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Posts by author

Elissa Bassist

115 posts
Elissa Bassist edits the Funny Women column and teaches humor writing. Her next class is "How to Write a Comedic Memoir" on 3/30. She wrote Hysterical, a semi-finalist for The Thurber Prize for American humor, and is co-writing Inside Jokes: A Comedy and Creativity Guide for All Writers with Caitlin Kunkel (out in 2026). Her newsletter is Tragedy Plus Time.
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  • Funny Women

Women’s History Month Series Lineup

  • Elissa Bassist
  • March 21, 2025
March is Women’s History Month, and streamers will deliver new, groundbreaking series centering women. 
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  • Funny Women
  • Rumpus Original

From the Archives: FUNNY WOMEN #61: My Imaginary Wet Hot American Summer

  • Elissa Bassist
  • July 7, 2023
Shwayder Camp, Idaho Springs, 1997. This summer has been—without rival—the best summer of my life. Life, I am sure, will continue on this trajectory.
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  • Funny Women
  • Humor
  • Rumpus Original

FROM THE ARCHIVE: FUNNY WOMEN: Feminist Valentine’s Day Gifts

  • Elissa Bassist
  • February 4, 2022
Stretch. Listen in hundreds of different positions. Listen a little to the left; now a little to the right.
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  • Other

Fierce Womxn Writing

  • Elissa Bassist
  • January 9, 2020
FIERCE WOMXN WRITING is designed to help writers “level up” their writing.
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  • Other

The Belladonna: Funny Writing by Women, for Everyone

  • Elissa Bassist
  • April 27, 2017
Looking for the hot new place to submit and read humor writing? The Belladonna is the latest online venue for comedy and self-care, courtesy of writers and editors Caitlin Kunkel, Brooke Preston, Fiona Taylor, Carrie Wittmer, and Daniel…
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  • Funny Women
  • Humor
  • Rumpus Original

Funny Women #152: Features of the Groundbreaking American Writers Museum

  • Elissa Bassist
  • April 11, 2017
We’ll be open as long as the National Endowment for the Arts is.
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  • Politics
  • Rumpus Original

Where We Go from Here

  • Elissa Bassist
  • November 18, 2016
Warrior up! Begin with small actions, like donating or volunteering, if you're able.
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  • Other

Call for Submissions: Emrys Journal

  • Elissa Bassist
  • September 21, 2016
“Funny Women” submissions don’t read themselves. Most of the time Assistant Regional Funny Woman Katie Burgess reads them (she wrote the infinitely funny “How to Read a Poem,” anthologized in Oxford University…
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  • Funny Women
  • Humor
  • Rumpus Original

FUNNY WOMEN #143: Feminism, the Quiz

  • Elissa Bassist
  • September 13, 2016
How often do you dissemble power structures with equal-opportunity daredevildom?
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  • Other

Tragedy in Spades: a Crime Documentary (the Play)

  • Elissa Bassist
  • April 6, 2016
Probably internationally acclaimed playwright Liza Birkenmeier, dubbed “the next big thing” by someone somewhere, who wrote national bestseller “Funny Women #136: Recommendation Letter” is also here to help you with your weekend…
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  • Other

Introducing Reductress’s Mouth Time!

  • Elissa Bassist
  • March 17, 2016
“Just two girls sharing what our heads are thinking by moving our mouths.” The editors of beloved and renowned women’s site Reductress have launched a podcast aptly named Mouth Time! with hosts Quenn (Nicole Silverberg) and…
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  • Other

Hello, My Name Is Doris

  • Elissa Bassist
  • March 11, 2016
It’s a popular yet strenuous question: What are you doing this weekend? For once I have an easy answer. As a Showalter superfan (of filmmaker Michael Showalter and leading feminist literary critic Elaine…
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