best humorous short stories

Well, some good options include submitting to literary magazines that focus on humor, like The New Yorker's Shouts & Murmurs section. Or you might consider self-publishing on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and promoting your work through social media.

A ghost floated into a bar. The bartender looked at it and said, 'Sorry, we don't serve spirits here.' The ghost was so confused and left. Another one is that a ghost was trying to make a spooky face at a dog. But the dog just licked the ghost's face and the ghost ran away screaming in a funny way.

The surprise factor. In a good humorous short story, like 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry, there are often unexpected turns. A couple sacrifices their most precious possessions for each other, but it turns out those possessions are related in a funny way. It catches the reader off - guard and makes them laugh.

The short story 'The Lady, or the Tiger?' is somewhat humorous in a dark way. A young man is put in an arena where he has to choose between two doors, one with a lady and one with a tiger. The absurdity of the situation and the not - so - obvious ending make it an interesting and humorously thought - provoking story.

The unexpected twists. In many of these stories, like in 'The Ransom of Red Chief' by O. Henry, things don't go as expected. A pair of kidnappers think they can easily get ransom for a boy, but the boy is so wild and unruly that they end up paying the boy's father to take him back. It's this kind of sudden turn of events that makes the stories appealing.

Once upon a time in a land far far away there was a man named John John was a very good storyteller and he could tell stories that were both fascinating and incredibly absurd One day while on his way home from work John decided to tell his story to a group of friends who were sitting on his front step So John began his story Once upon a time in a land far far away there was a man named John John was a very good storyteller and he could tell stories that were both fascinating and incredibly absurd One day while on his way home from work John decided to tell his story to a group of friends who were sitting on his front step As he was speaking John's friends began to laugh and smile and John couldn't help but join in But wait he continued I tell stories that are true not absurd John's friends were still laughing but then they realized that they had been listening to a joke Oh come on they said John's stories are always true John laughed and his friends joined in True or Absurd they said John's stories are always interesting

Here's one. A magician was walking down the street and turned into a grocery store.

The humor. It can be sarcastic, slapstick or just plain witty. For example, in some stories, the characters' absurd actions or the unexpected twists in the plot make you laugh out loud.

They often depict relatable situations in a funny way. We've all had those awkward moments or met strange characters, and these stories capture that essence and exaggerate it for comical effect. Also, the different writing styles add to the appeal. Some authors use witty dialogue, while others rely on absurd plot twists to keep the reader entertained.

Mark Twain's 'The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County' is also very humorous. It tells the story of a man who bets on a frog's jumping ability. The way Twain describes the characters and their antics, especially the conniving way the stranger tricks the local into the bet, is really funny.