Pulitzer-winning author Andrew Sean Greer has explored the nature of the comic novel, suggesting that its essence lies in the author's decision to find humour in a situation. Greer notes that while many agree on authors like Wodehouse, he also finds comedy in unexpected places, such as Herman Melville's Moby-Dick.
Greer describes the process of writing comic novels as a 'double-processing' effort. He first delves into the hardships and frustrations of characters as realistically, even tragically, as possible, before then writing the story as if it is funny.
He also shared that writing comic novels is a more pleasant experience for him compared to serious ones, despite the plots not being inherently funnier. Greer believes that comedy is most effective when it addresses something 'hard and true', offering a temporary, often artificial, resolution to life's challenges.