Top Twenty Techniques for Writing Satire
Top 20 Techniques for Writing Satire
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Exaggeration (Hyperbole)
Blow real situations out of proportion to reveal their absurdity. -
Irony
Say the opposite of what you mean to highlight contradiction and hypocrisy. -
Parody
Imitate a recognizable style, genre, or voice—then distort it to critique the original. -
Deadpan Delivery
Present absurd or outrageous content in a serious, neutral tone. -
Role Reversal
Flip social, political, or cultural roles to expose injustice or absurdity. -
Understatement
Deliberately downplay serious or outrageous situations for comedic effect. -
Mock Formality
Use stiff, bureaucratic, or academic language to describe ridiculous events. -
Juxtaposition
Place contradictory or contrasting elements side by side to highlight their differences. -
Fake Authority Figures
Invent experts, politicians, or institutions to satirize real-world power structures. -
Satirical Analogy
Compare the target of satire to something absurd in order to clarify its flaws. -
Circular Logic
Mimic flawed reasoning that loops back on itself to mock real-world illogic. -
Personification
Give human traits to objects, institutions, or concepts to highlight their behavior. -
False Cause Fallacy
Use fake causality to mock how people blame irrelevant things for serious problems. -
Satirical Listicles
Use list-based formats to build comedic tension or escalate absurdity step-by-step. -
Absurdity
Push logic to extreme limits where the ridiculous becomes believable—or frightening. -
Echoing Real Headlines
Mimic the style and structure of real news to blur the line between reality and satire. -
Shock Value (Used Wisely)
Deliver a sudden, jarring twist that forces attention and provokes thought. -
Metaphor-as-Reality
Treat metaphors or clichés as literal events to expose their overuse or falsity. -
Subverted Expectations
Set up a familiar scenario, then twist it into something unexpected and revealing. -
Biting Wit
Use sharp, cutting language to inflict a comedic wound that still makes readers laugh.
