Too much money?

[Britva415]

I don't think it's that complicated. This is a site for stories that give people erotic satisfaction. Most of the time (not all) people want to read and write stories about characters freely engaging in erotic activity. A certain amount of economic wherewithal enables that

I wonder how many real-life people, readers and authors, would answer (in the right company) a question like "What would you do if you won the lottery" with something along the lines of having sexual experiences which the money would enable.

My guess is that a lot of people would think about that, if not say it out loud. Even if they wouldn't actually do it because it might involve dumping a partner or getting their consent - which money generally can't buy.

Just speaking for myself, having free time (not having to work) would go a long long way toward me having a lot more and a lot more varied sex than I do without independent wealth.

 

[SimonDoom]

I wonder how many real-life people, readers and authors, would answer (in the right company) a question like "What would you do if you won the lottery" with something along the lines of having sexual experiences which the money would enable.

My guess is that a lot of people would think about that, if not say it out loud. Even if they wouldn't actually do it because it might involve dumping a partner or getting their consent - which money generally can't buy.

Just speaking for myself, having free time (not having to work) would go a long long way toward me having a lot more and a lot more varied sex than I do without independent wealth.

I agree with you.

 

[Plathfan]

Just speaking for myself, having free time (not having to work) would go a long long way toward me having a lot more and a lot more varied sex than I do without independent wealth.

Haha, this reminds me of the lazy BS I used to feed myself when I was younger: "If only I had more money, I’d do this and that."
Money doesn’t stop you from accomplishing anything; laziness and cowardice do.

And to the OP, it’s not just about the money; success is sexy. Evolutionarily, females are wired to seek not only healthy genes for their offspring but also someone who can provide financial and physical security. Men who excel at what they do can offer that safety net, which makes them attractive---and we’re in the attraction business.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I wonder how many real-life people, readers and authors, would answer (in the right company) a question like "What would you do if you won the lottery" with something along the lines of having sexual experiences which the money would enable.

My guess is that a lot of people would think about that, if not say it out loud. Even if they wouldn't actually do it because it might involve dumping a partner or getting their consent - which money generally can't buy.

Just speaking for myself, having free time (not having to work) would go a long long way toward me having a lot more and a lot more varied sex than I do without independent wealth.

True enough, besides being extremely wealthy makes a guy significantly more attractive to a certain subset of women.


I don't really see that there is a problem with billionaire porn on this site. Those stories certainly exist, but I don't seem to run across them with any frequency.
Most of the stories are short enough that money doesn't become a factor.

Bottom line is that there is a certain element of escapism to to most of the stories here. People don't want to read about two people struggling to pay their bills and then having sex in their double wide after an exhausting day of work.
You could use that premise and write a great story, but the market for it is limited.
I've only had one extremely wealthy character and it was done as part of a logical character development.

 

[feel_the_beast]

Haha, this reminds me of the lazy BS I used to feed myself when I was younger: "If only I had more money, I’d do this and that."
Money doesn’t stop you from accomplishing anything; laziness and cowardice do.

And to the OP, it’s not just about the money; success is sexy. Evolutionarily, females are wired to seek not only healthy genes for their offspring but also someone who can provide financial and physical security. Men who excel at what they do can offer that safety net, which makes them attractive---and we’re in the attraction business.

OP here.
Whether wealth is sexy is an interesting question, and your points about why it would be are certainly valid, but that was not the point of my original post. I was wondering if other authors thought, as I do, that we too often use it as a lazy way of resolving the conflict we have set up for our characters. Looking back at my own work published here, I can certainly see that I have done so, without quite realizing it, because of course any other solution means I have to work much harder to find a credible alternative.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I was wondering if other authors thought, as I do, that we too often use it as a lazy way of resolving the conflict we have set up for our characters.

And the answer is, yes we do. Now, like I said before, I would not say that it's rampant, but it is common enough to be quite noticeable. They key word here is conflict. Good conflict makes for good plot, but the majority of stories here have little to no conflict as they are just plotless fantasies. Now, there is nothing wrong with this (I have to keep saying this to keep people from dumping burning shit on me), and certainly this does not mean that someone can't write something great with a plotless fantasy, but it becomes terribly difficult to really write a strong piece with the strongest element of storytelling (plot) tied behind one's back.

There is an overwhelming prevalence on lit to cut straight to the kink and get that story out there fast and collect Red Hs and comments, and magic wealth is a pretty common (and boring) way to get that done.

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

I was wondering if other authors thought, as I do, that we too often use it as a lazy way of resolving the conflict we have set up for our characters.

It depends, honestly. In some situations, I would agree that it's an easy, lazy way of resolving conflicts. In others, I think it's a way to create different kinds of conflicts. Mo money, mo problems, as the song goes. In the series I've been writing, the low level 'how do I pay the bills' aspect of money is just not there. The characters are all well off financially. But that's part of the plot, and there's money related conflict at a much larger level. Not everybody is world building and designing long ass story arcs, though, so I can see why making sure their characters have all the basics on Maslow's hierarchy lets them focus on the sex.

It does get a bit tiring hearing about all the guys in their Bugattis running around, l will grant you.

 

[Britva415]

I was wondering if other authors thought, as I do, that we too often use it as a lazy way of resolving the conflict we have set up for our characters

Giving them money resolves a conflict which isn't part of the story: How to have the free time and means to put themselves into sexy situations.

I can certainly see that I have done so

What are some examples? I don't know if I've seen a story where there was a conflict and an MC was rich enough to just throw money at it. For that matter, I'm trying to imagine how such a conflict would arise in the first place if they're already rich to begin with.

 

[SyleusSnow]

I've noticed a LOT of stories here-including my own, oops-have main focus characters who are sufficiently independently wealthy to be able to afford whatever they need, or think they need, to be happy. In contrast to the real lives of most of us, who, if not struggling to just survive, don't have that kind of massive financial oomph.

That's an excellent point, feel_the_beast. I've been aware of it and used it in my stories lots... not to resolve conflict but add to it.

My stories often have characters with lower incomes and shitty jobs / just got fired. I make a point of it both for verisimilitude and reader relatability.

It's also a super handy plot device for bringing people together. Recent example: in Skinny Dipping with the Bad Girl the guy hops a fence at night to use a rich neighbors pool to cool off during a heat wave because his family can't afford to replace their one window air conditioner that broke down. And oops... a girl is already there cooling off. In Lust, Lies and Auto Theft both characters steal cars to make ends meet, leading them to meet

Income disparity is also both a real thing and great plot device: beyond the tired old bad boy millionaire / prince romance tropes, having one character even slightly better off can form the basis of a bunch of fun relatable shenanigans. In My Best Summer Mistake, she's a spoiled heiress who just got cut off and he's a blue collar working stiff. Social status plays a part, too... another relatable and useful plot device.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Giving them money resolves a conflict which isn't part of the story: How to have the free time and means to put themselves into sexy situations.

What are some examples? I don't know if I've seen a story where there was a conflict and an MC was rich enough to just throw money at it. For that matter, I'm trying to imagine how such a conflict would arise in the first place if they're already rich to begin with.

Exactly, and just because someone is rich doesn't mean they don't have problems, they have different problems.
Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne are both insanely wealthy, yet they have plenty of problems. Their stories have drama and a plot.

 

[Britva415]

Exactly, and just because someone is rich doesn't mean they don't have problems, they have different problems.
Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne are both insanely wealthy, yet they have plenty of problems. Their stories have drama and a plot.

Yeah - I should have said "rich enough to throw money at it and throwing money at it would even work."

 

[MarkLivingston]

My stories often have characters with lower incomes and shitty jobs / just got fired. I make a point of it both for verisimilitude and reader relatability. It's also a super handy plot device for bringing people together.

This is me too: I write from my lived experience, which has included minimum-wage jobs and shopping at Goodwill. The MC in my main story arc and his girlfriend went shopping at a Goodwill, and without me even intending it when I started the chapter, "tried each other on for size" in a dressing room. They also eat mis-made pizzas by the lake from his Domino's job, and then have 'dessert' in the back of his old minivan. I enjoy it, and I think it adds realism and relatability too.

 

[TheRedChamber]

It does get a bit tiring hearing about all the guys in their Bugattis running around, l will grant you.

Just because I'm nerdy and not to prove any particular point.

Number of stories on Lit containing the following words...

Ford = 8258
BMW = 6650
Honda = 3506
Toyota = 3368
Porsche = 2821
Cadillac = 2362
Audi = 1803
Ferrari = 1652
Volvo = 1183
Buick = 1075
Volkswagen = 993
Rolls-Royce = 983
Nissan = 970
Tesla = 878
Subaru = 840
Mercedes-Benz = 826
Lamborghini = 734
Chevrolet = 685
Pontiac = 608
Maserati = 423
Aston Martin = 403
Oldsmobile = 325
Renault = 258
McLaren = 217
Vauxhall = 190
Peugeot = 163
Bugatti = 155
Skoda = 44
Pagani = 21
Koenigsegg = 12

No, not all words will be referring to the car brand. I've been careful, but I'll have messed up the spelling somewhere...

 

[Belegon]

Perhaps it's just me, but an irreverant part of me wonders how many of the 840 Subaru stories were in the lesbian sex category. Full disclosure: the origination of the "Honorary Lesbian" tag referenced in my signature came shortly after I had bought a 2006 Forester. There were other reasons she tagged me with it, but it was a factor.

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

No Corvettes! Now I'm offended. My MC is getting a Corvette now, lol.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Just because I'm nerdy and not to prove any particular point.

Number of stories on Lit containing the following words...

Comparing those counts to annual sales/production numbers for a few brands, I get something like:

1 Literotica story mentioning "Ford" for every 500 Fords sold
1 mention of "Lamborghini" for every 14 Lamborghinis sold
1 mention of "Rolls-Royce" for every 6 Rolls sold (cars, I'm not counting jet engines etc.)
1 mention of Koenigsegg for every 2 Koenigseggs sold
2 mentions of "Bugatti" for every Bugatti sold.

Without getting into the weeds about different incarnations of "Bugatti" and how many of the "Ford" hits are referencing cars vs. just character surnames etc., I think it's fair to say that the luxury brands are quite highly represented relative to their RL frequency. Probably not a great shock to anybody.

 

[HordHolm]

I'm so disappointed that the Arnold Motor Carriage isn't in that list of cars - I had to sift through a load of weird early cars before settling on that one in The Adventures of Penny Dreadful.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Perhaps it's just me, but an irreverant part of me wonders how many of the 840 Subaru stories were in the lesbian sex category. Full disclosure: the origination of the "Honorary Lesbian" tag referenced in my signature came shortly after I had bought a 2006 Forester. There were other reasons she tagged me with it, but it was a factor.

To my great surprise, only 41.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Comparing those counts to annual sales/production numbers for a few brands, I get something like:

1 Literotica story mentioning "Ford" for every 500 Fords sold
1 mention of "Lamborghini" for every 14 Lamborghinis sold
1 mention of "Rolls-Royce" for every 6 Rolls sold (cars, I'm not counting jet engines etc.)
1 mention of Koenigsegg for every 2 Koenigseggs sold
2 mentions of "Bugatti" for every Bugatti sold.

Without getting into the weeds about different incarnations of "Bugatti" and how many of the "Ford" hits are referencing cars vs. just character surnames etc., I think it's fair to say that the luxury brands are quite highly represented relative to their RL frequency. Probably not a great shock to anybody.

True, but it also doesn't guarantee that the MC is driving the fancy car.
One of my main characters mentions that his dad has a Porsche, but it's clear in the story that the MC isn't rich.
Mentioning an aspirational car, or the common trope of the asshole bully of the tale driving a fancy car all contribute to those numbers.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

No Corvettes! Now I'm offended. My MC is getting a Corvette now, lol.

That's a model not a brand... but it raises an interesting question of how things could skew the numbers.
If your character is driving a Camry it won't show up in these numbers unless you explicitly refer to it as a Toyota Camry.
One of my characters drives an F450, I'm not sure if I've ever bothered to say it's a Ford.
Same story they rent a Suburban but I didn't specify Chevrolet or GMC.
Also, anyone who just said "a Chevy" got missed.

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

Yeah, I'm surprised how many people just went with brands not models. I guess maybe I'm too specific in my writing, lol.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Yeah, I'm surprised how many people just went with brands not models. I guess maybe I'm too specific in my writing, lol.

The need for specifity really depends on what you are trying to convey. One of my characters drives a Toyota minivan, saying a Toyota Sienna doesn't add any real value to to the reader.
On the other hand if she drove a BMW sedan there is a huge difference between her driving a 3 series or a 7 series and that should tell the reader something.

 

[Katie_Mae]

Unfortunately, it operates as a sort of deus ex machina in our stories, allowing our heroes to just buy their way out of any predicament they find themselves in, instead of finding more realistic and/or creative solutions.

If a problem can be solved with money, and your MC is wealthy, then it's not a problem. If you're using that fake problem to drive plot and conflict etc, then that's an issue with your plotting.

Consider:
Wealthy character is hungry. He goes to his fully stocked fridge, sees some ham and thinks "a ham sandwich would be nice" and goes and makes himself a ham sandwich.

Him being hungry was not a problem. Food was just there.

Now consider wealthy character is hungry. He goes to the fridge and sees no food there. He's not well enough to go out and get food. So he phones his personal chef to come over and cook him a meal.

Again, him being hungry was not a problem, the means to get food is within his reach with little effort and there's no real risk that he's actually going to starve to death.

Now consider again. Wealthy character is hungry. Is is alone in a desolate wasteland, and has eaten all his rations. He has money, but there is no one around he can buy food from and no way to use his money to get food. Now he has a problem. To solve the problem, he'll have to gain skills he doesn't already have.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Now consider again. Wealthy character is hungry. Is is alone in a desolate wasteland, and has eaten all his rations. He has money, but there is no one around he can buy food from and no way to use his money to get food. Now he has a problem. To solve the problem, he'll have to gain skills he doesn't already have.

But that's character development! We don't want that getting in the way of our kinky smut fantasy! (scroll-scroll-scroll-scroll-lookingfortiddies!) : P

 

[feel_the_beast]

Giving them money resolves a conflict which isn't part of the story: How to have the free time and means to put themselves into sexy situations.

What are some examples? I don't know if I've seen a story where there was a conflict and an MC was rich enough to just throw money at it. For that matter, I'm trying to imagine how such a conflict would arise in the first place if they're already rich to begin with.

Examples:
I'm reading a story series now, Little Packages, by Thanagar, about a May-December romance in which the older man has been described as having a net worth of several million dollars, and has no problem spending lots of it on travel and gifts to accommodate his relationship, to help his lover and keep her happy. She's not a golddigger, by the way.
In the main line of the enormously popular Quaranteam series, by CorruptingPower, the protagonist, Andy, who was originally a man of very modest means, had been gifted with enormous, almost unimaginable, wealth, which he uses to accommodate his hedonistic lifestyle and his many female partners, and deal with various problems that arise.
In my story series Just Across the Fence, the older retired man in annoyed by time away from his love while she's at work, so suggests to gift her a substantial share of his wealth, via a trust fund, so no matter what happens to the relationship, she knows she never has to work again if she doesn't want to, and they can spend more time together.
A very large portion of popular stories here have a similar setting in which protagonists are, if not filthy rich, at least sufficiently well off that spending a lot of money to resolve some of their problems does not concern them, as it would us lesser mortals not so fortunate and financially successful.