Art of Witty Banter PDF

Building Better Banter  The Basics Part I Play In Conversation Part I Tool 1: Never Use Absolutes Tool 1: Break the Fourth Wall “What’s your favourite movie, ice cream, meal?”...

Building Better Banter  The Basics Part I Play In Conversation Part I Tool 1: Never Use Absolutes Tool 1: Break the Fourth Wall “What’s your favourite movie, ice cream, meal?” Commenting on the conversation itself. Instead, use stream of consciousness, free associations, Acknowledge something about the conversation. Full meta! connections based on particular nouns/topics discussed. “This conversation just took a fun turn…” Tool 2: Canned Invitations Questions “I apologize for talking so much about this topic…” Q: How are you? A: “I’m swinging in an hammock!” Be positive: “Franky, I don’t know where this conversation is Q: How was your weekend? A: “[describe something funny]” going but I like it!” Q: Where’d you go to school? A: “[partying 80% studying 20%]” Us against the World: “Have you noticed something…?” Q: Where are you from? A: “[the prairie skies…minus 40.]” Tool 2: Fall Back Stories Q: Do you have siblings? A: “[one sis, two bros..lot-a-sharing]” Q: What do you do? A: “[I help financial traders click better]” Fall back stories should be universal. Never use absolutes….. Q: What did you study? A: “[people, places and beers]” Four distinct parts 1. The bridging sentence “You know what I heard yesterday…” Tool 3: Double Answers 2. The story “One of my friends proposed to her boyfriend, didn’t want to wait…” Step 1 – provide a layman’s answer that is short, unique and fun. 3. Your opinion of the story “I thought, well, it’s 2021…” “I pack and send wallets for a living!” “This weekend I sailed my 4. What their opinion of the story “Would you accept a proposal like that?” parents sailboat chanting limericks and avoiding siblings.” Step 2 – provide the expert answer. “I’m the CEO of a men’s ❑ Just transition from a dead convo: “Want to know something interesting that happened yesterday?” or “You won’t believe what happened?” apparel company.” “Sailing since I was 12, like riding a bike.” ❑ Story points out some basic emotions, story telling. It’s not even about the story…what is the primary emotion and point!!! IMPORTANT NOTES ❑ My opinion: “You want to have a positive interpretation.” It’s key to be positive… ❑ Opinion: “Would I do that?” You need multiple questions to prime the conversation. ▪ Don’t want to appear too knowledgeable or elitist in Step 2 Based on "the art of witty banter: be clever, Quick & Magnetic" by Patrick King Based on "the art of witty banter: be clever, Quick & Magnetic" by Patrick King The Basics Part II Play In Conversation Part II Tool 4: Always Stay Positive Tool 3: Role Play Lead with: “Yes!”, “Agreed!”, “Totally!”, “Awesome!” Avoid: “Nope!”, “Yeah But!”, “Wrong!”, “The opposite!” Get the creative mind flowing, how would you proceed with Compliment things that the person can control: clothing, this story? hairstyle, accessories, world view, their ideas, how they solve/tackle a problem, weight loss….. 1.Make a judgement about someone, that contrasts with you. Do not compliment eyes, ears, face, body as the person “You are great at navigating” cannot really control those things, (also inappropriate). 2.Give them a label in a statement made. “Chris Columbus of Flattery can quickly become ham fisted and lame, avoid it. Round Lake.” 3.Start playing the role: the modern Chris Columbus. Then Tool 5: Pay Attention to how they want to be perceived you play out the role conversationally. Call out when some one has put in a lot of effort. 4.Then continue with the fake set of questions…Chris “You kept working on that project, we love it!” Columbus would you travel to the moon? SUMMARY OF THE BASICS SUMMARY OF PLAY IN CONVERSATIONS: 1.Don’t use absolutes, use generalizations…no right answers. 1.Breaking the fourth wall; 2.Reactions are important, mirror the emotions that the other 2.Use against the world technique; person is expressing, this brings them onside. 3.Short fall back stories to test how they would react; 3.Use free associations in the conversation; keywords! 4.Role playing….take on generic roles and then follow up the 4.Double answer: layman answer and expert answer. role play. 5.Give people complements on the things they control. Based on "the art of witty banter: be clever, Quick & Magnetic" by Patrick King Based on "the art of witty banter: be clever, Quick & Magnetic" by Patrick King  Witty Banter Part I Funny on Command Tool 1: Don’t Be Too Literal Tool 1: The Comic Triple ▪ So the idea here is to be more playful in your conversation, less literal ▪ List two things that are positive (negative) and then one negative (positive). ▪ Audiences expect the third to align with the other. This surprise causes laughter and less serious. Use conversation as a way to have fun with people ▪ [good things], [good thing] and [bad things]. rather than share information or facts. ▪ Greeks gave us science, democracy and little cubes of charred meat that taste like ▪ Something that is noteworthy and gets their attention is more sweat. – Big Bang Theory valuable than a straightforward answer, in most circumstances. ▪ Make sure you actually answer the question so that you’re humorous Tool 2: Misdirection and informative. Stating something in the first part and then the true sentiment in the second part. I love dogs except seeing, hearing or touching them. Tool 2: Witty Comeback ▪ When you come back should be done with an indifferent Tool 3: Sarcasm tone, in the way that perhaps James Bond might use, after Usually to exaggerate the situation to the absurd… just defeating a villain. “Positively shocking!” Make sure you do this dead pan… ▪ Focus on specific words that the person uses. And exploit Oh that would be the end of the world… those words. Re-interpret them in a new way. Intentionally mis-interpret their statements. Tool 4: Irony ▪ For example, Statement: you’re as slow as a glacier….could The opposite of what was intended. Observing contrasts. be interpreted as. Comeback: you mean I’m strong and cool Ironic Simile: “As a sad as a dog with a bone.” under pressure? “As flexible as a brick.” Tool 3: Amplify the Statement to a ridiculous degree “You look like a girl” Can be responded with “Am I a charming girl?” Based on "the art of witty banter: be clever, Quick & Magnetic" by Patrick King Based on "the art of witty banter: be clever, Quick & Magnetic" by Patrick King  Witty Banter Part II Captivating Stories Tool 3: Banter Chain Tool 1: The Power of Three The key is to stop taking things at face value and start We have an innate desire to hear things in threes the human brain is drawn to patterns of three, the three little pigs, the three bears, the intentionally misinterpret the statement for goofy results. holy Trinity and the three branches of government. Etc etc. The best way to break the mold in small talk is to play dumb and misconstrue what the other persons point was. Tool 2: MiniStory You can achieve quite a lot in your banter by agreeing and You have to recognize them in our daily stories. then going beyond and amplifying what they had said to Storytelling is telling someone what happened. create a banter chain. For example, Statement: I love the We must draw and tell stories from our daily lives. colour of that cat. Reply: “so you think that cat is sexy huh?” Tool 3: The Story Spine – 8 Elements Answer: “Yeah, I think that cat sexy I can go on a date with 1. “Once upon a time there was ___.” You lay out the characters… that cat.” Question: “where would you take the cat?” 2. “Every day, ___.” You lay out their world… Answer: “I’d take that cat dancing all night, cats are nocturnal 3. “One day ___.” dilemma one…. after all.” 4. “Because of that, ___.” dilemma two…. 5. Because of that, ___. (and so on) dilemma three… Tool 4: Exaggeration Is an Effective Technique 6. “So….” dilemma four…. 7. “Until finally ___.” Climax For example if you say I’m really hungry I could eat this 8. And every day after that ___. You provide the moral of the story at whole meal myself, the other person could reply oh I could the end which signals you’re done telling the story The High Point of a conversation could be referenced at a future point in the conversation which creates an eat a horse; inside angle between you and the person you’re talking with Make sure the exaggeration is extreme: “I’ll call you when Asking the right questions in a conversation is critical by asking the right questions you’re able to elicit storytelling so frame your question as though it requires a story and you’ll get more out of your partner. you get home.” A: “Well, I don’t know how I don’t know if One ask for a story to be brought as to what you were asking give them multiple prompts Ask them for an emotional angle. they have phones on the moon….” Based on "the art of witty banter: be clever, Quick & Magnetic" by Patrick King Based on "the art of witty banter: be clever, Quick & Magnetic" by Patrick King