’s Playhouse
- 15 years in the service industry
- Young Frankenstein (that’s Fronk-en-schteen)
- Getting stoned and watching The Simpsons every Sunday for five years
- Sisterly inside jokes
- Lindy West
- Jim Henson
- 80s- and 90s MTV (including The Real World, Beavis & Butthead, Liquid Television)
- Eddie Izzard
- Wayne’s World
- Dogs
Your sense of humor and my sense of humor might share some common ingredients, but no two senses of humor are exactly the same (except for me and my friend Carolin, who share a brain).
I think this is why “use humor” feels like such stupid advice to me.
It’s the same as telling writers to “use personality” or “storytelling” without ever bothering to show them what that looks like, or how to actually do it.
Also, there is no such thing as “personality” in a general sense. There’s your personality, and my personality, and Jim Henson’s personality, and those are three unique personalities right there!
SO. This is for you if you’re a mellow, matter-of-fact writer whose audience appreciates how down to earth and supportive you are. If advice like “be funny” or “have a personality” makes you feel alienated and misunderstood and like the sad kid on the outskirts of the playground at recess.
It’s also for you if you’re pretty sure you ARE “funny” and/or have a “personality” (you do), but for some reason it all goes poof! when you sit down to write about yourself and your work.
Here’s what I want you to know:
- Listen to and honor your instincts as a writer.
Half of what people learn when they work with me is that they already know what to say, and they can say whatever the fuck they want. It’s about giving yourself permission to think of yourself as “writer.”
- If you want to be funnier in your writing, that’s something you can learn and practice.
We’re talking about it for the next few weeks in the Sunday Coffee Break, so if you’re reading this on Kit or Substack and NOT in your inbox, subscribe to my list to get those now.
Lastly. If you like this vibe, I’m going to be reopening enrollment into The Craft sometime in September. Go here to get more info and put yourself on the waitlist.
Until next time,
1 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-use-humour-copywriting-nick-ronald-0zpee
2 https://techhelp.ca/humor-in-copywriting/
3 https://uncannycontent.co/2024/01/23/how-to-use-humor-in-your-content-marketing/