The Pundamentals of Writing 'The Pundamentals'

They say a joke is like a frog: if you dissect it, you kill it. But puns? Puns are like linguistic hydras—cut one apart, and two more take its place! That was my experience when I set out to write The Pundamentals, a book all about the wonderful world of wordplay.

The journey began with a simple idea: what if I ran an improv workshop focused entirely on puns? After all, punning has always been a huge part of my comedic arsenal, and I figured others might enjoy sharpening their skills too. But as I started researching, I realised something shocking—there were no books that truly broke puns down and explained them in depth. Plenty of books filled with puns, but none that actually dissected the art of punning itself.

This revelation set off a chain reaction in my brain. If the book I wanted didn’t exist, why not write it myself? So I started collating every bit of research I could find, mixing it with my own experience and thoughts on the subject, and before I knew it, a clear structure for a book emerged. The workshop name I had been toying with—The Pundamentals—felt like the perfect title for the book too. (I mean, come on, how could I not use it?)

Now, for me, punning has always been an instinctive thing. My brain just naturally takes words for a spin and sees where they land (often somewhere between ‘groan-worthy’ and ‘brilliant’). But delving into the mechanics of puns—how they work, why they work, and how a groan can be just as satisfying as a laugh—was eye-opening. It’s one thing to fire off puns in conversation, but breaking them down and explaining them to others? That was a whole new challenge.

One thing I was adamant about was that The Pundamentals wouldn’t just be a list of pre-written jokes. I wanted to give people the tools to craft their own puns and one-liners, to help them see the world through a punner’s lens. And honestly? I’m really proud of what I achieved. The book is packed with insights, exercises, and plenty of wordplay fun—because if you’re not having fun, you’re doing it pun-g!

So if you love puns (or even if you hate them but can’t seem to escape them), The Pundamentals is for you. Whether you want to become a master punster or just impress your friends with some groan-inducing wordplay, this book will have you punning in no time. And if you don’t believe me? Well, the pundits will decide!

Keep your eyes on my website and socials for news of the imminent release!