Do you discuss money or assets?

[Five_Inch_Heels]

If your characters appear to be well off, do you detail it in any way? What about of they're struggling financially?

There is a recent story about someone coming into a large amount of money. They make it seem endless by describing all sorts of commitments that may deplete the amount rather quickly. There is some casual reference to investing it and seeking gains.


I prefer to leave those kinds of details out. At most I'll make a passing refence one way or the other.

 

[iwatchus]

I probably do, too much -- I hope it wasn't a story of mine you are referring to.

I can think of three stories where money is talked about non-trivially. One is a woman trying to figure out how to leave her husband, and the divorce settlement is a significant sub-plot.

Another one isn't discussed as much, but in my LW story, she is trying to take his money and it is a significant plot component. I got rightfully criticize in comments about the non-realistic issue I used as a plot point.

The one where money gets discussed the most is a story where one couple is becoming very wealthy suddenly (upper nine figures). They are uncomfortable with the wealth and spend time figuring out what to do. And it creates some friction with their best friend, who loses his job at one point. But it is probably only the fourth most important sub-plot. It's a 315K series, lot so things happen.

 

[HordHolm]

If it's relevant, I'll go there. Otherwise, I'm more than happy to gloss over it.

 

[NotWise]

I don't, but I've never written a story where those details play a role. if having or transacting that money changes a relationship then I'll go into it to the extent required, which isn't usually much.

 

[GrantBricksly]

I've not really had any occasion to deal with this. In my "Grant and Isabelle" series, they are fairly well off...but I don't know that it's ever really discussed. They are well off because they are both successful in business. And that part is made clear, but only in passing.

I suppose if there was a plot point where money became important I might discuss it... or if I had a character that was stuck up/obsessed with money, then that character might discuss it... but beyond that, I don't know that I would detail it at length.

I'm also not specifically avoiding the topic either. I just don't have a reason to discuss it.

On the flip side, if I had a story about poor people, like very poor people... it would likely come up more fluidly.

But still... given that we are here to write smut... I don't know that I would bother...

 

[StillStunned]

In my fantasy/sword & sorcery stories, money - or its lack - is often a prime motivator.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I have several stories where finance plays a minor part. Generational wealth being managed in trusts, or monetary support being used as an incentive in a relationship.

It is generally mentioned in passing and never dwelled upon by the characters.

 

[WittyUserName]

If your characters appear to be well off, do you detail it in any way? What about of they're struggling financially?

There is a recent story about someone coming into a large amount of money. They make it seem endless by describing all sorts of commitments that may deplete the amount rather quickly. There is some casual reference to investing it and seeking gains.


I prefer to leave those kinds of details out. At most I'll make a passing refence one way or the other.

I often go into detail, yes. Especially with one of my current series where a guy in finance works at a company bought out by a rich family. He ends up having a thing with the daughter. If it adds to the story, you should add it in. If not, don't. I'm biased because I have an accounting and finance background.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I mention it when it's relevant. One guy is a widower so has a nice flat paid off from death in service benefits and life insurance, thus plenty of discretionary spending, and tries not to make a new younger partner feel guilty about having less. At one point he wants to splash out on an expensive thing and partner asks if he's sure, being "always more cautious about spending money due to more recently not having it."

Some characters make choices due to lack of money (in my hands, living on a campsite, moving in rather rapidly with someone, picking up free furniture and food being disposed of - on Lit there's a lot of sexual favours for money). If someone has more money then I give them a job or history consistent with that - lawyer, manager, is often enough detail. The Chain story I'm finishing has a millionaire in the family business who has a helicopter - I figure it's a company helicopter rather than a personal one, because I wanted his wealth to be not too ridiculous for his given age and background.

 

[Writer61]

In 'Adam in Public', I mention that "money is tight" to explain why his lecturer mother takes a summer job, which is essential to the set-up. There are also some references to him earning money, but no details of amounts.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

In Nancy, I touch on both. The near destitute family in one location where the mother is struggling to support it and the new adults going to live with the affluent aunt in her opulent penthouse, but I don't go into detail.

Charli is set in what is more or less assumed to be a well off neighborhood full of McMansions, but again, no details on how things are paid for.

Dani, Kimberly and Penney are all similar where they seem well off, but no details are laid out.

 

[joy_of_cooking]

When it's relevant to the plot. But I set my stories in capitalist societies such as our own, so money is often relevant:

• A woman resolves to give in to her boss's advances because her family is relying on her income
• A woman is established as making lots of money in order to justify her randomly having a pair of expensive shoes she's never worn outside (so they're still clean and her partner is willing to use them for sex).
• The younger partner has a bit of a rags to riches narrative as a manifestation of how an age gap relationship has taught him to navigate the world.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I've mentioned it in several of my stories because it's been an important part of the dynamic between the main characters. "How do you have a healthy relationship when there's a power imbalance?" is a recurring question in my stories and money is often part of that power imbalance.

I don't usually talk much about the finer details of wealth (exactly how many dollars they have, how they're investing it etc.) because that kind of thing tends to bog the story down for no benefit, and it makes a lot of work to keep it consistent. It'll usually be more at the level of "he made his money in real estate".

 

[crookedletter]

It's just like any other character detail: it's relevant if it's relevant. If a character is shoe-shopping for some plot-specific reason then I might describe a character's taste in shoes. Otherwise what they wear on their feet often won't warrant a mention.

Same thing with their finances: if an inciting incident of a story is on a character's private jet or in line at the soup kitchen I'd probably supply the necessary context. But if it doesn't move the story or supply important character details I don't see any reason to discuss money.

 

[SimonDoom]

When it's relevant to the plot, I do. Sometimes money, having it, not having it, is an important part of the dynamic between the characters. Then I emphasize it.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

I don't usually talk much about the finer details of wealth (exactly how many dollars they have, how they're investing it etc.) because that kind of thing tends to bog the story down for no benefit, and it makes a lot of work to keep it consistent.

That's what's distracting in the one story. Too many numbers mentioned too often and they may not add up the way the author indicates.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Very plot dependant. In one of my series the FMC is very wealthy and the MMC is a college student. At one point he buys her a gift because he sees it in the store and just knows it's perfect for her. He acknowledges that it's going to blow his budget and he'll be eating Ramen for awhile.
I think that helps sell how he feels about her. He's not buying her a gift, he's making a sacrifice for her.
Other times, it's probably not worth bothering with.

 

[PennyThompson]

Subconsciously, I think most of my characters live in idealized worlds where they can be relatively poor with dignity.

College students that can walk or take the bus anywhere they want.

Young professionals who have middling jobs, but aren't exhausted or stressed out outside of work, and don't have to worry about bills or medical debt or retirement.

Bohemian types and creatives who happily get by and have fun while living in cheap loft apartments or converted garages and doing odd jobs that strike their fancy.

In some ways it's as much a fantasy wish fulfillment as rich MCs with big houses and unlimited wealth to support their harems

 

[NuclearFairy]

I believe I've only mentioned it once, at the beginning of a story as part of the scene setting. I mentioned that the couple was middle class and childless. But I didn't go into more details than that.

 

[TheRedChamber]

The Chain story I'm finishing has a millionaire in the family business who has a helicopter - I figure it's a company helicopter rather than a personal one, because I wanted his wealth to be not too ridiculous for his given age and background.

When I wrote the previous chapter I was actually thinking that he was just renting the helicopter for the day, but comany one works as well.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

When I wrote the previous chapter I was actually thinking that he was just renting the helicopter for the day, but comany one works as well.

Totally renting, Cassian is way too smart to get jammed up by the IRS for using company assets for personal use.
Renting is 2500 to 4000 an hour, easy day for Cassian.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

If your characters appear to be well off, do you detail it in any way? What about of they're struggling financially?

There is a recent story about someone coming into a large amount of money. They make it seem endless by describing all sorts of commitments that may deplete the amount rather quickly. There is some casual reference to investing it and seeking gains.


I prefer to leave those kinds of details out. At most I'll make a passing refence one way or the other.

It's like bra size or cock length; if it's pertinent to the story, I'll mention it. Otherwise I leave it out. I also write primarily in T/CD and a lot of stories use some financial incentive to get the MC to start their journey. Again, is it important to the story? If yes, put it in, if not, leave it out.

 

[MrPixel]

Money management is a core theme in my main series. The MMC retired young by virtue of smart investing and is an inveterate D-I-Y'er to save where he can. He calls himself "a professional investor." There is frequent mention in most stories, maybe a short paragraph or two, where he retreats to his office after breakfast to pore over spreadsheets as he manages the fourple's nest egg.

It's part of the real-world ambiance in the story line, including references to market instability in the news of the day as I write. Current issues are taking a toll on the MMC, who has developed a habit of throwing his wireless mouse against the wall in frustration, startling the dogs who bed-down in his office. He buys mice by the case these days.

 

[TheWritingGroup]

I have a couple in my stories who are very well-off, but it hasn't been central to any of the stories yet, so it hasn't been explicitly mentioned. I like to imply things, so it does get mentioned that they spend a month vacationing overseas every year.

--Annie

 

[Zootonius]

A trope I liked to use is the affluent woman who received a generous divorce settlement, leaving her financially independent and free to take on a boy-toy.