Injecting Humor Into Your Story

“Everything human is pathetic. The secret source of humor itself is not joy but sorrow. There is no humor in heaven.” Mark Twain

On Saturday, February 14, from Noon until 2:00 pm at the KSU Center, award-winning author Raymond L. Atkins will explore the topic of how to inject humor into your writing. Known for his humorous novels about serious and difficult subjects, Atkins will share specific techniques with writers that are designed to make their writing friendlier and more accessible to readers.

Attendees of this workshop will learn how to bring a smile to a sad situation. They will learn about creating humor through dialogue and through visual cues. Situational humor will be explored, including how to distinguish between what is fair game from what is not. Attendees will also learn to differentiate between a character and a caricature, why one is funny and one is not, and to laugh with rather than laugh at. Word choice will be explored, and the power of understatement will be revealed. And finally, they will learn that sometimes, trying to be funny is the worst thing that writers can do.

Popular Reviews

“Mr. Atkins (writes) a heartwarming, witty, Southern tale with likeable characters that stay with the reader long after turning the last page.” Portland Book Review

“Raymond Atkins tells a story at once comic and deeply tender, a story of friendship, love, unexpected brotherhood, and redemption.” Man Martin, Paradise Dogs

“Atkins writes with an incredible blend of humor, insightfulness, sadness, and discourse on the human condition. He is creative and clever beyond comment. I laughed out loud, chuckled, grinned, felt sad, found hope, and burst into tears.” Terre Gorham, Memphis Downtowner Magazine

“Subtle humor and mostly pitch-perfect prose distinguish Atkins's compelling mix of mystery and romance.” Publisher’s Weekly

“The author has a firm but subtle grasp of the freakishly ordinary people and understated, often unintentional humor that make a small town tick.” Atlanta Magazine

“Ray Atkins is richly talented and funny as you-know-what.” Lauretta Hannon, The Cracker Queen: A Memoir of a Jagged, Joyful Life

“(Atkins’ prose) feels like a (Ferrol) Sams novel: witty, with small town, off-beat characters who hold traditional beliefs but are tolerant and questioning.” Don Noble, Alabama Public Radio

“Atkins is a comic writer, able to see the humor in every situation and to follow it where it leads.” Michael Scott Cain, Rambles

"Raymond Atkins is one of Georgia's natural wonders - a crackling-wise writer, who invokes laughter and invites imagination." Karen Spears Zacharias, Mother of Rain

"Atkins writes with watercolor words and fills his book with pictures that create a total world for the reader." Jackie K. Cooper, Huffington Post

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