Humor Writing | Creative Writing Classes in NYC and Online with Professional Writing Instructors

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"I was able to look at humor writing from several different angles that I had not thought of previously."

- Alexandra Hartley-Leonard
Actor

"A wonderful forum to share and workshop humor writing."

- Stefanie Forman
Public Relations/Public Affair

"A bucketload of fun. I really enjoyed my experience with this humor writing course."

- Shan Sandhu
Company Director

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Browse Faculty Bios

If you chuckle at the essays of Erma Bombeck and the life stories of David Sedaris, if you chortle at the exploits of such fictional characters as Tom Jones and Bridget Jones—you know the pleasure of literary laughter. Humor writing requires all the hallmarks of good writing plus that X factor: being funny.

These courses cover the spectrum of prose humor writing, exploring fiction and such nonfiction forms as memoir, essay, opinion pieces, and parody. You will learn basic principles of humor, how to view the world with a humorist’s eye, and how to maximize the comedic potential in such craft elements as character, structure, dialogue, and voice. You will also learn how and where to market your work.

Whether you seek to write wit, comedy, satire, or farce, we’ll show you how to turn sentences into smiles.

Also offered:
> TV Writing (includes Sitcom Writing)
> Stand-up Comedy Writing

Select a class: 10-week, One-Day
See also: Letters from Gotham Students

Level I
Humor Writing | 10-week Workshop

Using a balance of lecture, exercise, and feedback on work from the instructor and classmates, this course gives students a firm grounding in all the basics of humor writing. Everything is presented in a clear, accessible manner.

Write one/two short humor pieces or begin a book
Lectures on basics of humor writing craft
Writing exercises
Present work for critique (two times)

Humor I is for beginners or anyone who wants to brush up on the fundamentals.

View a course syllabus.

(3.0 CEU)

Online Classes

Tuition: $399, Returning Students $369. Registration Fee $25.

Each class strictly limited to 16 students, ages 18 and up.

Starts	New Lecture	Location	Time	Special	Enroll
May 15*	Tuesdays	Online	24 hrs. a day	Sample Class
Jul 10	Tuesdays	Online	24 hrs. a day	Sample Class
Aug 7	Tuesdays	Online	24 hrs. a day	Sample Class

* You can still enroll in this class!

Humor Writing | One-Day in NYC

The One-Day Intensives are fun, fast-paced immersions in a type of writing. You’ll get a mixture of brief lectures that hit the high-points and writing exercises that let you immediately try your hand at what you’ve just learned. The one-days provide an excellent overview of their fields, ideal for both the beginner and someone wanting a quick refresher course. Come in to class with a notepad, pen, and desire to learn. By the end of the day, you’ll be a more knowledgeable and skilled writer.

One-Days are for beginners or anyone who wants to brush up on the fundamentals.

One-Day Intensives are offered in NYC on Fridays and weekends throughout the year.

Gotham also offers two and four-week seminars, including: How to Get Published, How to Freelance, How to Blog, Nonfiction Book Proposal, and How to Sell Your Screenplay.

Topics include: overview of humor writing, humor techniques, character, structure, voice, getting published.

New York City Classes

Tuition: $125. Registration Fee $25.

Each class strictly limited to 30 students, ages 18 and up.

Starts	Meeting Day	Location	Time	Special	Enroll
May 19	Saturday	30 W. 16 St.	11:00AM - 6:00PM
Jun 24	Sunday	Hunter College W.	11:00AM - 6:00PM