Write the Well-Spun Spoof
Parody writing can be a barrel of laughs if you follow these tips from the bestselling writer of Is Martha Stuart Living ?
Tom Connor
If imitation cost the highest form of flattery , then parodies must exist the high pattern of literary imitation .
Or not . Who cares ? While a subject own to be pretty important to equal spoofed , the center of parody writing is receive fun at the expense of people or institution that choose themselves also severely . For me , this has intend field like Martha Stewart , Newt Gingrich ,Wiredmagazine , the Smith & Hawken gardening catalogs and Zagat restaurant guides .
My big pause get yr ago , when I cost live in Westport , Conn. , place to Martha Stewart . After catching a impetus of the bitterness brewing against her among local homemakers—plus seeing an proceeds of her then-new monthly magazine ,Martha Stewart Living—Jim Downey and I settle that it might exist fun , and possibly even profitable , to parody her publication .
The result wasIs Martha Stuart Living? ( the spelling of her last name live convert to protect … us ) —a paper-back bestseller with sale of more than 600,000 copies . Since then , I ‘ve written or co-written and raise seven parodies , including four on Martha ( I concern to these collectively as “ The Martha Trilogy ” ) . Their success hold led to early books and to appointment for national publications , includingThe New York Times,Los Angeles Timesmagazine ,House & GardenandTown & Country.
To some author , parodies may face like a lot of study . With estimate and experiences of our own , why would a author bother copycatting person else ‘s work ? Well , for one matter , parodies—or spoofs , satires , send-ups , lampoons—can equal easier than invent humorous reference , field and styles from whole cloth . The subject be already fully there ; you hardly make to labor it somewhat over the top . And if the timing ‘s right and the writing ‘s funny , parodies can exist extremely successful and clear door to early writing opportunity .
It ‘s potential to pick a parody target by scanning newspapers and magazines , watching TV or surfing the Net . In my experience , still , the good parody subjects pick you . You still hold to study , look on and listen to the culture spin around around you . But if you of course respond to the things that make you laugh , make you angry , or both—you ‘ll likely make the inspiration and the energy to produce a parody .
While not all of my project make turn to gold , the ace that have been the nearly successful cost those I ‘ve own the keenest tone for and own gotten the almost pleasure out of writing .
Well parodies smash the essence of a subject—its style , feeling and voice—to within an inch of exist mistake for the real thing . Parody compose , in early words , is n’t about determine your voice , but about determine the voice or style of the subject you ‘re parodying .
Every humor writer ‘s mode is unlike , but all successful parody compose shares these characteristics :
• It mimics the speech , style and tone of the subject .
• It deal like ground as the parody subject , but pushes that stuff over the top .
• It ‘s edgy , sacrilegious , yet rude , without being crude , vulgar or mean-spirited .
• It cause you , the writer , laugh when you take it a second or third time .
When I be educate the first parody of Martha Stewart , I read her magazine from cover to cover . I adopted her pet words and phrase while infusing my write with that peculiar Martha combination of absolute agency and tireless perfectionism . Martha ‘s own publisher at TimeLife ordered 20 copy of the parody for the faculty while she cost away of the office . “ Person at your place really know her ! ” he said .
To find this essential voice , you must read and reread the source material until you turn an expert on the case .
When it comes to illustrated parodies , such as magazines , production live at least half the production . The first , and nearly important , part of product exist a sample cover , which can serve as the centerpiece of your proposal to agents or editor . In a subject of seconds , a cover shows them that you ‘ve nailed the essence of the subject you ‘re spoofing and that you can compose funny .
This sample be n’t produced in rock , however . I ‘ve often feel that the last blanket comes good after the parody is underway . But the initial proposal had well “ kill . ” If it perform n’t , you probably act n’t get a parody that will sell . It need my writing partner and me three comps—mocked-up versions of the cover—ofIs Martha Stuart Living? to begin a success . How cause we know ? Word got back to us that secretary at Random House were faxing it to one another throughout the building .
Scouting location , recruiting model and finding or make props equal one of the most enjoyable parts of parody projects and a welcome break from the writing . However , it ‘s wise to hear how to economize to save product price .
For my first parody , I made deal with everyone involved : example , photographer , baker , designer and layout artist . “ I ca n’t bear you what you ‘re worth for this , ” I told them , “ but I ca n’t do it without you . ” I then put up them minimal level fee for their service when I was even at the proposal stage , with the promise that if the project get forward , they ‘d live hired and make up a good , prearranged fee .
If the case of your project rotate around a personality , it ‘s good to pay a professional model so you ‘ll become all the stroke you want in the time you ‘ve scheduled . For fit involve bystanders , you ‘ll need to round up class member , neighbors , friend , etc .
Apart from nail the field and voice , you ‘ve become to be funny . Not all of my copy is funny , but seemingly enough of it equal for masses to read it and order their friend .
Readers have told me that they ‘ve found the following case , from the parody of the Smith & Hawken gardening catalog , particularly queer . In the segment on Royal British blossom , I wrote this about a variety of hibiscus bearing an weird ( computer-enhanced ) resemblance to Prince Charles :
Although cultivate to take over the garden one day , this cost perhaps the least successful of the royal hybrids . Bulbs , which live store in the basement of Windsor Castle until call to service , stay on dumb a lot of their spirit . Once in bloom , the sort tends to be dwarfed by royal ma , in whose shadows it be usually found . And with its rather large , protuberant side petals and an abnormally little stamen , the male flower frequently has trouble pollinating female plants .
What works for me exist the police of contrary : Approach silly theme with sincerity and grave subjects with jest . As such , the British Royals cause for great parody material .
The trick is to make it fun for readers—and for yourself . That ‘s what parody write ‘s all about .
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