Quick story: 

Years ago, I went to see Josh Groban. It was my first concert, and, while I enjoyed his operatic baritone and uplifting ballads, I expected a somber evening and an easy night's sleep. What I hadn't expected was the man was funny.

I left that night, three hours later, my face hurting and still smiling. Jokes, impression . . . the man broke out into "Baby Got Back" karaoke people. Safe to say, the man exceeded my expectations and left me with a fond memory I'm not likely to forget. 

Why does this happen? Simple. People live to laugh.

Personally, I'm a sucker for a well placed insult, but humor isn't just about "Yo, Mamma" jokes. Humor comes dark, double stuffed with entendres, classic--it's the Oreo of the writing world. 

A robot narrating a horror novel now has a humorous ring, right? Or a grumpy princess scowling and grumbling about the smell of the clouds, hi-lar-i-ous.

The examples above play off the humor that comes with opposites and subverting reader's expectations, but humor, like the cookie, comes in a variety of flavors. 

Examples:

Dark Humor: The robot dispassionately, and in a monotone voice, corrects the monster on how to properly gore a puppy in graphic detail while the monster takes notes and raises his hand politely with questions.

Wry or Dry Humor: Reverse the roles of monster and robot so the monster delivers a lecture on autopsies in a neutral voice.  A monster speaking like a robot is funny, not with outright wit, but as ironic.

Slapstick or Physical Humor: Princess walks into a cloud and gets stuck, only to find herself nose deep in a unicorn's butt. (Excuse me as I chuckle.)

Self-deprecating Humor: Princess hosts a ball and wears a dress made out of neon sequins her step-mother makes her wear. Princess tells everyone when the music sucks, she'll be the one directing traffic for the exits.

Witty or Wordplay Humor: Come to mama! Obviously my favorite, this is where the monster and princess (in her dress) come face to face, and the robot asks the prince which monster he'll smite. 

There are many more kinds of humor which come in handy if you're creative and careful with your delivery: Topical, Observational, Bodily, Surreal, and Improvisational. The ones I explained above are good for written humor, while some of these others are more for visual comedians or movies.

I'd suggest mastering the slight of hand tricks before jumping into the water tank complete with lock and straight jacket. 

Then again, you won't actually drown if your joke falls flat. 

How does humor add "voice?" 

Quick recap: Humor is versatile and, like people, there's a flavor for everyone. How do you break the ice on a first date? A joke. Getting readers to laugh automatically takes down their guard and allows a degree of forgiveness if your writing isn't 100% perfect. Plus, it's relatable and adds more credibility. 

Does anyone know a teenager that isn't sarcastic or witty, at least some of the time? How about a comedian that isn't self-deprecating? 

Let's practice. 

Congratulations! You've made it to the first audience participation part of our show. 

Your first writing prompt is . . . make me laugh.

Use the humor types from above, or mix two or more together for a crazy hybrid all your own. But here comes the learning part. You also need to identify which humor(s) you used. Knowing my personal humor preference now, you can go for an easy win or take on the challenge and try to change my mind. 

Ready? Go!

*We'll discuss those of you who nail it, and those of you who break your thumb, and why.

Our first example comes from @Knack4Things  

Thank you! (This is an example from their novel, "Rattlebones.")

*Two classmates are dissecting a frog. The main character has a love of the macabre, and the research and skillset to make them seem just a bit crazy--in the best way. 

"They would insert probes into the ears, mouth, and anus to trigger a reaction," I explain. "So they weren't really bringing dead people to life, they were just watching their muscles contract."

Eugene laughs and then realizes that I'm dead serious. "You're not serious?"

I hand him a probe. "Go deep, my good sir."

*This is a prime example of dark and wordplay humor. Not only is the subject matter a bit gross, but word choice and punch line are perfectly placed. Ex: "Realizes I'm dead serious" -- talking about a frog corpse -- wonderful wordplay. Or "Go deep." Ouch! What a great visceral reaction that got out of me. It's uncomfortable and yet, I snorted. 

(If anyone is struggling with how to appropriately use humor, I'd suggest reading the first few chapters of "Rattlebones." Wonderful execution through expert "voice.")