How

to be Witty

The Ultimate Guide to Improving Your Wit and Building your Social
Skills
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1 - Understanding the Merits of Being a Good
Conversationalist
Chapter 2 - Determining the Traits that Set a Witty Individual Apart
from Others
Chapter 3 - Highlighting General Rules in a Conversation
Chapter 4 - Learning to Think Outside of the Box
Chapter 5 - Identifying and Steering Away from Common Pitfalls in
Conversations
Introduction

I want to thank you and congratulate you for downloading the book, How
To Be Witty: The Ultimate Guide to Improving Your Wit and Building
Your Social Skills
This book is the perfect tool if you have the desire to increase your social
presence. Being clever and funny in conversation can increase the quality
of your life in enormous ways. You will have greater self-confidence,
increase the quality of your relationships and enjoy yourself more in
social situations.
Human beings thrive on social interactions, therefore, improving your
conversational skills will ultimately lead to the improvement of the
quality of your life.
This book contains proven steps and strategies on how to increase your
presence, focus and reaction time in conversation. It will explain what
you need to do in order to improve this area of your life.
Thanks again for downloading this book, I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 1 - Understanding the
Merits of Being a Good
Conversationalist

Have you ever found yourself enthralled by a witty conversationalist?
Have you been in a situation where people are so rigid that you become
too self-conscious yourself? Don't you sometimes wish you have the
ability to enliven an otherwise bland and dull conversation?
Being witty actually presents a lot of uses, most of which are geared to
make you a better conversationalist and be more adept at dealing with
social situations. Here are a few of such uses:
● Witticisms can serve as effective ice breakers. When people in a
group are too caught up with rules and a striking fear of rejection, it
can be very difficult to establish a connection. In these types of
situations, sometimes all it takes is one perfectly concocted comeback
to make everyone comfortable and allow them to let go of the notion
that they are being judged.
● Conversations with strangers can be hard, so attempts at
establishing rapport with them are certainly welcome. Being witty is
one of the ways you can build rapport.
● Being witty can also serve as a flirting tool. When done right, it's
the perfect way to catch anyone's attention without causing
unnecessary tension and awkwardness.
● Making witty remarks is a great way of acknowledging what
others just said. It shows that you are an active listener and that you
are actually paying attention to what other people are saying.
Being witty is a trait that you are not born with. Instead, it is something
that can be achieved through dedication, commitment and a continuous
desire to be better at handling conversations. If you feel you have what it
takes to be witty, now is as good a time as any to nurture such potential.
On this note, the succeeding chapters provide a detailed discussion of
who a witty conversationalist is and what it entails to be one.
Chapter 2 - Determining the Traits
that Set a Witty Individual Apart
from Others

Witty conversationalists stand out from most other speakers, mainly
because they leave a unique part of their personality in the conversations
they make with other people.
Here are some of the traits that mark a witty conversationalist:
A witty conversationalist is an excellent listener
If you consider yourself witty, then one of the most primordial skills you
should have is the ability not just to listen, but to listen well. Much of
your success as a conversationalist depends in huge part on how you
respond to what people say or do. In fact, it can be argued that being witty
is actually a test of your listening skills. The more you understand what
others are saying, the easier it becomes for you to make snappy
comebacks.
A witty conversationalist is a quick thinker
A witty comeback needs to be said right away, almost instantaneously, or
else it quickly loses its zing. You can't spend more than five seconds after
the last person has spoken before attempting to make a witty reply; that's
considered a delayed reaction. As such, the ability to think quickly is no
doubt an invaluable skill you should possess.
A witty conversationalist exudes confidence
Many people find it hard to be witty because they aren't sure if they have
what it takes to be funny and smart. They feel they are merely mediocre
speakers that don't stand out when placed in a social setting; but this
mindset only serves to reinforce, rather than challenge, the notion that
you are boring and dull -- two things that you certainly aren't, especially
if you only take time to sport enough faith in your capabilities. Everyone,
including you, is capable of being a witty conversationalist. You just need
to be confident first.
Have you ever noticed how the most engaging and interesting speakers
seem to connect with their audience with the slightest hint of hesitation
or awkwardness? That's confidence at work. This is an essential skill
developed over time. The more assured you are at delivering your spiels,
your timing, as well as your physical gestures, the better you become at
establishing your presence.
A witty conversationalist has an arsenal of
conversational techniques for every occasion and
for each type of audience
So you want to be witty? Aside from being a quick thinker, you should
also be a creative thinker.
The principal reason why witty comebacks are such an interesting
element of any conversation is precisely because they bring something
fresh, surprising and unexpected to the table. In other words, they lend
spice and depth to an otherwise dry and predictable conversation.
There are a number of ways that this can be achieved. A witty
conversationalist should be familiar with some, if not all, of these
techniques, including the use of puns, sarcasm, one-word zingers,
rhetorical questions, and made-up words, among others. Each of these
techniques should be used in the proper context or else they lose their
appeal.
Puns are words used to create an all new meaning out of an existing one,
often as an attempt at humor. They are used to either strike home a point
or highlight an irony. Words that sound alike but have different meanings
can also be used as a pun. For example, when talking about a young pilot
who has just officially started a career at a major airline, you can say, "I
suppose his career as a pilot has reached the sky, pun intended."
Sarcasm, on the other hand, takes a little effort to master because far too
often, there is a thin line that separates being sarcastic from being
offensive. When not delivered properly, a statement originally designed
to be sarcastic may come across as a passive-aggressive statement that
may bring up unintended resentment or annoyance from others.
To be sarcastic is to imply something without being upfront about it,
often by saying the opposite with a tone that says you don't mean what
you are saying. For example, when a friend brings up an embarrassing
story with you as the central character, you can say "Thank you for
bringing THAT up, I certainly appreciate a humiliating story about me,"
you are in effect saying that you didn't like the story.
In general, puns and sarcasm are not supposed to be explained; they
should be easily understood. You know you delivered either of them
wrong when you have to explain to others the meaning of what you just
said.
Some of the other techniques you can use in your conversations are
rhetorical questions. These are the sort of questions where the answer is
either pretty obvious or something you want hanging, and as such need
not be stated verbally. You can also try coming up with your own made-
up words as a way to enliven your conversations.
A witty conversationalist is not afraid to laugh at
himself or herself
One of the key rules in being witty is that you should deliver your witty
responses in a way that seems casual and unforced. Otherwise, you are
preempting the impact of your statements.
When you try to be witty, there's always a 50-50 chance that your
responses may either work or not. So don't take it too seriously when
some of your attempts fall flat. You should be the first person to make a
laugh out of your failures. Doing so suggests that you are a good sport
and adds to your overall charm.
A witty conversationalist has a keen sense of timing
As mentioned earlier, a witty comeback has a very short lifespan. When it
is not used or uttered right away, it loses much of its significance and
fails to deliver the impact it would have otherwise generated had it been
said much earlier.
At the same time, witty responses are at their most effective when said in
the most appropriate time at the most appropriate context. Witticisms are
anything but random; they are always used in the context of what has just
been said. Therefore, it is necessary to have a fairly good grasp of when
or when not to make witty responses to ensure that they create a more
memorable impact.
A witty conversationalist is an observer
The smartest and most effective conversationalists all share one trait in
common: they are all keen observers. Studying how people behave, how
they talk, what makes them funny and what the dynamics are in a
conversation allows you to identify the right approach in dealing with
others. Being observant also gives you enough material that you can
definitely bring up when you engage in future conversations.
A witty conversationalist is almost always
emotionally balanced
Calm and collected -- that's how you should deliver your witticisms. So
it's hard to imagine how you can go about your witticisms if you are not
at the right emotional state. Chances are, you may come across as boorish
or rude, or just downright unfunny. In other words, you have to be in the
right mood to make a particularly lasting impact to the people you are
talking with.
And finally, a witty conversationalist is true to
himself or herself
To be witty, you don't have to pretend to be someone you aren't. You just
need to be yourself and bank on your own creativity. When you come
across as a poor imitation of somebody else, you just call attention to
your lack of originality and the absence of a distinct personality. So revel
in your own quirks and stay true to who you really are.
Chapter 3 - Highlighting General
Rules in a Conversation

As with anything else, conversing with other people requires rules to
ensure it doesn't turn into an unpleasant experience. These rules are also
critical in building your social skills; the more well-adjusted you are, the
easier it is for you to socialize with other people. Therefore, as you strive
to develop your wittiness, it is necessary that you take stock of these rules
so you don't end up becoming a boorish conversationalist.
First of all, determine who your audience is. Knowing who you are
talking with sets the direction for your tone, demeanor, and choice of
words. The way you talk with your friends, for example, isn't necessarily
the same way you talk with your superiors at work. Knowing who your
audience is allows you to adjust and create an appropriate approach when
conversing with them, often by matching their sensibilities and using
their vocabulary.
On the same note, it is just as important to adjust according to the
occasion and place where you are at. For instance, you may have a
different way of dealing with your college pals when you go out to grab
some drinks at a local bar on a weekend as compared to the way you deal
with your relatives on a cousin's wedding in the church.
Stand out for the right reasons
The key is to match yourself with the setting and the people you are
talking with so you don't end up attracting attention to yourself for all the
wrong reasons. Much of your success as a witty conversationalist hinges
on this general rule, so learn to have a proper sense of place. Otherwise,
you end up coming across as insensitive or annoyingly rude.
When talking with people you barely know, a good rule of thumb is to ask
questions. Generally, people love talking about themselves. Ask about
broad, relatable topics, such as, say, the weather, as a way of breaking the
ice. As you move along, your questions can become more specific, all of
which should be based on the responses you have gathered from your
initial probing. So as highlighted in the previous chapter, one of the really
invaluable skills you should master is the ability to listen well.
On a related note, avoid talking too much about yourself. It's fine to
answer questions from other people, but not to the extent of boring them
with even the tiniest detail about something in your life that they
probably don't care about. If you have been talking for far too long and
you see people either staring at you with blank eyes or looking elsewhere,
then it's probably time to stop rambling.
Positive vibes
To avoid unnecessary tension and awkwardness, stay away from topics
that tend to be divisive, too intimate, or those that elicit strong reactions.
Being an intelligent conversationalist means you have to carefully tread
unseen boundaries, particularly on topics that include sex, politics and
religion, among others. Gauge your audience well before making a
snappy retort involving any of these subjects. Will they appreciate such a
response? Will they get mad? If you were in their shoes, how would you
feel?
Instead of setting a negative vibe to the conversation, why not go the
opposite route and bring positive vibes by learning to compliment other
people and being sincere about it? It is inherent in humans to feel good
upon knowing they are being appreciated by others. Compliment others
for the way they look. Say your gratitude to the host about the wonderful
venue and food served. Congratulate others with their successes and
milestones in their lives. It doesn't really take too much to be generous
with praises, does it?
However, be cautious from sounding insincere and patronizing. As such,
your verbal praises must be matched by your physical gestures to avoid
misunderstanding. A good way to say a compliment is by giving it with a
smile.
So in sum, being a witty conversationalist does not necessarily mean that
you have to be offensive. Treat each conversation as a great opportunity
for you to learn, build healthy rapport with other people and be very adept
at turning it into an engaging and certainly interesting conversation.
Chapter 4 - Learning to Think
Outside of the Box

Many people say being witty is actually a lot harder than being funny.
After all, laughing can be an instinctive exercise, whereas making a
smart, well-crafted response to any statement takes a lot more cerebral
action and a deeper understanding of who you are talking with.
As highlighted in Chapter 2, being a witty conversationalist means you
don't only need to be a quick thinker, you have to be a creative thinker,
too. You need to be able to infuse a fresh perspective or a surprising
element into the conversation, all while staying within the context of
what has just been said. All this requires the ability to think outside of the
box.
So how can you develop the skill needed to think outside of the box? Here
are a number of simple ways to get you started:
● Be a voracious reader. Read books, magazines, newspapers and
any other printed material. There is a wealth of information available
in these materials that you simply wouldn't be able to get elsewhere.
The more informed you are about a wide range of knowledge,
including both iconic and obscure literary references, the easier it is
for you to create original and unique comebacks in your
conversations.
● Be an avid media consumer. In this day and age, getting clued in
on the latest trends in pop culture is a no-brainer. For starters, there's
the Internet. Find out what people are talking about via the analytics
data presented by social media sites. Get yourself in the know on
what's hot and what's not. Being aware of what the latest trends and
issues are puts you in a better position to make timely witticisms that
everyone can understand and appreciate.
 ● Be updated with news and current events. Aside from pop
culture, it is just as important to keep yourself abreast with what's
going on, not only within your local community, but around the
world. Your level of awareness of events gives you an edge to put a
relevant spin to otherwise bland statements and can even serve as a
bridge to create lively and engaging discussions.
● Have a keen sense of foresight. Having a clear idea of where a
conversation is headed to allows you to introduce interesting elements
into it. For example, if a discussion about a certain subject becomes
too heated, you can intervene by injecting a witty response as a way of
putting things under control.
Perhaps, the most integral thing about being able to think outside of the
proverbial box is that you have to be naturally curious. Insights and fresh
perspectives don't come out of nowhere. You have to immerse yourself
with the world around you, understand it and lend meaning to it from
your own unique perspective. The more curious you are and the more you
get out of your way to satisfy such curiosity, the better you become at
being able to think outside of your own protective bubble.
Chapter 5 - Identifying and
Steering Away from Common
Pitfalls in Conversations
Integral to being a good conversationalist is your ability to identify when
or when not to speak and how to deliver your thoughts. That being said,
the rules to having great conversations are pretty straightforward, no-
brainer even. However, many people inadvertently find themselves
failing to adhere to these basic rules, resulting in conversational faux pas
or less than ideal communication styles.
For instance, being witty takes a certain amount of restraint or control.
Replying with witty responses once or twice piques the interest of others
in you. But once you overdo it, the whole thing seems contrived and no
longer as amusing. Instead, you risk giving the impression that you are
trying too hard to be funny when you aren't, or that you are someone who
isn't supposed to be taken seriously.
So the key is to hold yourself back from overdoing it. Not all people
appreciate a witty comeback for a question that only requires a yes or a
no for an answer.
On a related note, do not be overly sarcastic. Note that sarcasm can be
used as an effective form of a witty response, but people tend to be put
off by it especially when it puts them in a humiliating spot. Learn to
balance things out, and avoid putting people in uncomfortable or
awkward situations.
Hold your horses
Speaking of awkward, if you ever find yourself making a witty remark
and the people you are talking with are not responding the way you
expect them to, take heart: every now and then some of your witticisms
fall flat and that's OK. Even the best stand-up comics sometimes fail to
deliver the laughs in some of their jokes. It's all part of learning what
works and what doesn't.
Being witty is at its most effective when you deliver it in a style that
suggests a sense of casualness or that you aren't trying too hard. And
nothing says "trying too hard" other than hogging the conversation or
constantly interrupting others when they are talking.
Again, witticisms require proper timing. You fail to look witty when all
you ever do is outtalk everyone. On the contrary, this obvious sense of
self-absorption can be very repulsive and if people are still around
despite your incessant rambling, they're just probably being polite. So try
to hold your horses and give everyone the chance to talk. Remember that
a good conversationalist is, first and foremost, a good listener.
The most important thing is to not pressure yourself into becoming witty.
Nothing good will ever come out if it if you simply force yourself to
appear to be someone you aren't. Ironically, the less conscious you are
about your conversational style, the more your inner wittiness shines
through. Be a natural.

Opportunity to learn and be better
In sum, being witty is a good trait to have, particularly if you want to
project yourself as an effective conversationalist. Being able to come up
with witty snapbacks while making it seem effortless and casual
highlights your ability to listen to what others are saying, process things
in your head quickly, and set off an interesting start to an otherwise bland
conversation.
However, do not let this goal supersede the basic elements of a good
conversation. Your desire to be witty is supposed to complement, not
override, good conversation skills. As such, always be mindful of the
general rules in conversation as outlined in Chapter 3.
Finally, being witty takes time and practice; it's not something that you
can summon overnight. Therefore, treat each conversation as a great
opportunity to learn. Note the positive attributes of the people you talk
with, in particular their conversational skills, and integrate these insights
into your own brand of communication. At the same time, try to do away
with communication booboos similar to the ones outlined in this chapter.
Once you have developed your social skills and fully mastered the art of
being witty, establishing your presence and building healthy connections
with other people should come naturally.
Conclusion

Thank you again for downloading this book!
I hope this book was able to help you develop the right skills and mindset
needed to make you an effective and witty conversationalist.
The next step is to live out the lessons you have learned from this book.
Remember that the key in establishing presence and in being witty lies in
your ability to listen and connect to the people you are talking with. The
more you practice, the better you become at it.

Finally, if you enjoyed this book, then I’d like to ask you for a favor,
would you be kind enough to leave a review for this book on Amazon?
It ’ d be greatly appreciated!

Thank you and good luck!