The nicest thing about being named one of BlogHer's "Voices of the Year" in humor writing is the instant credibility it elicits from your family members.
One day the teenagers are all, "Is that supposed to be funny?" and "Stop taking pictures of my bedroom," and the next they are looking at you with genuine respect.
Everything changes. As an award-winning humor writer, you now find family members falling all over themselves to be considerate.
No longer are you subject to the unpleasant crunch of tortilla shards on your office chair or the inconvenience of discovering your desktop covered in Ryan Gosling photos.
Now your work has real meaning to the members of your family, who might even offer to help.
"All that typing must be funny to somebody," they will conclude, possibly.
My point is, I owe a great big thank you to those of you who, from the very beginning, have seen something here worth reading, and who have never once left snack wrappers on my desk. I hope to meet many of you at the BlogHer annual conference later this month, where I have been invited to share some tips on humor writing, along with the very funny Elizabeth Jayne Liu. So, if anyone has any, please e-mail them to me immediately.
Check out all the other Voices of the Year winners here.
UPDATE: This panel now also includes Krista Burton, who makes me seem really effing uncool, and the inimitable Georgia Getz, who is the funniest blogger ever and who owes me a Margarita.
Photo: Humor writing requires a keen eye for the absurd. Family life, on the other hand, requires that you learn to accept the absurd as completely ordinary. Balancing these two perspectives is achieved through generous servings of red wine.
You rock, SK. I would sign up for that class in a heartbeat. Even if it were just to watch you drink wine and roll your eyes. Which, I assume, are your best tips.
Posted by: foolery | July 05, 2013 at 01:49 PM
Humor writing requires a buttload of editing.
Posted by: Twisted Susan | July 05, 2013 at 08:27 PM
Eye rolling, wine drinking and editing. I think we have covered about 90 percent of the process. The rest is just words.
SK
Posted by: Suburban Kamikaze | July 05, 2013 at 08:49 PM
So dang happy one of us has got her act together. If you would just let me sit behind you and duck a little, I would really appreciate it.
Posted by: Elizabeth | July 09, 2013 at 09:11 AM
Yeah, fuck that shit. I believe I am quoting you here?
We are definitely going to need a swear jar.
SK
Posted by: Suburban Kamikaze | July 09, 2013 at 10:39 AM
I believe I TOOK that class about 20 years or so ago. It met in the break room. I remember there was coffee. And it was hard to hear over the noise from the presses.
But oh, how you made those folks from advertising laugh and laugh and laugh.
Posted by: Suburban Sheepdog | July 09, 2013 at 03:01 PM
Yes, it was a much tougher crowd in the newsroom.
SK
Posted by: Suburban Kamikaze | July 09, 2013 at 03:26 PM