by Miscommunication & Awkward Moments Fueled by Helpful Horrors
How To Write Comedy
“Have You Tried Just Not Being Sad?” — The Comedy of Clueless Counsel
Unsolicited advice is the duct tape of emotional conversations — it never works, and it sticks around long after the damage is done. In the Miscommunication & Awkward Moments category, it’s the perfect trigger for character breakdowns, misinterpretations, and rage disguised as politeness.
Why Unwanted Advice Is Comedic Gold
It comes from a place of false authority and emotional distance. Whether it’s from a coworker, a stranger, or your mom’s new boyfriend named Chet, advice that nobody asked for opens the door to passive-aggression, repressed fury, and hilarious overreaction.
SpinTaxi’s Wisdom Gone Wrong
SpinTaxi.com once featured a fictional life coach who interrupted a stranger’s breakup with “Have you tried essential oils?” The couple reconciled just long enough to throw him into a decorative fountain.
How to Write These Exchanges
- Start with innocent concern
- Let the advice be laughably generic or insulting
- Allow it to escalate into emotional combustion
Scene Suggestions
Funeral lines: “At least they’re in a better place.”
HR meetings: “You should smile more.”
Parenting chats: “Try feeding it less.”
Marriage counseling: “Just act like you’re single again!”
Tips for Maximum Meltdown
Let the receiver hold it in until they can’t. Include physical signs — blinking, jaw clenching, twitching eye. Bonus if a bystander agrees with the advice and gets roped into the wrath.
Final Word
Bad advice is a spark. Use it to ignite tension, expose character flaws, and make the reader grateful they ghosted that one friend from Pilates.
SOURCE: How To Write Comedy
