The main characters should have a balance of troubles and contentment.

The real-world means of achieving this peace is by Relying on Jesus.

The main characters should be under a variety of pressure and tensions.

The main motivation for this story is to have my cake and eat it too, to both:

  1. Have tensions which engage the audience and make them yearn for resolution
  2. Have the audience happy and enjoying the current status

<aside> đź’ˇ

This is closely tied to Cozy horror, but will depend on more than just that.

</aside>

Characters

The primary characters portraying this feature are James and Adelle, but secondary characters may do so as well.

Extended narrative

This is also key to a Long-running series.

Stories that rely too much on tension—especially macro tension—have a difficult time lasting beyond a single book or movie.

That style of writing is a flame that burns brightly and rapidly dies out. If written well, the story will wrap up just before the flame is extinguished.

Writing happiness

When writers try to turn that style into an extended narrative, they have infinitely harassed protagonists who can never catch a break. The moment they save the world, the world is immediately jeopardized by a new danger.

<aside> đź’ˇ

Early 2000s TV was particularly big on doing with shows like Supernatural, Angel, Heroes, and 24.

“Yay, they saved the world! We better kill someone,” says the writers.

</aside>

Part of the problem is rooted in writers who don’t know how to write happy. All they know how to write is sad. They have no concept for how happy can be fun.

<aside> đź’ˇ

That is closely related to Grimdark.

</aside>

Notes

<aside> đź’ˇ

In a way, I prefer the sound of “Peace in the midst of the storm”, but “Peace in the eye of the storm” is a little more poignant—it captures the irony of the safest place being the center of the danger.

</aside>