What’s a humorous story?
In the same way, you might ask, what’s a comic story? Or a witty story? Are they any different?
Mark Twain, the great American writer, threw some light on it when he wrote an essay titled How to Tell a Story.
The humorous story is AMERICAN, the comic story is ENGLISH, the witty story is FRENCH.
Mark Twain
It raises more questions than it answers. Twain explains what he means by this: the humorous story depends upon the manner of the telling; the comic and the witty story upon the matter.
The last two — the comic and witty stories — must be brief and end with a point. No specific art is required to tell them; one can easily do that. At the same time, you pretty much set up your writing in a way that the reader expects something funny. Some italicised words, some exclamation marks! You know the narrator is trying to make you laugh. There seems to be some serious effort on his part. And that can play spoiler sometimes.
The humorous story is very different ballgame. First of all, it’s an art — a high and delicate art. The humorous story is told gravely. The teller does his best to conceal the fact that he even dimly suspects that there is anything funny about it. Therefore, the reader of a humorous story has to be alert. Often the narrator will divert your attention just like a magician. And just when you are looking the other way, the humour will catch you. That’s why it comes with a surprise.
Kalampedia 