Cosy existential dread
I'm actually very into the descriptor 'cosy' even if I'm not always very into the things that bear that descriptor. I'm not a fan of mysteries, even cosy ones, the originator of the trend.
People complain. Literature isn't supposed to be comfortable or easy. Tension and conflict are essential. Okay? Don't read cosy stuff then? It's not the end of civilisation if some people sometimes want a bit less Drama.
Anyway, I'd be happy to slap that label on anything. Cosy mystery and cosy fantasy are well established. Cosy romance is getting there and I cannot wait.
So many romances struggle to contrive a third act breakup. Almost as if the authors don't really want to. Probably because the authors don't really want to. If it works, fine. If it doesn't, leave it out and call it a cosy.
What about cosy horror? That seems the most akin to cosy mystery. The worst stuff happening off screen. The protagonists are going to live to see another day. It's all about teamwork. I'm not into horror, but maybe I could be into cosy horror. What We Do In The Shadows is listed as cosy horror, and I do love it, I just always thought of it as comedy.
There are a few stories I'm working on currently that I'd love to call cosy adventure. The characters are going on a little adventure. But it's such a little adventure I'm not sure it even qualifies as cosy. It's a romance, set outdoors.
Let's go further. I randomly happened upon this reverse farming game (which is exactly what it sounds like) asking if it counts as cosy because of the art style. I'm one hundred percent sure it's a shitpost and I love it.
Cosy existential dread? Or is that a bit too real?