Making an impression by doing one
Humorist, speaker and mad genius E. Mitchell says she’s had success standing out from the crowd by blending in with the styles of other writers:
Looking for ways to invigorate your writing career? There are a number of prestigious humor writing competitions that turn the sincerest form of flattery — imitation — into an art form for fun and profit. In addition to the Erma Bombeck Writing Competition (which commences January 3, 2012), there are many mirthful masters to choose from with rewards for your résumé, plus revenue.
My second place win in the Will Rogers Writing Competition included remuneration for registration to their writers’ conference, where I received invaluable publishing and networking information. As winner of the Thurber Treat Writing Contest, I was a featured guest at the Thurber House literary picnic. An imitation of Edward Albee won the Happy Tales Literary Contest, including a cash award. (I’m also a two-time Robert Benchley finalist). And publication was the prize for penning a winning essay in a parody competition found in the new book “Bad Austen” (Adams Media).
So exercise your writing muscle by channeling the masters, and you just might increase your chances of channeling success through publication and promotion.
—E. Mitchell
is the very model of a modern, middle-aged man — except that he’s now won four awards for humorous writing from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. He laughs at the absurdities of life in his humor column for his hometown paper, The Stamford Advocate. His column is syndicated by McClatchy-Tribune and has run in newspapers across the country and around the world. A collection of his columns appears in his book, Leave It to Boomer: A Look at Life, Love and Parenthood by the Very Model of the Modern Middle-Age Man.
Lisa Smith Molinari, an 18-year Navy spouse, mother of three and humor columnist, published an article, “I Want a Wife, Too” in the May issue of Military Spouse magazine. Check out her 
a “unique category with maybe two or three billion people.”
has released a book, A Real Mother: stumbling through motherhood. A columnist for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, she quips her bio reads like a bad joke: “After working as a lifeguard, a Peace Corps volunteer, a middle school teacher, a switchboard operator and finally, an attorney (but don’t hold that against her), she is uniquely qualified to do absolutely nothing. That is why she writes.”
Lisa Tognola’s parody ad for a “Hunk of the Month” club (made of “medical grade plastic … as close as you’ll get to the real thing”) is included in the new Valentine’s Day anthology 