Is humour an important element of your writing? And how important is it in the novels you read? Obviously it's fairly essential that comic novels be funny but what about other novels where humour can be present to a greater or lesser degree or even not at all?

Can't live without it, in both my reading and writing.

I love it when you find it unexpectedly in an otherwise dark, intense novel. The scene where the vicar's reading out crossword puzzles to the elderly woman in D H Lawrence's The Virgin and the Gypsy is one, and the line in Wuthering Heights where Lockwood asks Cathy whether 'her favourites are among these' and points to a heap of dead rabbits, are good ones. And the moment early in Middlemarch where Dorothea confesses to Sir James that she daren't have a lap dog in case she steps on it by accident, is another that always tickles me.

Not for nothing does Shakespeare always have a comic scene even in his tragedies. And when we were talking about Dawn of the Dead, I forgot to say that the final aerial shot in the mall of the zombies trailing round like shoppers always makes me laugh, especially given the soundtrack there is the absurdly cheery 70s hit 'Popcorn'.

I like a novel or short story that mixes dark and light, myself, because I always think that they enhance each other in the contrast.

I like tongue-in-cheek, wry humour in my writing, both read and what I scribble myself. I tried to write comedy, and failed, so I guess now I have to content myself with a more subtle approach.

JB

I agree, Lammi, that mixture of the two makes for a very powerful potion, often more so than one alone. I love it when I laugh at something and yet I know that it is not a laughing matter. Rohinton Mistry did that several times in 'A fine balance'. Something so poignant about it.

JB, do you think that writing with humour is something you either can do or you can't, or can you learn how?

JB, do you think that writing with humour is something you either can do or you can't, or can you learn how?

I know this was aimed at JB, but to hijack the question, I find that humour is a question of pace; just like a joke, it needs to have a build up and a punchline at the end, with a smattering of little punch-lines for longer pieces. Alternatively, with a serious piece, finish on a wry comment, and continue at a new chapter.
The problem is often one of trying to squeeze too much in - the funny bit plus a series of character descriptions or a bit of scene setting - boring.
Keep it snappy.

I've been worrying about my approach to this recently. I'm writing a YA novel in which the MC has quite a dry sense of humour and tends to use it as a defence mechanism, making quips here and there, but she's also facing some really difficult problems and I've started to worry that my style will seem insensitive for what she's dealing with. I just hope it all seems 'in character' rather than the kind of humour that's just tacked on.

It is only natural to use humour as a defence mechanism, Myrtle. When a child uses it, often it irritates the adults who wrongly assume the child is not taking them seriously/being dismissive.
So long as you get the other characters' response right there's no reason it shouldn't work. I'd prefer to see humour left in, than everything be treated as serious/PC - such pieces risk sounding preachy.

Myrtle, I know what you mean. My MC's husband dies in the first chapter and I'm really having a problem with my MC's humour - too much seems insensitive, too little and the chapter is a bit boring.

I'm seriously thinking about bringing him back to life...

And to answer the original question, yes, I think humour is important. I read a book recently in which the story and ending were quite poor, but there were some laugh out loud lines which redeemed the book to a certain extent.

I think that in real life a lot of people laugh or joke inappropriately when in a stressful situation. I know I have done. For a character to joke in these kind of situations can be an effective way of showing that they have trouble coming to terms with reality.

Jacqueline Wilson's characters can be very or at least wryly funny in some very tough situations, but I don't think you'd ever accuse her of not taking those situations seriously. I don't know if it makes a difference that she always writes in the first person.

Emma

Yes, mine is first person. I think I'm just full of doubt because I can see the finish line. And then what?! This is the first book I've written in which I want readers to like my characters, my style, the plot AND the humour as well. Otherwise it's just me laughing at my own jokes as usual!

can be an effective way of showing that they have trouble coming to terms with reality.

Of course the opposite can also be true; a person may joke around because they recognise the seriousness of the situation and try to lessen its impact - on themselves, or those closest to them. Jokes can be used to avoid crumbling into an emotional heap. The character is trying to be strong for the sake of family or friends....
hmmm I think I'm repeating myself here

<Added>

Laughing at your own jokes is always a good sign, Myrtle :)

I do have a sense of humour but I'm not strongly drawn to writing which is overtly humorous, though it's nice for a change sometimes, and nice when there's a little natural humour in a non-humorous book.

I never deliberately write humour, but I've been told some of my scenes are funny in a black humour sense. I guess black humour's the only kind I can do.

Deb

Unfortunately my humour is very 'tongue in cheek' but I've no idea if it comes across as such in the wip. Sooner or later I'm going to have to get someone to read it and underline anything that's tickled their chuckle buds.