Saturday, September 22, 2007

I can't write funny

After spending way too much time this past week reading blogs, I've come to a bitter realization - I can't write funny. I just can't.

I'm not saying I'm not funny, because I happen to think I am - or at the very least I'm odd. I can tell a funny story without a problem. I say funny things. My friends laugh at my stories, and I really do think they're laughing at the stories, not at me. I can tell a joke and not step over the punchline.

But I can't write funny.

I can tell a funny story about something the kids have done or said and then sit down to write it out, and it falls flat - every time.

There was a "Studio 60" show where Matt Perry's character was trying to teach Sarah Paulson's character to tell a joke, and as funny an actress as she was, she couldn't deliver the joke. That's me, but with writing.

This realization is rather disheartening, because I'm a good writer. I get paid to write. I write very well about lots of different things. And there are so many bloggers out there who aren't very good writers, but they CAN write funny. It's just not fair.

So what do I do? Do I try to become a funny writer? Do I accept my non-funnyness and focus on writing well? Do I stop reading the laugh-out-loud funny blogs? Do I throw up my hands and give up blogging in despair? I just don't know.

In the meantime, I think I'm going to take the rest of the weekend off from reading and writing blogs and give my brain a rest. Besides, I have a sock to finish knitting, and blogging takes away from my limited knitting time.

3 comments:

MadMad said...

Interesting trumps funny, doesn't it? And plenty of "funny" ain't. So I think you're safe. ;)

Unknown said...

Okay, I love reading your blogs and I do think they are comical. Hell when you are raising three kids you just can't help but be comical. I am not a funny blog writer either. Hell I am barely a blog writer!!

Barb Matijevich said...

I don't know, I think the whole thing is overrated. Nothing could have surprised me more than the first time someone said I was a funny writer. Because, I mean, you've met me, in person, I'm likely the one with spinach in her teeth and nothing to say at all, except possibly, "Pass the Cheetos." I think it's better to be personable and witty and all that IN PERSON. I couldn't tell a funny joke if you put a gun to my head.