May 1 - June 5, 2012
Professional Humor Secrets for Writers, Speakers, and Other Misfits
Sign Up Before April 1 and Save $40!

Sign Up Here! To register for this workshop, please click the "Buy Now" button below. Doing so confirms you have read the information on this page and agree to the terms. Writers under 18 are welcome but must have a parent's permission.

Contrary to popular belief, a "sense of humor" is not a magical "gift" that a few special people are born with. Humor and writing are both skills that anyone can develop. In this six-week online workshop, award-winning humorist, and bestselling author Dave Fox teaches you how!

Dave has been teaching humor writing workshops for years around the northwestern United States. Now, in response to a slew of requests, (and because he recently moved to Singapore) he's unleashing his class in an online format, so that people in remote corners of Azerbaijan have equal access to his insanity. But you don't have to live in rural Azerbaijan to take this class! You can do it from anywhere!

Discover the techniques professional comedy writers use to write consistently, exceptionally funny material. You'll learn how to think, write, and be funnier. (You will not learn how to smell funnier. You must figure out that part on your own.)

Every Tuesday (or Wednesday if you're on the far side of the International Date Line), you'll receive an e-mail with your lesson for the week as well as an optional writing assignment. Each week's lesson will offer techniques and exercises to help incite maximum laughs. Dave will offer feedback on your writing to help you find your humor writing strengths, develop your own voice and personal style, and identify common mistakes that are holding your humor back from being as funny as it can be. You will also have the opportunity, if you wish, to get feedback from other participants in the class. We'll share our ideas and suggestions, and help each other out. These optional peer critiques will be done constructively and encouragingly so you will not end up sobbing in the fetal position because people were mean to you. (Our goal here, other than to learn to write splendiferous comedy, is to have fun.)

Most exercises will focus on writing humorous personal essays and creative non-fiction; however, the skills you learn can be applied to humor of all sorts: stand-up comedy, sketch comedy, cartooning, script writing, etc. And maybe full-blown comedy isn't your goal. Perhaps you want to take more serious forms of writing — fiction, feature articles, blog posts, travel writing, children's stories, personal memoirs... even office memos or cover letters — and pepper them with occasional laughs to boost your readers' attention. Whatever genres you're interested in, this class will help infuse more laughter into your work. These techniques also work wonderfully for public speakers. Your audiences will remain awake, alert, and free of boredom-induced drool.

Some of the topics we'll cover include:

• Surprise: The universal element of humor
• Proven tricks to create or strengthen your humor
• Giving your jokes maximum impact with the right words and timing
• Stretching your humor to make it even funnier
• Tightening your phrasing so your punch lines don't get swallowed up by flabby wording
• How to critique and learn from professional humorists
• When and why to throw away your best joke
• Markets for humor writers
• How to not be that annoying guy at the party with the lampshade on his head

How it will work: You'll have a week to read each lesson and do the optional exercises. (And yes, if you have a hectic week, you can turn in your exercises at any time during the six-week class.) A members-only Google Group will be the class's spot to share our writing with each other. You can log in whenever you like, post any of your writing you feel like sharing, offer feedback for other participants, and check back when it's convenient for suggestions from Dave and your online classmates. Dave will check in on most days to see how the discussion is going and offer his thoughts.

How much does it cost? The cost for this six-week workshop is US $229 per person. However, if you sign up before April 1, you'll get a $40 discount and pay only $189! This gets you six weeks of lessons, weekly writing exercises and feedback on your work, access to our private Google Group, and a list of resources to keep strengthening your humor and general writing skills once the class is finished.

Cancellation Policy: If you cancel before the class begins, you can request a refund, minus a $30 handling fee. Once the class begins, no refunds will be given.

Got Questions? This class is open to writers of all skill levels and genres. If you're wondering whether it's the right class for you, Dave's happy to answer any questions you have. Drop him an e-mail at dave@davethefox.com.

How to sign up: To pay online via credit card / Paypal, just click the "Buy Now" button below and follow the instructions. (If you have any problems with this link, please e-mail Dave.)

(Clicking this button confirms you have read all of the above information and agree to the terms. If you are under age 18, you must have a parent's permission to sign up.)