Punching Up: Comedy Writing for Nonfiction Prose

Writer and comedian Zahra Noorbakhsh offers tips on writing humorous essays with your authentic voice in this free 45-minute class

This event has passed. Alumni Access Only.
This webinar is free to attend

Join Zahra Noorbakhsh for a crash course on humour writing techniques for fiction and nonfiction writers. From perfecting your comedic timing to crafting effective set-ups, the award-winning comedian and essayist published in The New York Times will break down the mechanics of writing punchy and hilarious prose.

This 45-minute live lecture is free and open to all via Zoom. Zahra is available afterward to take your questions about comedy, as well as her upcoming Pandemic U course Developing Your Comedic Voice. Stay till the end and take part in a Pop Quiz contest for a chance to win a cool prize.

Event Format

Live 45-minute conversation followed by Q&A and trivia with prizes (approximately 1 hour total); access to watch Replay until June 9/22.

How it Works

After checkout, you’ll receive a receipt with a link and password for the live Zoom class. You’ll also receive an emailed reminder with the same information a few hours before the session. After the class you’ll get a password to access the Replay.

Accessibility & Recording

This webinar is designed for live participation, however, a temporary recording of the webinar will be provided to all registrants until June 9th. Closed captioning is auto-generated and subject to error.

About the Instructor

Zahra Noorbakhsh is an award-winning comedian and host of the podcast, #GoodMuslimBadMuslim. The podcast was featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, and was invited to the Obama White House. Her solo show, “All Atheists are Muslim,” was directed by CNN’s W. Kamau Bell, and dubbed a highlight of the International New York City Fringe Theater Festival by the New Yorker Magazine. The theatrical premier of her new show, “On Behalf of All Muslims: A Comedy Special” drew a record-breaking audience of 700-people to San Francisco’s historic Brava Theater. She’s been a featured performer for Snap Judgment, The Moth, and more. Her writing has been featured in the NY Times and she’s a contributing essayist for NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross. Her essay, “Coming Out As Bisexual When You’re Muslim and Married,” reached more than 80-million people worldwide. She’s the recipient of the Pop Culture Collaborative’s Senior Fellowship on Comedy for Social Change, and The Opportunity Agenda’s Innovations Fellowship. Find out more at ZahraComedy.com.