How do you know when it's funny?

You don't.

Not until you get feedback, at least.

If the stakes are low, you can just put it out there and see how people react.

But you can also ask around for feedback before you publish.

I applied to write for The Onion twice (which isn't surprising considering my style). Did it work? No. But my odds would have been worse if I hadn't asked people for feedback on my headlines and articles.

Chances are you’re not trying to write for The Onion, and you don’t need to ask for feedback every time you try to be funny.

But if you're working on something important and you have time to ask for feedback, make sure to ask a wide range of people: friends, strangers from different backgrounds, and people in your field.

Share a Google doc and ask them to add their comments.

Sometimes I think I have a great joke and it bombs.

Sometimes I’m skeptical about a joke and it does great.

You never know.

Wanna try your funny lines, funny copy, funny article, funny tweets or funny whatever on me?

Send it to me and I’ll tell you what I think :)

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