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Have you ever thought about increasing your writing credentials and sales through short, humorous fillers? If not, you’re missing out on
a great way to earn a few solid credits in big named publications. Many publications are always on the lookout for light-hearted,
entertaining fillers to “fill” the white space on their pages, and you could be their next contributor.
Humorous fillers come in several forms: jokes, riddles, epigrams, anecdotes, and light verse to name a few.
How do you get started?
Like anything writing-related you need to research your markets. Writers’ marketing books and Internet websites list publications that
accept material from freelance writers all the time—and many of these publications use humorous fillers. While some only accept short
humor specifically related to their publication, others are more open to any type of humorous filler.
How do you get a feel for what types of humor these publications use?
There is only one way and that’s to read the publication. Take another look at the magazines you subscribe to, check out publications
stocked at your local libraries, visit nearby bookstores, check out waiting rooms, check the homes of your relatives and friends, and
send for copies of hard-to-find publications that sound promising.
An important point to keep in mind is that both juvenile and adult markets use short humor, so investigate both.
How do you learn to write short humorous fillers?
Search for writing-related books written on the subject of humor, and don’t forget to read the type of humor you are interesting in
writing. If you want to try your hand at jokes, read some. Break them down and analyze them. Not only will you learn how to build up to
an unexpected punch-line, but you will also get an idea of what’s been done before.
Perhaps you’d like to write light, humorous verse. If so, read published samples. Some of my favorite light verse writers are
Shel Silverstein ,
Ogden Nash,
Richard Armour,
and Jack Prelutsky.
Buy a rhyming dictionary such as, The Complete Rhyming Dictionary edited by Clement Wood,
for light verse inventive rhymes.
Ideas for humorous fillers are everywhere: the workplace, your children, your grandchildren, life’s day-to-day happenings, and so on.
In fact, the very first thing I ever sold was an anecdote based upon a funny comment made by my wife; it netted me $75 from
Arizona Highways.
When my children were younger, they were a gold mine of funny and cute anecdotes. I sold and re-sold gems to places like
The Catholic Digest,
Family Digest, and The Christian Reader. And, I even built a few articles around them.
Writing humorous fillers have many pluses, such as:
- Many publications use them.
Some magazines have even created departments for just such work. For example,
Mature Living
has a department called “Cracker Barrel,” Boy's Quest
has "Ticklers and Teasers,” Alive!
has “Heart Medicine,” and The Saturday Evening Post
has “Post Scripts.” Scores of other magazines have pages devoted to humorous fillers or humorous blurbs sprinkled throughout their pages.
- Fillers are the easiest way to break into a new market.
The competition to sell a feature or other long piece is usually intense, with “name” writers having the upper hand, but the playing
field levels out when it comes to fillers. Once the editors get to know you and your work, your chance to sell longer pieces is
enhanced.
- You gain writing credits.
While you won’t get wealthy writing funny fillers, you can earn more than enough to pay for postage, paper, and ink costs while
acquiring much-needed writing credits.
- Fillers can be written much quicker than short stories and articles.
Because fillers are faster to write, you can get a lot of them in the mail faster, which increases your chances of making new sales.
- Fillers help tighten your writing skills.
Wordiness is often a problem for freelance writers, but when you write fillers you learn to be more concise and to choose the best
words.
- Writing humorous fillers provides a “break” from other writing.
When you are stuck and have difficulty making a short story or article come together you can switch gears and create a few fillers.
Then, you can return to your other writing refreshed and with a new mindset.
The next time you have writer's block, try your hand at writing funny fillers.
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About The Author:
Guy Belleranti is a freelance writer, poet, and funny filler guy. He can be reached at: Guy Belleranti
* This article is available for your publication, for a F-E-E.
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