How do you come up with some good jokes?

To come up with good jokes, choose the target and the point of ridicule, and make sure the joke contains an element of realism along with exaggeration, emotion and a surprise ending. Combine these elements, and time your delivery for the best effect.

The target of your joke could be any person, place, thing or idea. Choose a target that your audience finds familiar, and pick an important element of that target as the point of ridicule. Ridicule does not have to be hostile or mean-spirited. Ensure the joke is real for the audience by mentioning some aspect to which they can relate, and exaggerate the point of ridicule for comedic effect. Engage listeners by telling a story, asking a question or mentioning an emotional or intimate topic at the start of the joke. Deliver the surprise at the end of a one-liner or longer story-style joke, or give the punchline answer to a question.

For example, telling a joke for students and choosing a library as the target, with its very real large collection of stories as the point of ridicule, can help you formulate a take on one classic joke. Exaggerate the number of stories in the collection, and then add a surprise based on the multiple meanings of the word "story." Tie in to emotion and interest using a question-and-answer format. This gives a joke that runs along the lines of "What million-story building is found in almost every major city?" The punchline is "The library."