Online Workshop: Crafting Character Voice in Humor Pieces

Sunday, September 14th, 2PM to 3PM EST

$50

From creating spot-on parodies to developing unique characters, we cover a lot in this hour-long online workshop that’s fun, interactive, and will give you new techniques for writing, editing, and brainstorming.

We'll cover:

• What character voice is and how to spot it
  Together we’ll analyze the building blocks of voice to deconstruct and define a topic that can often feel ephemeral

• Different approaches you can take to develop a unique character voice
  There isn’t just one way to create a unique voice. We’ll look at several examples and do some writing exercises together to try out different techniques to capture and develop a character voice

• How to edit your pieces to make sure the voice is consistent throughout
  I’ll share the editing tricks I use and walk you through some “before and afters” showing how I edit my pieces for character voice. We’ll also do some editing exercises together (which is more fun than it sounds, I swear).

• Plus, brainstorming techniques you can use if you’re stuck!

This workshop features many interactive writing exercises throughout, so you can start applying these principles right away in a supportive and encouraging environment. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet fellow humor writers and ask questions along the way.

Everyone is welcome and we’ll review some basic principles of short-form humor writing before diving specifically into voice. This workshop is recommended for writers who have some familiarity or interest in writing short-form humor pieces in the style of publications such as McSweeney's Internet Tendency, The New Yorker Shouts & Murmurs, The Belladonna Comedy, Points in Case, and Weekly Humorist.

The cost for this 1-hour workshop is $50, paid via Venmo or PayPal, and is capped at eight participants. We’ll have time for a Q&A at the end, and I’ll also stay on the Zoom for 15 to 30 minutes after the workshop is over if anyone wants to keep chatting / ask more questions, etc.

Testimonials

“Ysabel is a brilliant humorist and generous workshop leader. Her masterful ability to parody and craft character voice in her own writing makes her pieces consistently delightful to read, and her understanding of voice---you know that thing that everyone talks about but so few can explain?---make her the perfect person to teach this workshop! Her workshop is like her writing---clear, funny, and deeply worth your time! I highly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity to learn from a true pro!”

— Sarah Garfinkel

“I highly recommend taking a course with Ysabel. She’s kind, supportive, and perhaps most importantly, hilarious. Her class is interactive and well-paced; you never feel restless, which is a feat over Zoom! She’s great at breaking down and analyzing a comedic premise and shows students how they can sharpen their own jokes. It’s easy to be frustrated or intimidated by humor writing. Ysabel’s exercises really help you find your way into a piece, no matter the idea. Even better, they make writing feel approachable and achievable.”

— Andrea Kornstein

“Ysabel is a clear-eyed, insightful editor who explains complex concepts like "voice" in ways that are easy to understand and apply to your writing. I highly recommend learning from her!” 

— Kerry Elson

“I'd read Ysabel's pieces in The New Yorker and McSweeneys but getting to learn her process made my humor pieces clearer and funnier. I left the course with brainstorms I could immediately use as well as a deeper understanding of structure and voice that I use every time I write. And I had a good time!”

— Patty Terhune