Some who enjoy external will find low stakes a bore. I love low or high, it doesn’t matter to me. But I will say, after reading cozies for a long time. even they, have some form of conflict. Without the internal struggle there’d be nothing. What is this character’s goal in life and how will they get there? What’s stopping them from getting it?

Sally wants to bake bread. She kneads a lump of dough until her hands hurt. Satisfied, Sally throws it into the oven.

Cool. But you know what would be awesome? Conflict.

Sally opened the flour jar and gasped. She was out. With only pennies to her name, she couldn’t afford much else. Most nights all she had was a warm loaf of bread to fill her belly. A five-mile hike to the market was her only option, and quite risky with an approaching snowstorm.

WILL SALLY STARVE TO DEATH OR RISK HER LIFE?

Will she get injured? Will a charming passerby help her, or will she perish in a blizzard?! I don’t know, but I kinda wanna find out.