THE ART OF HUMOR IN STORYTELLING – A SERIOUS PRESENTATION

Terry Willey and Carol Baker presented ADDING HUMOR TO YOUR WRITING: Finding Your Funny at the January 3rd, 2026, meeting of the Coastal Dunes Branch of the California Writers Club.

We explored how humor expands character, enlivens dialogue, and transforms storytelling across genres. From Shakespeare to Seinfeld, we discussed joke formats and comic archetypes.  There was also a writing exercise designed to help participants find their own comedic voice.

We’ve been bringing wit and imagination to stage, screen, and page for many years.  In Bakersfield, we wrote original plays, murder mysteries, a musical comedy, and an audience‑participation country wedding gone wrong.  Our work includes eight one-acts, four murder mysteries, a staged readers’ theatre version of Seinfeld’s final episode (the one that should have happened), and half of a Christmas melodrama.

Terry has over 40 years of experience as a mental health therapist and five years of improv with ComedySportz.  Carol’s love of satire and footnotes give depth and sparkle to our collaborations.

Our film work includes two short films, a full-length feature, and an industrial film.  We’ve written humorous scripts and parodies that earned prizes, as well as teleplays that found success in national contests.

Our short stories appear in five anthologies.  Our novels always incorporate humor:  Time Travel for Fun and Prophet (2023), a sci-fi comedy about time travelers; and Rio Cyborg (2025), a sci-fi/western infused with comic characters.  Both books are available through your favorite bookstore and on Amazon.

We thank the Coastal Dunes Branch CWC for inviting us to speak at their monthly meeting in Nipomo.  We enjoyed presenting the funny.