15 Essential Techniques for Writing Satire
Satire isn’t just about making people laugh—it’s about making them uncomfortable, exposing hypocrisy, and holding a funhouse mirror up to society. Whether you’re writing about politics, culture, or billionaires taking rocket joyrides, here are 15 essential techniques to master satire like a pro.
1. Exaggeration (Go Big or Go Home)
If a politician tells a lie, make them a pathological liar who can’t order coffee without fabricating a backstory. If a tech billionaire is out of touch, make them so rich they haven’t seen a normal toilet since 1999.
➡ Example: “Jeff Bezos is so wealthy, he doesn’t blink unless Amazon Prime delivers moisture to his eyelids.”
2. Irony (Say the Opposite of What You Mean)
The best satire often says one thing while meaning another, forcing readers to think.
➡ Example: “Thank goodness politicians never lie. Otherwise, we’d be in real trouble.”
3. Deadpan Delivery (Say Something Absurd with a Straight Face)
Act like your ridiculous claim is completely rational. The calmer you say something insane, the funnier it is.
➡ Example: “New study shows that billionaires do, in fact, breathe a higher-quality oxygen than the rest of us.”
4. Parody (Imitate, but Make It Ridiculous)
Take an existing format—news articles, self-help books, political speeches—and crank it up to hilariously absurd levels.
➡ Example: A TED Talk on “Why Eating Gold Leaf Improves Your IQ”
5. Logical Fallacies (Use Dumb Arguments on Purpose)
Satire thrives on bad reasoning that sounds just smart enough to fool someone.
➡ Example: “Since more people are getting diagnosed with anxiety, clearly, therapy is causing mental illness.”
6. Reductio ad Absurdum (Push an Idea to the Extreme)
Take a real argument, extend it to its most absurd conclusion, and watch it collapse under its own weight.
➡ Example: “If we truly want to help the economy, let’s just have everyone marry Jeff Bezos and split the assets in the divorce.”
7. False Authority (Use “Experts” Who Know Nothing)
Quoting someone completely unqualified makes satire even funnier.
➡ Example: “We spoke to Chad, a professional DJ and part-time astrologer, about the economic collapse.”
8. Misdirection (Lead the Reader One Way, Then Pull the Rug Out)
Start with something serious, then turn it into nonsense.
➡ Example: “Many believe climate change is humanity’s greatest threat… but have they considered the real problem: too many avocado toast options?”
9. Hypothetical Absurdity (Invent Something So Stupid It Feels Real)
Make up a fake law, trend, or crisis that almost sounds real.
➡ Example: “New law mandates that all babies must have LinkedIn profiles by age two.”
10. Playing the Clueless Narrator (Act Like You Don’t Get It)
Satirists often pretend to misunderstand reality, forcing the audience to see the flaw themselves.
➡ Example: “If minimum wage workers want to afford rent, why don’t they just buy a house instead?”
11. Appeal to Tradition (Argue Something Should Stay Because It’s Old)
Mocking outdated customs by pretending they’re still relevant.
➡ Example: “Sure, leeches don’t cure disease anymore, but what happened to respecting history?”
12. Absurd Solutions to Real Problems
Offer comically unhelpful solutions to actual crises.
➡ Example: “Can’t afford groceries? Try fasting! Monks do it all the time.”
13. Sarcastic Headlines (Summarize a Problem in the Most Cynical Way Possible)
Headlines are half the battle. Make them punch.
➡ Example: “Nation Shocked That Extremely Rich People Don’t Pay Taxes”
14. Role Reversal (Swap Power Dynamics for Maximum Effect)
Turn the tables to highlight hypocrisy.
➡ Example: “New Law Requires CEOs to Live on Minimum Wage for a Month—They Die Within Two Weeks.”
15. Social Commentary (Make the Joke Mean Something)
The best satire isn’t just funny—it exposes real problems.
➡ Example: “In response to housing shortages, billionaires are now buying starter planets.”
Final Thought: Satire Is a Weapon
Satire isn’t just about making jokes—it’s about punching up, exposing hypocrisy, and making people laugh while they rethink their world.