From the ancient Greeks of 400 B.C.E. to modern society in 2012, comedy has become an integral part of our culture and has greatly evolved from its simplistic origins.

Ancient Comedy: The Beginning

All of the comedy we know today began as satirical plays of the ancient Greeks. The Greeks would hold festivals to allow the great playwrights of their time like Euripides and Aristophanes to display their well-written tragic plays to the Greek people. Watching tragic plays consistently would be very depressing and sad for the audience, so the festival would conclude with a lighter, more humorous act. This act was called a satyr play.

These satyr plays would feature a half-man, half-goat creature called a Satyr. He was usually very drunk, clumsy, and unintelligent. The character would poke fun at Greek society or political leaders of the time. Greek playwrights pushed the limits of that time’s common entertainment. They would shock audiences with rude and demeaning humor, and that’s how these ancient comedies became popular. They would cause such great controversy that it would attract many viewers to attend one of these comic plays.

Shakespeare Takes Over

During the fifteenth and sixteenth century, Shakespeare took over the comedy scene. Unlike modern comedy, Shakespearean comedy didn’t really contain low humor. His comedy plays usually ended with a happy ending. He used a more light-hearted style than his darker tragic plays. He focused on clever puns and conflicting plots to keep the audience entertained. Unlike modern low comedy, his comedy required wit and intelligence to interpret.

Problem plays were the most common type of play used by Shakespeare. He liked intertwining plots to confuse the characters and use irony as a key element. Dramatic irony would keep the audience entertained and keep the actors themselves confused.

Slapstick Comedy

The biggest icons of the early 1900s were Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. They made silent black and white films that would be forced to make the audience laugh without using words. Slapstick comedy involved exaggerated physical actions like the most popular pie in the face gag.

Slapstick comedy appealed to the masses because of its simplicity and low humor. It is one of the most simplistic forms of entertainment and remains a key component to comedy today. Vaudeville entertainment featuring Chaplin and Keaton became a hit, and it was a very cheap form of entertainment that allowed struggling Americans to view the films during the times of the Great Depression.

By the 1930s and 40s, talking pictures became the next big thing in the movie industry. This led to a decrease in silent slapstick comedies because the masses were so impressed by the talking pictures. These talking pictures required more creativity in plot development and script writing because physical comedy just wouldn’t cut it anymore.

Modern Day Comedy

Pop culture has become a key subject of modern comedy. Comedians poke fun at celebrities, political icons, and athletes. Movies commonly refer to current events or pop culture icons to appeal to the masses. Also, television has evolved with the times and sitcoms can be found on nearly every channel on television.

Stand-up comedy has also become a popular form of entertainment in America. The brave comedian single-handedly takes the stage and makes jokes about common subjects and current events. The audience appreciates the wit and humor displayed by the stand-up comedian.

As complex as modern comedy may seem, it can all be traced back to its historic origins.

Written by Randy Edwards, social media analyst and prankster from ComedyKnockout

The book I’m reviewing today is kind of special. Want to know why? Because it’s not out yet. But I was privileged because my publisher let me and some fellow authors get a sneak peak.

Big in Japan, by Jennifer Griffith is about a man from Texas who visits Japan. Buck is over six and a half feet tall, overweight, with blond hair and blue eyes. Can you guess what happens when he’s over there? He becomes a sumo wrestler.

I don’t want to give much more than that away, if I can. I think you’ll agree with me that the premise alone is very interesting. As I read this novel, I was highly entertained. The narration is light and witty, and it has an easy flow, making this book a fast read.

But don’t go in expecting only funny entertainment. I wouldn’t call it a “popcorn novel” (I know – that term applies to movies much better, but it’s the term I’ve become accustomed to using). It also carries an intensity. Big in Japan shows the darker side of sumo through Buck’s eyes. We see how the hierarchy of sumo wrestlers works and how it is abused. I couldn’t believe some of the things that the amateur wrestlers had to go through. Most of them are beaten daily, their accommodations make a cow’s barn look luxurious, and they’re supposed to feel honored for being able to participate in this sacred sport.

Of course, what would a book be without a villain? There’s a few different obstacles thrown in Buck’s direction. I thought the most interesting was the Japanese Sumo Association. It was like the equivalent of a government conspiracy. Very nice touch, there, Griffith!

I have never seen a lot of sumo wrestling, so when I picked up this book, I was quickly educated. Griffith was able to highlight the basics of sumo while still entertaining the reader and not making it feel like they are being loaded with too much information. The way in which she wrote the wrestling matches made it feel like I was there watching. I could see everything happening – sometimes in slow motion. It was fabulous!

Griffith also portrayed the culture very well. I could envision what it would be like to visit Tokyo. The people felt real and alive. Even the food sounded interesting. It even made me want to try some of the food. I’m really curious about how Calpis (a drink – you’ll totally laugh at that reference when you read the book) would taste! All of it was there in the background to paint a real picture.

Big In Japan will be released this Saturday, July 28. So if you’re looking for a new book to read, look no further. I promise you will be highly entertained by this depiction of sumo, mystery, self-discovery, and romance. On Goodreads, I’ll be giving this four out of five stars. (For those of you who know what my rating standards are, that’s a big recommend.)

Bonus: I’ve made arrangements for Jennifer Griffith to do a guest blog in August. More details to come!

 

Have you ever read something and thought, “Wow!”? There’s a distinct difference between writing that’s good, and writing that’s truly great. One piece of great writing will differ immensely from another, but there are eight characteristics that all great pieces of writing contain.

They are:

Focus

Focus could arguably be the single most important characteristic of great writing. With a lack of focus, it’s nearly impossible to succeed in achieving just about all the other characteristics on this list. Focus is what turns a collection of random thoughts and ideas into a real piece of writing. It’s what allows the reader to stay with you from start to finish.
Organization

Poor organization can significantly impact your writing – and not in a good way. In fiction, good organization of the elements of your story is what keeps the reader interested and in suspense. In nonfiction writing, good organization is what makes it possible for the reader to understand the significance of the facts that are presented.
Purpose

All writing must serve some sort of purpose – for the reader and the writer themselves. Purposeless writing is a waste of time. Every piece of writing must fulfill a purpose, whether it be to entertain, to inform, or to teach. There are many possible purposes, so make sure you always find one and keep it in mind while writing.
Emotion

People have deep emotional capacity, and it’s feelings and emotions that make them relate to a story, love it, or even hate it. Great writing contains emotional depth; it makes the reader feel something. If writing evokes no emotions in a reader, it will be considered boring, bland, or forgettable.
Style

There are many different styles, and every writer has their own voice. However, true style will be present in all pieces of great writing. Style can’t be well defined, but it is exhibited in the way a story flows and sounds. It’s cadence and powerful sentence construction. Writing that lacks style will seem awkward and unpolished.
Accuracy

In nonfiction writing, accurate facts are of course essential to your story. If you get it wrong, you’ll lose authority and credibility with your reader, and that’s the death of a writer. Fiction writing also needs accuracy – in the form of consistency throughout the story. Made-up details should stay the same, and any elements pulled from real life should be accurate, or at least believable (even in a work of fantasy, the unbelievable must seem believable).
Engagement

Great writing will pull a reader in and fully capture their attention. It will speak to them, usually indirectly, and make them feel engaged and invested in what they’re reading. Skillful engagement is what gets them talking about your writing. It’s what makes them feel inspired.
Proficiency

Finally, no writing can be great if it shows a lack of proficiency for the mechanics of writing and language. Proper grammar, correct spelling, well-constructed sentences – all of these are essential. Writing that lacks proficiency makes the writer seem foolish, and it’s difficult for readers to get through.

Alayne Valentine is an avid writer and literature analyst who enjoys breaking down and analyzing novels. She loves to blog and often covers anything from formulating plots to using grammar checkers.

Photo Credit: theguru1

Today’s guest is Christopher Loke, author of The Housekeeper’s Son. (I reviewed his book a few weeks ago. Feel free to look it up in my archives.) Christopher is also the executive editor for Jolly Fish Press.

As executive editor for a publishing house, I’ve seen my share of query letters—those that draw my attention right away and those that scream, “Dunk me into the slush pile! NOW!” While I try to give every query a chance—overlooking minor typos and such—there are, however, query crimes that must never be committed.

The query letter, no matter how intimidating it sounds to writers, only consists of three major sections. These are also the sections that editors like me care about most. To make it easier, I advise writers to just write one paragraph for each section. A good query letter will consist of three major paragraphs: The intro, the body, and the conclusion.

The Intro
The first paragraph should be your hook, or tagline. To illustrate, I will use The Housekeeper’s Son as example. If I were to query an agent or a publisher on my novel, my first paragraph will go like this:

“When 72-year-old housekeeper, Eleanor Ethel Rose, is found with a bloody knife in her hand beside the dead body of her employer’s 12-year-old daughter, she quickly pleads guilty before her trial even begins. But to Victor Lee, a young journalist who is assigned to cover the story, there is more to Eleanor’s confession.”

And that’s all you will need to write. Simple and to the point. I use two sentences for my hook, but you can concise yours to one if you like. I don’t recommend more than three sentences.

The Body
Once you have the hook, you can expound briefly on what your book is all about. Now, remember not to divulge too much. All you need to write is a brief summary of your book’s major plot. Here’s what I imagine the author of Cinderella will write:

“Cinderella has always been ill-treated by her stepfamily. She lives her life as a servant to her abusive family, who is anything but kind. She longs to break free from the misery she’s in. And when her fairy godmother appears one night to give her the chance to meet the prince and possibly change her life forever, Cinderella’s dream seems to have come true. But magic has its limitation. It will only last till midnight, after which Cinderella will become her poor servant self again. Even in her immaculate gown standing in front of a prince, who is obviously smitten by her beauty and grace, Cinderella cannot foresee the chaos that will unfold as soon as the clock strikes twelve.”

That’s all you need to “tease” the reader without telling too much or being too short.

The Conclusion
There are a few pertinent things in the last paragraph of your query. They are the name of your book, why it should be acquired, the word-count, and the target audience. It is important that you include these few things in your conclusion or all will be in vain. Once you’ve done so, you may write a little about yourself. As editor, I always love to know a little about the author I am reading. It gives me an idea of who you are and your credentials, and it helps.

Here’s a list of things to remember when writing a query letter:

1. Address the agent by name.
2. Be concise.
3. Include the book title, target audience, and word-count.
4. Tell your reader what your book aims to accomplish; what are the underlying themes of the book, if you have one.
5. Include your email address and phone number. Although not necessary, it is always nice to let your reader know where you live.
6. Leave out the subplots and only involve major characters in the body of your letter.
7. Spell check.
8. Grammar check.
9. Punctuation check.
10. Review your letter to be sure it makes sense. Put it away for a week and reread again. If it sounds good, send it. If you are confused, fix it and repeat the process again.
11. Don’t tell the reader how great your book is, show them the plot and let them decide.
12. Don’t use funky fonts.
13. Don’t reduce font-size because you write too much.
14. And never send out a query letter until the novel is complete.

That said, bear in mind that there is no right or wrong way to write a query letter. What you want is a query letter that is clear, easy to follow, and well-written. And if you truly craft it well, good results will follow. Promise.

When looking at the lives of TV stars, would we expect their children to be named after themselves, in some egotistical way of creating fame for their youngsters or are TV stars a different breed of celebrity, who choose everyday names for their children in order to keep them away from the spotlight? Here in the top five baby names from the world of TV, we explore the best of the best, and were pleasantly surprised with the results. So prepare to be dazzled by the cuteness of some of these stars baby names, we most certainly were.

1) Our top spot goes to the queen of day time television Holly Willoughby, with the name, Belle Baldwin. A beautiful name for a baby girl, and we must all admit that we are a bit jealous that we did not think of it first, and we have no doubt that the little one will grow up to be just as stunning as her name. A tip here from the This Morning presenter, calling your baby daughter after a fairy tale is never a mistake, as we all want to be the belle of the ball one day.

2) Our number two spot goes to a rather peculiar name on this top five list, giving our appreciation to Bruce Forsyth for naming his child Johnathan Joseph Forsyth Johnson, quite a mouthful. With a Miss World mother, and Brucie as your father certainly this name is a sign of television royalty. Perhaps when naming your child you should be a bit more selective over how many family names to use, after all it would be quite difficult when telling them off to use every single name. However, we like the use of the letter J in this name, as the names together do seem to have a certain ring to them.

3) This next spot could cover all five spots on this list for the weird and wonderful names that we are about to uncover to you, and it is all down to the imagination of one top celebrity chef, none other than Jamie Oliver who has called his children, Petal Blossom Rainbow Oliver, Poppy Honey Rosie Oliver, Daisy Boo Pamela Oliver and Buddy Bear Maurice Oliver. These names simply confuse us, as they all seem to have a strange middle name like Rainbow or Bear, and we are not sure quite why this is. Therefore, for this we cannot give the number three spot to only one name, they all deserve recognition for being out there.

4) Our number four spot goes to a famous TV presenter, the one and only Johnathan Ross for his daughter, Betty Kitten. This name reminds us of a fifties glamourpuss, and we’re not sure why this isn’t just a stage name rather than her real name. His other two children also have very individualistic names, but Betty Kitten is our favourite with her brother and sister being called Harvey Kirby and Honey Kinney. We are sure that these names will certainly be putting the young Ross trio in the spotlight in the future.

5) Our last place goes to perhaps the most extreme name on this list, as we had to go out with a bang. All hail Peter Andre and Jordon for calling their daughter, Princess Tiaamii Crystal Esther Andre, who just beats her brother with the name Junior Savva Andreas Andre. This name baffles us as to why it was allowed, and whether you like these names is a matter of personal preference, however we most definitely suggest that you discuss it first with your family before naming your first daughter simply princess.

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This article has been written by Rhian, who is interested in baby names. If you click here you can find information on names for your children, or interesting articles across the baby name world.