Comedy Writing Tip #9: How to Write Punchlines That Actually Land

Writing a punchline is like defusing a bomb - cut the wrong wire and everyone dies (of awkward silence). Master it with: 1) **The Misdirect** - "I'm great at multitasking... which is why I can ignore you while scrolling through my ex's Instagram." 2) **The Truth Bomb** - "Dating in your 30s is just interviewing people for the position of 'person I'll resent forever'." 3) **The Rule of Three** - "My hobbies include cooking, traveling, and pretending to be happy when people ask about my hobbies." 4) **The Callback** - "Remember when I said I was bad at relationships? Well, my therapist remembers..." 5) **The Visual Punch** - "I tried yoga once... now there's a permanent 'Help Me' shaped dent in my mat." Pro Tip: If a punchline flops, stare at the audience and say "That was supposed to be funny... much like your life choices." On-Stage Line: "I don't believe in astrology... but I will blame all my bad decisions on Mercury being in 'Oh God What Have I Done'." SOURCE: http://comedywriter.info