Finchbearer
Istar
What do we all think of the concept of ‘cosy fantasy’?
Generally characterised by low stakes, a charming setting, close knit community or found family and general sense of comfort or nostalgia.
Settings often include shops, cafes, gardens or any other setting that is meant for leisure or pleasure. Magical forests, quaint villages or in a cosy cottage.
There could be an emphasis on romance, mystery or humour and of course magic or other fantastical elements.
The characters could fit into those fantasy archetypal races such as goblins, elves, faeries, orcs, dwarves and humans, or all the characters could be human or otherwise anthropomorphised.
I personally feel like Wind in the Willows is the OG cosy ‘fantasy’, and fits many of that criteria - but that was originally intended as a children’s book.
Have you written any cosy fantasy? Do you know what it is or do you like it? Would you consider writing it? What do you think it says about what people want to read nowadays?
I feel like it can be very relaxing to both read and write, and I’ve been dabbling with a few cosy fantasy and cosy fiction ideas. Low stakes maybe appeals to many readers because real life is harsh enough? Or perhaps it appeals because the usual fantasy rhetoric is to place the main character into hardship after hardship and people are just experiencing some sort of fatigue from this type of formula.
Generally characterised by low stakes, a charming setting, close knit community or found family and general sense of comfort or nostalgia.
Settings often include shops, cafes, gardens or any other setting that is meant for leisure or pleasure. Magical forests, quaint villages or in a cosy cottage.
There could be an emphasis on romance, mystery or humour and of course magic or other fantastical elements.
The characters could fit into those fantasy archetypal races such as goblins, elves, faeries, orcs, dwarves and humans, or all the characters could be human or otherwise anthropomorphised.
I personally feel like Wind in the Willows is the OG cosy ‘fantasy’, and fits many of that criteria - but that was originally intended as a children’s book.
Have you written any cosy fantasy? Do you know what it is or do you like it? Would you consider writing it? What do you think it says about what people want to read nowadays?
I feel like it can be very relaxing to both read and write, and I’ve been dabbling with a few cosy fantasy and cosy fiction ideas. Low stakes maybe appeals to many readers because real life is harsh enough? Or perhaps it appeals because the usual fantasy rhetoric is to place the main character into hardship after hardship and people are just experiencing some sort of fatigue from this type of formula.