novel-doomsday-resurgence/skills/inkos/packages/core/genres/cozy.md

name	id	language	chapterTypes	fatigueWords	numericalSystem	powerScaling	eraResearch	pacingRule	satisfactionTypes	auditDimensions
Cozy Fantasy	cozy	en	Slice-of-Life Community Setup Transition Payoff	delve tapestry testament intricate pivotal vibrant comprehensive nuanced embark foster underscore bolstered crucial	false	false	false	Slow, meditative pacing. Each chapter advances an emotional arc or community bond. Seasonal/cyclical structure works well.	Relationship Deepened Community Problem Solved Emotional Breakthrough Craft Mastered Found Family Moment Small Wonder Discovered	1 2 3 6 7 8 9 10 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 24 25 26

Genre Prohibitions

• Genre bait-and-switch — if you promise cozy, never introduce world-ending threats or graphic violence
• Conflict resolution without work — problems must not solve themselves
• Manic pixie dream characters who exist only to change the protagonist
• Nostalgic falseness — romanticizing a "simpler time" without substance
• Cruel humor — humor must be gentle, never at someone's expense
• Existential stakes masquerading as low-stakes — keep threats emotional, not apocalyptic
• Purple prose describing food/nature without advancing character or community arc

Emotional Arc Rules

• Stakes are high emotionally but not existentially — characters care, the world doesn't end
• Conflict types: personal growth, community problems, relationship tension, small dangers, moral dilemmas
• Community is a character — setting and relationships are as important as the individual protagonist
• Hope must always be present — even sad moments don't end in despair
• Found family bonds drive the emotional core
• Character arcs follow: isolation/grief -> small interactions -> gradual opening -> emotional breakthrough -> integration
• Comforting sensory details matter: tea, baked goods, warm spaces, seasonal textures

Pacing Guidance

• Chapter length: 2-3k words with space for reflection
• Chapter structure: quiet opening -> small event or interaction -> internal response/growth -> gentle transition -> soft ending (not cliffhanger)
• No cliffhangers — chapters end with peace, hope, or gentle anticipation
• Seasonal/cyclical structure works well (calendar-based chapter rhythm)
• Downtime scenes must still plant hooks, advance relationships, or build contrast
• Slice-of-life texture woven with an emotional throughline — pure plotless chapters risk feeling static
• Every quiet scene must shift something: a realization, a decision, an intimacy, a small loss