Writing Funny Words Funnily

A listener asks whether some words are inherently funnier than others—and it opens the door to a deep dive on word choice, dialogue, and how to make jokes land harder.

Brad and Dave break down why shorter, punchier words tend to win, how sound and rhythm affect comedy, and why you should always end on the funniest word. They also walk through their real-world writing process—cutting aggressively, reading dialogue out loud, and constantly swapping in better word choices.

From there, the conversation expands into how to write strong dialogue (hint: it’s not about realism—it’s about impact), plus a list of pitfalls to avoid, including gimmicky accents, overstuffed word balloons, and writing that slows the reader down.

They also revisit a past take on political cartoons (turns out, they're thriving on Reddit), talk about the return of Web 1.0 strategies like guest comics, and reinforce a core principle: own your platform and your audience.

• Writing funny words: Why word choice makes or breaks a joke
• Psychologist vs. psychiatrist — choosing the funnier word (it's "shrink")
• How to edit your way to stronger, tighter dialogue
• Dialogue pitfalls: accents, gimmicks, and readability traps
• Political cartoons are thriving on Reddit (and what that means)
• The return of Web 1.0 tactics: Guest comics and cross-promotion
• Reclaiming your platform: Why websites still matter

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Brad Guigar is the creator of Evil Inc and the author of The Webcomics Handbook. He is available for personal consultations. Dave Kellett is the creator of Sheldon and Drive. He is the co-director of the comics documentary, Stripped.