Want Readers to Cry? Make Them Laugh First

How carefully placed humor can make sad moments more powerful.

Content Warning: Grief, Death.

In the past, I’ve written about how comedians and writers use humor to ease the pain of loss and grief. However, authors can also use comedy to ratchet up sadness in a piece.

For instance, if an author tries to convey a sad story over multiple pages, it may feel stale if it’s morbid the entire time. But, throw in some light-…