#lowstakes

[not-quite-a-murkrow]

we're in the eterna forest, behind the old chateau

we might need some help

don't think it's anything serious

might be bc i forgot to delete this post, might not

[kitauthor]

Let's Talk Stakes (Not Steaks)

The world just can't stop trying to end! A great example of this is in the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. At this point, I don't think I need a spoiler alert to say that Buffy stopped the Master, Angel, the Mayor, Adam, Glory, Willow, and finally the First. In the meantime, she had to keep her little sister safe (at least after season 4 started). And no, I'm not here to talk about those kind of stakes (the vampire poke-y kind) or tent stakes, but rather the kinds of stakes you find in your story. Because let's be honest, not only does it get exhausting having to save the world all the time, it also gets a little *yawn* old. I mean, at some point, much like the death of many characters in science fiction shows, the world just never ends (and let's be honest, at this point, we also wonder if these characters are really dead given how many times they come back.). I'm talking about the stakes in your novels. What's at stake? The biggest difference between the genre of "cozy fantasy" and other types of fantasy is the stakes tend to be lower. They're not world-ending or life-shattering. It's why I call my serial, Through A Portal Storm, as cozy-adjacent. Tye is working to cure an illness in the unicorns, one that affects unicorn and human alike, and that could be considered pretty world ending. Certainly it's life ending and not in a Marvel sort of way. But, the feel is cozy, the found family very close, and the way he finds his answers isn't through big battles or magical duels, but rather through self-discovery and with the support of good friends. And it's still going to take three books to resolve. *evil author grin* The reason why this came up is because I was discussing the genre with my spouse after loaning him Legends and Lattes. He really enjoyed the book and the relationships in it, but was taken aback by the low stakes. He's used to reading epic fantasy. The kind of books that if you drop them they'll injure your foot. He grew up on Tolkien and other tomes. He thought it was interesting to have stories centered around much lower stakes. He's thinking about it. I'm trying to convince him to write a story with me. (He's an author too.) I was informed he has a setting, so we'll see. But think about the stakes in your story the next time you're writing. I'm not saying don't have the world end. I'm just saying, you have options. Read the full article

[kitauthor]

Finding A Home In Cozy Fantasy

Cozy fantasy has always sounded amazing to me, especially as someone who really has turned to their writing as a form of self-care. It's done my mental health wonders to find stories and craft a world I can slip into, create the kinds of stories I love to read, that leave you with if not a one hundred percent everything is going to be okay kind of happy ending, then at least a "we got this and everything will be okay eventually" kind of ending. Simply put, cozy fantasy is the balm my wounded soul needs right now. Which was why I was so excited after interviewing an author for an upcoming Write Talk Wednesday podcast episode to find out that what I write can be classified as cozy fantasy. For those unfamiliar with the genre, the cozy fantasy genre generally features slice of life, low stakes stories in a fantasy or magical setting. While cozy fantasy is often in a completely fantasy setting, it also can be in a contemporary fantasy setting as well. Cozy fantasy reminds me of the stories I liked to read, the worlds I want to slip into. I'd much rather go to Valdemar than the Shire. I mean don't get me wrong, second or third breakfasts sound amazing, and living as a Hobbit would have its advantages, but also, have you seen the danger? Valdemar isn't without its share of trouble, of course, but it seems to be a bit safer than Middle Earth. Finding a genre where you fit can be important as an author. It helps you feel not alone and helps you market your books more effectively. Now that I know there's a name for the type of stories I like to write, well, let's just say I'm getting back to writing those stories I love. Read the full article

[tavie]

For some reason it never occurred to me to try this in the past 20 years. #kith #caricatures #lowstakes #sketch

[wqueens7]

‪Last‬ ‪#LIB200‬ ‪#Lowstakes‬ ‪#assignment‬ ‪#classcomic‬ ‪Included my‬ ‪#cameo‬ (at LaGuardia Community College)