How to Write Clever Political Satire
Political satire attracts a lot of readers, as you can see by the success of The Onion. It is also fun to write. It's a good way to purge feelings aroused by being an observer of the political scene--feelings of amazement, horror, and disgust that would otherwise float around your bloodstream and clog up your arteries.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
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Pick a topic. Skim headlines in the newspaper, at Google News or other news sites. Monitor your own reactions as you read. If you have a strong reaction to a particular headline, the event in the article may be a good topic for you to pursue.
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Ask yourself questions about the article you selected. What seems most absurd? Is there anything that happened that is unfair? Is somebody being especially stupid and/or dishonest? These questions will help you focus your writing.
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Take the actual events, and write a satiric version by exaggerating the aspects you identified above--the absurd, unfair, stupid and dishonest, aspects. You can achieve different effects in your writing by varying how much you exaggerate. Exaggerate just a little, and you will have a deadpan effect. Exaggerate a lot, and you can achieve broader comic effects. What you choose depends on your sensibilities, how you feel about your material and what your intended audience is like.
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After you finish your first draft, reread what you wrote. Revise with an eye to making it as funny as it can be.
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Tips & Warnings
Tune in to your gut feelings. Your work will be freshest if you are writing out of your own visceral reactions to events.
