Satire pokes fun at the truth. Think SNL or The Onion. In this post I’ll talk about the purpose, style and some techniques to use to create believability in your satire. Satire Purpose Generally speaking, satire is a vehicle for humorous ridicule. It highlights the absurdity of an action or government policy. SNL’s opening regularly skewers the news of the day while driving home the outlandish claims and actions of those in power. The Onion’s article Everything You Need to Know About President Trump’s Board of Peace included this line regarding membership requirements: Pay the $1 billion fee for permanent membership and submit letters of recommendation from three different war…
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How to Write a Christmas Letter
‘Tis Christmas letter writing season. When holiday decorations pop up like mushrooms after a rain, you know it’s time to sharpen your pencils and replace your printer ink. Structure The first consideration for your annual Christmas letter is structure. Will you organize it by month? By family member? By uncomfortable obsession? Many Christmas letters highlight one activity or trip per month. One drawback of this approach is figuring out how to announce a change in relationship status. Would a casual mention of your ex’s new address under October highlights slip by unnoticed? Organizing by family member is a common strategy. As long as you have something nice to say about…
