'I'm 13 and Funny, My Job Is to Stop Inappropriate Humor'

Being a seventh grader and an author of a book is rewarding, yet it does take hard work. I like to say that the way I got here is a story about establishing the roots for great things, because my experiences have shown me the potential that is within each of us to use our gifts and talents.

When I was in second grade at school in Colorado, I began creating jokes. And although they were not as good as they are now, it made me happy. It was fun for me to write them. One joke that I came up with is: What did the llama say to the camel when they went on vacation? Alpaca toothbrush. Another one is: What kind of dog does a scientist have? A lab-rador. I would tell these jokes to people because I loved to see them laugh, and I still do. It was a good experience. I think that it's what created a foundation for writing my book.

Now, I look back and see that this was the roots of my book. Roots are the beginnings of things. We plant the seeds and things can grow. Seed planting looks like basic research on an interest, or it could simply look like finding that you are interested in a topic. When these seeds grow roots, you might find you are experimenting a bit with your talent or interest. For me, it was coming up with those jokes in second grade.

After a tree grows its roots, it will sprout. For me, that was getting an opportunity to do something great with my talents. But just like in nature, sprouting can take a long time, so I had to be patient.

One day in November, 2020 my mom told me she thought I could write a book of my jokes. She then sent my work to publishers. When she told me that they were interested and wanted to see more, I felt prized and special. It's not every day that a kid gets a book contract. I told my friends and they were just as shocked, and it was a great conversation starter among my family. They were really happy for me because they knew that I would go far with it.

As my tree grows, I see branches, which are more opportunities coming to me from my book. For me this is doing interviews for podcasts, articles and on television, which is thrilling. It feels different being on TV at my age because there aren't very many young people on television. But these experiences have taught me that being known by a lot of people doesn't make you famous. However popular you are, at the end of the day people are going to forget about you at some point, so you should be yourself, because who you are won't change. I also don't consider myself a "child genius" as the only smart move I think I made was realizing my talents.

Perhaps I stick out among my classmates a bit because of this. Of course, sticking out doesn't always make you popular, but it makes you known. I have learned that finding a few loyal friends is better. I have some great friends who support me and my book, and I am planning to run for student council with one of them.

Being an author is a public way of getting your words out. No matter what kind of book you write, you are still teaching people something. With my joke book, I realized I am modeling what good humor for kids should look like. One thing that I talk to my classmates about is good humor vs. dark or inappropriate humor. I think dark and inappropriate humor is flooding our community, and I feel that it is partly my job to stop it.

By writing a joke book for kids, I am encouraging other children and young people to start telling puns instead of sharing disrespectful humor that might be at the expense of someone else. That kind of humor upsets me; you might even be putting someone who has had a traumatic experience at risk by exposing them to rude comments or jokes about something they have been through. I am very pleased to help those who are getting harassed by others with this kind of humor. My way of stopping this is to simply say "no" when other kids tell a joke that I don't think is appropriate. It's not too harsh, but it gives the message that it is not acceptable. I see it that I'm teaching good, clean humor, because I feel that there's not enough of it today.

Now, I am trying to write a second book. My ultimate goal is to make people feel a little lighter with my jokes and puns. I want there to be more laughter in the world and make life a little easier.

I encourage my friends by asking them questions about themselves to try to bring out the gifts in them. For example, I encouraged my friend who I am running for student council with at my school to use his leadership skills. Talents are so important. Different talents show us the world in different ways, and we need different perspectives to see the world around us better. I think I wrote a book at my age because I used my talents in a smart way. Anyone can do anything if they develop their talents wisely.

William Daniel is a seventh grader in Colorado. His book, You're Joking Me: Jokes for Kids by a Kid is available from November 8 and can be pre-ordered now.

All views expressed in this article are the author's own.