"Where I Get My Ideas"

The answer is: from many places. First of all, I read at least two newspapers every day plus follow the news on TV, radio and online. Of course I also have a subscription to The New Yorker. I think it's really important to know what's going on in the world. When I read I jot down words and phrases that can be used in my gags. Let's just say I have a lot of filled notebooks in my office, from writing gags for over 30 years.

I pay attention to what people say. What I say. When I hear a conversation that interests me, many times I can use part of it for a future gag. Since I have a skewed way of looking at things, I try to remember and write down my reactions to what people say or do. Many times I've written gags this way. The best humor is based on the truth. It's also really important that people can relate to the situation.

I'd also like to say that it's important to get out into the world. Be exposed to people, places and things. I get a lot of ideas from eating out in restaurants (something I love to do) which I believe is ripe for humor. It's important to see the humor in situations and then write it down. For example, in restaurants: high prices, snooty waiters, demanding customers and bad service. I've written tons of gags about dining out.  

Finally, I write about myself: my insecurities, my fears, my quirks. There's lots of material there.

Any comments? Contact me at: gagsbyhelene@gmail.com. Have a great week!

How I Taught Myself To Write Cartoon Gags

 I started out writing one-liners (jokes) for comedians, public speakers and broadcast personalities. After writing hundreds (thousands?) of them, one day I realized that one of my jokes could be illustrated and made into a single-panel cartoon. I don't draw, knew very little about creating single-panel cartoons but decided to explore this. 

I started by studying cartoons in The New Yorker, going back to 1925. I must have looked at thousands of cartoons, seeing patterns in location and who was talking to who. I found a lot of desert island cartoons, people seeking entry into heaven, husbands and wives, kids and pets, prisoners, gurus on mountains and the Grim Reaper. There were lots of business gags: job interviews, getting fired, nasty bosses, nasty co-workers. I also found tons of restaurant gags: high prices, nasty waiters, demanding diners and awful food.

Besides the New Yorker, I also studied cartoons in The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Barrons and Saturday Evening Post. I was on my way.

I still study published cartoons. I still read several newspapers each day. I read the news online. I also try to be aware of what's going on around me, what I say, what I hear. It's all material for my gags.

Any comments? Email me at: gagsbyhelene@gmail.com