It’s no surprise that Twitter is winning over more and more people each day for being an efficient tool for communication. People over there can quickly share the newest events, call out false information, and spark heated discussions. Yet, not all tweets are equal. Some users send out lousy tweets for the whole world to read without thinking twice. Such opinions often provoke a significant response and receive hundreds of thousands of critical replies, which is proof right there that something went horribly wrong.
Luckily, some people decide to stand up against such nonsense and come up with creative and quick-witted retorts that get a deluge of positive reactions. And no wonder why — seeing a person one-upping someone who’s clearly wrong is a feeling like no other. However, to receive more likes than the original post, your reply has to be razor-sharp to shut down the person arrogantly flaunting their ignorance.
Previously, we spoke to Abigail Paul, a standup comedian, improviser, and actress, about humorous comebacks and how people could improve their comedy skills. She was kind enough to share her thoughts on why people leave comments in the first place. “Today’s reader has the advantage over their predecessor that they feel part of the action,” she told Bored Panda.
“In comedy, we are always looking to create content that an audience member will relate to, so when someone leaves a fantastic comment on an article or picture, it helps us feel connected, a little less alone,” Abigail mentioned. “It shows us that someone else, maybe many people, think the same way we do. We take great comfort in not being alone on our ideas.”
The standup comedian said that the secret to a successful comment is probably equal parts true and surprising. An unexpected reply “that just has shock value isn’t as highly regarded as one that is embedded in truth.”
“In comedy terms, your picture or article you are commenting on is your setup. Your witty comment is the punchline,” she explained. “There are lots of ways to be funny, but a great punchline will usually have excellent use of wordplay, exaggeration, or make an analogy to something else so the reader can maybe see the topic in a new light.”
“The most important thing is usually an element of surprise. Good comedy writers use misdirection as well as a magician does. We think we see you going to one place and you go somewhere unexpected. Audiences love a twist,” Abigail said, saying that true crime podcasts are a great example.
According to her, leaving a comment and letting out a laugh or two allow us to better bond with other people. “Comedy is the most fun thing humans can share (besides pizza),” she said. “The pandemic has forced a lot of comedy experiences online. It hurt live comedy a lot, but new spaces have thrived online because people need to connect and laugh. The upside is you can find ways to be funny at home in your PJs.”
If you want to improve at writing clever and funny comments online, you need to practice. “Comedy is a skill,” Abigail told us. “The more you write, the better you usually get.” But it’s important “not to get too precious about your work. Notice which clever comments you are writing get lots of likes or replies, and see if you can dissect why that comment is working.”
“If something isn’t working, don’t worry too much about why. A lot of good writing is throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks.” She advised you to focus on what works and try to replicate your own formula. “Also — edit. Are there any words you can take out, but the comment is still really funny? Then do. The more concise you are, the better it is for your reader.”
