The ability to create humor is a skill many people don't have, yet wish they did. If you're interested in learning how to come up with jokes or witticisms on the fly, punch up dull material for an audience, or make a living as a comedy writer, this course will get you going.

Your instructor, an experienced comedy writer and working actress, will guide you through a wide range of comedic sources. You'll learn how to write a one-liner, use physical humor, target your audience, find the humor in everyday events and much, much more.

Once you've learned some of the methods of creating humor, you'll be ready to apply it to all aspects of your life. Punch up speeches and presentations so that the audience is instantly on your side. Mix laughter with learning in the classroom, and watch your students' attention spans grow. Add some humor to your web page and watch the hits explode as word gets out. Use your newfound sense of humor to entertain your friends, meet interesting people, and even make new friends!

For the aspiring comedy writer, there are invaluable techniques for finding the methods that work consistently and without the worries of whims, moods or blocks. There is even a section on marketing your humor, giving you the inside information you'll need to find your niche.

Learning should be fun, and this course is no exception. Filled with opportunities to laugh as you learn, "Get Funny" promises an entertaining and informative six weeks.

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Recommended Courses:

Students who enrolled in Get Funny! were also interested in the following courses:

Get Funny!

Achieving Success with Difficult People

Writeriffic: Creativity Training for Writers

Listen to Your Heart, and Success Will Follow

Syllabus:

All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.

A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.

Week One

Wednesday - Lesson 01

We'll start the course with a capsule review of comedy's roots. From ancient Egyptian graffiti to slapstick Viking sagas, humor has been a part of our world since humans first walked erect and realized that their hands were now free to applaud Ogg, that funny guy in the 9th cave.

Friday - Lesson 02

"It's funny because it's true." Honing your powers of observation is the first step toward sharpening your wit. This lesson will help you understand some of the secrets of the great observational comics like Steven Wright, and Jerry Seinfeld. Bring a notebook, a pair of eyes, and a willingness to use them.

Week Two

Wednesday - Lesson 03

Now that you've observed reality, you need to learn to look at the world sideways and apply that knowledge. Clever wordplay can be a fast-track to a laugh. In today's lesson, you'll learn how to construct a joke, write a pun, twist a cliché, use the unexpected, and begin to dazzle with your humor.

Friday - Lesson 04

Today we'll look at absurdity and exaggeration—two time-tested and wonderful sources of comedy. Absurdity is about finding your inner strangeness. Exaggeration is a major source of comedy. Really. It's HUGE.

Week Three

Wednesday - Lesson 05

Low humor, mean humor, sexual innuendo, bathroom humor—let's face it, they're all really easy. But do you need these crutches? Heck yeah. This lesson also includes a discussion of mean humor and gallows humor. What do they all have in common? The ability to offend people. In today's lesson, you'll learn how to walk that line without stepping over it.

Friday - Lesson 06

Today's lesson: Pop Culture, or "If I See One More Brady Bunch Reference, I'm Going to Throw a Football At Your Nose." Pop culture is a humorist's best friend. From television and movies, to music and consumables, to politics and social trends, you'll find a wealth of material to aid you in your quest for amusement.

Week Four

Wednesday - Lesson 07

Good slapstick or sight gags are tougher than you'd think. It's important to learn how to communicate without words. Few things are as memorable or as funny as a perfectly executed piece of visual humor. In today's lesson, you'll learn by looking at examples from the comedians of the silent screen to Lucille Ball and beyond.

Friday - Lesson 08

Why think up original material when there's so much stuff out there you can just make fun of? Making fun of TV shows, movies, songs, social habits, or politicians can help you tap into brand new pockets of humor within you. Whatever your interests, there are opportunities for you to turn your wit toward the object of your admiration. This lesson will guide you in that quest.

Week Five

Wednesday - Lesson 09

Nothing hones your wit and pumps up those comic reflexes like improvisation. It's the perfect workout regime for the budding humorist. Today you'll learn the rules you need to follow to perform improvisational comedy—rules that can help you sharpen your wit and quicken your comebacks.

Friday - Lesson 10

There are countless ways to use humor every day. This lesson will guide you through using your newly honed sense of humor in business and social situations. You'll find out the remarkable benefits laughter has on our health.

Week Six

Wednesday - Lesson 11

You know how to be funny, now let's apply it. Today we'll explore comedy writing. Using the example of writing a script for television, you'll learn the blow-by-blow process of how to write and sell a script from someone who's worked in the industry.

Friday - Lesson 12

Now that you're a comic genius, you have an opportunity to cash in! In our final lesson, we'll explore some of the many markets open to you as a comedy writer: greeting cards, t-shirts, bumper stickers, comic books, comic strips and panels, gag writing, speech writing, advertising, print humor, and Web sites.

This course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Joanna Sandsmark.

Joanna Sandsmark graduated with honors from The University of Wisconsin - Madison with a degree in Communication Arts: Radio/TV/Film. As a voice actress, she's appeared in numerous commercial, industrial and animated projects, including the popular animated television series, "Rugrats". As a writer, she has written for DC Comics, was a staff writer on TV's "Weird Science", and has written five books, including "The Wisdom of Yo Meow Ma', and 'A Girl's Best Friend: Why Dogs Are Better Than Diamonds". She has taught both writing and voice-over in various formats, in the classroom and out, and is a member of the Writer's Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild, and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

Requirements:

Internet access, e-mail, and the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser.

Student Reviews:

"Absolutely fabulous! My brain was stretched and allowed to soar, while my body got a better work out from all the laughs than from years spent in a fitness center. Thank you Joanna, you are funny, funny, funny!"

"As a university professor, I have designed and taught online courses myself, so I wanted to see what it was like to be an online student. I have very much enjoyed the course and I have greatly appreciated Joanna's teaching style, her support, feedback and constant encouragement. As a result I have learned a lot, more than I expected to, about many different areas of life, connected by humour. Thank you very much, Joanna."

"A very good course, I got a lot of information and encouragement."

"Delightful as well as useful. The references are particularly helpful. Thank you."

"Fabulous course and terrific instructor - I have highly recommended this course to others!"

"Fantastic class! I feel lucky to have had [Joanna] as an instructor. Thanks."

"Fantastic class! I feel lucky to have had you as an instructor. Thanks."

"Get Funny is such an awesome class. If you only have an ounce of humor Joanna can show you how to nurture it and make it grow. It takes a lot of effort on your part also, but that's the fun of it. It is such a great class that I give it 5 stars and 2 planets."

"Great class! The material was first class and quite fun to read. I finally found my inner funny (been looking for it for a while). Thanks!"

"I am a stand up comedian and signed up for the course as a refresher and to help me continue to write new material, which it did. It also taught me some new, valuble information. I even"

"I enjoyed the course very much. All I can say is that the family better watch out at Christmas this year!"

"I found this course quite by accident and thought it looked like fun. It was, and I am recommending it to anyone who appreciates humor because it truly is the best medicine. Joanna made the class truly amusing."

"I had a lot of fun in this class, and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to learn about humor and how to use it effectively in their lives."

"I had a lot of fun taking this course, and learned new skills. On first reading the assignments, I was quite intimidated. However Joanna's clear lessons and comments helped me to complete all the assignments, including those I had thought were beyond me. Lots of helpful comments from Joanna, together with great encouragement. Thanks!"

"I had no idea there was so much involved in being funny! Not only did I get a better appreciation for humor and its' makings, I have really learned to observe and break down what I see more, therefore helping me to interact more with my world! It's not so small afterall! Thank you for all your expertise!"

"I have already submitted my course evaluation, but after getting input from my PSA (Personnel Support Assistant aka Secretary), I'd like to add this comment. She has found that my sense of humor has improved greatly since I have started this course and she enjoys working with me much more now!"

"I loved, loved, loved this course and absolutely hate to see it end, but I hope it will be yet another beginning for me as a humor writer. I've tried before and given up, but now that I've "exercised" my humor muscle, I'm eager to try again."

"I loved this class! The instructor, Joanna, was knowledgeable, encouraging and helpful and her lessons were the perfect length. I had previously tried to learn how to write comedy through different books, and while I found them somewhat helpful, it wasn't until this class that I can say that I actually started producing comedy pieces. I highly recommend this class to anyone interested in humor."

"I loved this course and only wish it had been longer, so I could keep getting humor more firmly established in my life. It was a pleasure to read the lessons. In addition to being informative, they made me laugh."

"I loved this course and want to thank Joanna and those responsible for such a wonderful experience! Thanks everyone!"

"I loved this course! I am pursuing an Entertainment field career and [the] class was extremely helpful in the comedy areas. The instructor has lots of different experiences to draw from and made the course very enjoyable and interactive. Recommended the class to all I know who can benefit from it career-wise or just for fun and knowledge."

"I loved this course! It helped me to focus on certain aspects of comedy, which I found very helpful with regard to career goals. I would certainly enjoy taking other courses offered by Joanna, and also further comedy writing courses that may be offered through ed2go."

"I'm loving this class!! I'm finding that when I sit and think about what you've asked, things begin to come to me. I never really thought of it that way before. Thank you!! Out of the box thinking for humor--what a novel idea!!"

"I needed a boost to change my stultified thinking. Instead, I received a jolt to my petrified ideas and I was pushed off my complacency in the most wonderful way. I recommend this course to ALL who want to move forward in their busy, harrowing lives with a big smile. Thank you for assisting me in revising my life attitude."

"I really enjoyed this class. I have already started to put this course to the test, and it is working. I love to make people laugh and it is really happening. Thank you for everything. Keep laughing!!"

"I really enjoyed this class. The instructor is very funny and very witty. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the course material. Thank you!"

"I really enjoyed this course. I had fun reading the lessons and the assignments were great - both doing them and reading what others had done. I learned a lot that I didn't know and I know it will help me not only in my writing skills, but in my daily life. Thank you, Joanna!"

"I really enjoyed this course. Joanna was a wonderful, supportive instructor. Her responses were prompt and encouraging. Thank you!"

"I really enjoy reading what you've written for the lessons. They are fun but packed with good information also. Something I aspire to."

"I really found a new way to see life with your course. Before, I used to have a tragic point of view. Thank you, thank you, thank you and I wish you the best!!!"

"I thought Joanna was TOPS! The lessons were so full of interesting info, so much more than I was expecting. I feel like she went above and beyond the call of duty to expose us to and encourage us in all manner of humor. Forget that she's really funny - I mean, reading the lessons was a total joy - they were seriously informative, too! And her comments in the Discussion section also went above and beyond. She gave every person thoughtful and generous feedback, both good and critical (always in a positive way) so that you could actually USE it. No vapid cheerleading from her, she gave concrete help and support. I thought the class was outstanding!! And thank Joanna for offering it."

"I truly ENJOYED this course. I am sorry to see it end."

"It was a pleasure!! I'll actually miss taking the course!"

"I was in need of a course that would push me into thinking in fun, humorous ways. This course did that and more. I like the instructor big time. She knows her stuff, and stretched me in ways I didn't believe I could go. Thanks much!"

"I went into this course not knowing what to expect, but was very pleased. I learned to take the funny side I have always had and turn it into writing jokes or a funny story. I had a ball and learned a great deal."

"Joanna has been fantastic. I love watching sitcoms, but the lessons have been very effective and I can't help but break the scenes and dissecting every little detail and I felt that I was outsmarting the show.... it's AWESOME! Haha! Joanna's "voice" was great also. Even if I was just reading her words, or I've never even heard her speak before - I could almost hear her voice in my head!Sshe's never lost tract of the fact that she was "talking" to someone with her writing. It's great - it a little too eerie because it does feel like she was there with me the entire time."

"Joanna, I just wanted to say I'm also really enjoying the course, I'm getting a lot more out of it than I thought I would. I've always been the serious one but last night my husband who is naturally very funny (he has a highly developed sense of the absurd and exaggeration and understatement seem to just come naturally to him) made comment that this course seems to be having an impact. He says that lately I've been consistently coming up with lines in our normal conversation that were really funny. Its like I’ve finally joined in the game - thanks."

"Joanna is a great instructor. really open and informative."

"Joanna is a very funny gal whose experience in the comedy writing world gives the rest of us insight into how the mechanics of comedy work. I would recommend this class to folks who are looking for a patient, knowledgeable instructor willing to guide them toward more skillful comedy and writing creation. The best part is that they'll have a good time learning!"

"Joanna Sandsmark is very funny and very knowledgeable. Great class."

"Joanna Sandsmark's "Get Funny" course gave me the insight into the history, types, construction, and pitfalls of humor that I wanted. Her humor course of study is professionally constructed, interesting, and fun."

"Joanna was really helpful with her guidance, feeback, and encouragement. The practical info in lesson 12 was very useful for the future."

"Joanna, ...You have a very clever approach to teaching this subject, and I LOVE your sense of humor. I will be completing what i have not... I even watch Jay Leno and Ellen Degeneres in a different way now. I am taking Eva Shaw's Writeriffic class for the second time. I will be taking yours again too... Thanks so much for you."

"Joanna, you've helped me tap into some dormant resource I've never fully exploited. I'm havin' a BLAST!!!! Thank you!"

"learned a couple things about improv, and have been in a troupe for 5 years!!! Great course that I will recommend to other comics. Thank you."

"Loved the course. I didn't realize the depth of humor until now. Thanks."

"Thanks Joanna! I enjoyed the course and discovered I was funnier than I ever dreamed I could be. The gift of laughter must be right up there with health and love, and you helped us to discover that gift."

"Thank you thank you thank you to Joanna! This has been an exceptional experience for me, and has improved every department of my life. I'm so appreciative of Joanna's own humor, and the way the lessons built upon one another, including both theory and the practical. Everyone in my little world has been hearing how wonderful and worthwhile Get Funny! is. A door of perspective and levity have opened for me, for which I am so very grateful."

"The course was enjoyable, entertaining and informative. What more can you ask??"

"This class was extremely interesting, funny and informative. I'm not planning on a career in comedy writing but I know the skills I've learned will help me everyday. I have recommended this class to many of my friends. Keep up the good work!"

"This class was just what I needed to get ideas that I could incorporate with my short story writing. The instructor was prompt [and] encouraging with her answers. I was exposed to many new ideas!"

"This course is totally awesome! Joanna is an excellent instructor who gives wonderful advice for each assignment. I can never look at comedy the same way again. Thank you!"

"This course will certainly challenge your critical thinking. Greatly recommended!"

"This has been a wonderful class. I learned how to read behind the humor. I know what an A-line and B-line story is (which I will be paying close attention to when I'm watching comedy.) I find humor in everything and now I know how to define it. And the biggest thing is I learned how and why our laugh is different from our cousin the monkey :)"

"This was a fun and informative class. I will certainly recommend it to anyone that I feel would also enjoy or could possibly profit from such helpful hints. Thanks---"

"This was a great class and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to find their inner comic."

"This was a great class! I have been told for years that I have a good sense of humor but I had zilch as far as formal knowledge about humor. I laughed, I cried, I loved the course!"

"This was a great start to my online classes! I really enjoyed the material, the assignments, and Joanna's wit and helpfulness. I hope to go far with my humor writing - this was a great place to start by helpful feedback and resources. I wish get funny had a second course called "Get Funnier" or something so that I could continue to work with Joanna and learn more from her. She's an asset to the humor world! Thanks for offering this class!"

"This was an awesome course! I had the best time with it! Joanna was funny in the class, thoughtful with her answers, and genuinely interested in my assignments. Thank you for offering this course!"

"This was an excellent course. I was amazed at the background and historical information presented. There was a great deal of depth to the course - especially for a course of short duration. Joanna is an excellent instructor and communicator. I definitely will be recommending the course whenever I get the chance to do so."

"This was a VERY awesome class. I had a lot of fun, learned quite a bit, and got along well with both the instructor and my fellow students."

"This was not only an immensely entertaining course, it was also informative. I intend to use everything I've learned to keep improving my writing and hopefully, my work will someday be published. Thank you to Joanna, who kept this "short attention span theater" girl riveted to each lesson!"

"This was one of the best online classes I've taken."

"This was the greatest class I have ever taken"

"To be honest I was not sure I would get much out of this course, but gave it a shot. It far exceeded any expectations I had. It really gave me motivation to work hard at this to see if I could do it, as well as being very informative. Joanna's feedback was very constructive and though she was nice she didn't seem to just placate everyone. She always went that extra step to make sure you understood what she was trying to get across."

"Very well developed course and extremely nice teacher!"

"Whoa. It's over. I think I'm gonna cry. Thanks a million for the class."

"Wow, who would have thought a course called "Get Funny", would actually change the way a person looks at life - certainly not me, until NOW! I wasn't sure what to expect from the course, or myself - I just thought it would be kind of fun (which it was). I am coming away from this course feeling revitalized and viewing the world with a renewed sense of optimism by using humor in every aspect of my life."