The difference between a groaner and a sophisticated, genuinely funny Wordplay joke is often as simple as that: a groaner is Wordplay without Subtext, a successful joke is Wordplay with Subtext, especially astute Subtext. Another important guideline to keep in mind when using Wordplay is Funny-Writing Tip #12 (“Play It Straight”). More than any other Funny Filter, Wordplay risks exposing the writer’s effort to be overly clever or cute, which readers will perceive as a wink. This effort becomes far more obvious when there is poor Subtext or none at all.
