Person
Every book Scott Dikkers recommended on podcasts
Scott Dikkers is a writer, humorist, and satirist who frequently discusses the mechanics of comedy and writing on interview programs such as How I Write. Drawing from his extensive experience in the satirical publishing world, Dikkers referenced several classic literary works to illustrate essential concepts regarding humor, character archetypes, and the pitfalls of satire. He discussed Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels to demonstrate how satirical writing can ultimately fail when it becomes overly serious and preachy toward the end of the narrative. Dikkers also brought up George Eliot's Silas Marner to explain how obscure literary references can be strategically layered into the background of written work for a select portion of the audience. Furthermore, he mentioned the depressed robot from Douglas Adams's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as a prime example of the classic sad sack character archetype. Through these literary references, Dikkers provides practical insights into the structure, tone, and comedic timing required for effective writing.
Books recommended by Scott Dikkers
-
Gulliver's Travels
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift is a classic satirical novel that follows Lemuel Gulliver on extraordinary voyages to strange and fantastical lands.
Discussed“However, in Gulliver's Travels, he got really serious and preachy and the whole last part of the book is just him preaching at you about how the world should be different.”
Where to get it
-
Silas Marner
Silas Marner by George Eliot is a classic Victorian novel about a reclusive weaver whose life is transformed by the arrival of an abandoned child.
Discussed“So, you want 100% of your audience to get the headline and laugh, but once you're down at paragraph eight, you can do an obscure Silas Marner reference that two people are going to get.”
Where to get it
-
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams is a beloved comedic science fiction classic that satirizes bureaucracy, existentialism, and the absurdities of the universe.
Discussed“Like Eeyore, like um, the robot in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Now, that's a funny irony robots, you know, they have no emotions.”
Where to get it
Books Scott Dikkers wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Dikkers: 11 Ways to Make Your Writing More Funny | How I Write | How I Write | 2026-07-22 | 3 |
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“So I wrote my first nonfiction book which was how to write funny where I just spell out the science of okay cuz nobody does that.”
“The bureaucrat is one of the 40 character archetypes that I lay out in my book How to Write Funny Characters...”