  Fantasy
This week: Edited by: Robert Waltz  
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There is some magic in wealth, which can thus make persons pay their court to it, when it does not even benefit themselves. How strange it is, that a fool or knave, with riches, should be treated with more respect by the world, than a good man, or a wise man in poverty!
-Ann Radcliffe
The Mysteries of Udolpho, 1764
Endless money forms the sinews of war.
-Cicero
Phillippics, circa 50 BC
Money is the sinew of love as well as war.
-Dr. Thomas Fuller
Gnomologia, 1732
The economics of the future are different.
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MONEY
One of the biggest challenges facing an author of fantasy - or science fiction - stories is to present a believable, self-consistent and interesting society.
As part of that challenge, it's important to consider how it is that the society works, and for most of human history, society has centered around trade. And trade is facilitated by the use of money - not just barter. There is evidence that barter alone wasn't the reason for the invention of the concept of money, and that money was developed in widely separated cultures, independent of each other.
Even if you're creating a nonhuman society for your stories, the issue of trade needs to be addressed, as trade helps to define how a society interacts with other cultures, as well as among its own members.
The 21st-century Western view of money is generally that of a necessary evil; something we need to get along, but boy, wouldn't it be nice to do without? There is, of course, a significant minority that likes money, but to openly proclaim that is to subject oneself to criticism from the "necessary-evil" majority. And it's not always clear how the "let's-do-without" proponents would replace the monetary economy.
Also, we use money in ways other cultures don't, or didn't; the concept of "investment," for example, or "lending," may be foreign to many cultures, or it may be taboo. In any case, an individual's attitude toward money is certainly shaped by the society, and money presents one more complication for a traveler in a new land.
So consider how money is used in your story, or if it is used at all. What are the alternatives, and how do people agree on trades? How does one culture view the money of another? And what form does the money take - coins, shells, a certain weight of a certain metal, or hamsters? What are attitudes toward gambling, or toward investment?
Giving a fictional culture a distinctive coinage (glass orbs, sheets of gold, enormous wheels) can make it memorable to the reader as well as serving to illustrate some of the basic values of the culture. |
A few items illustrating some different attitudes toward money:
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Last month's topic was realism in fantasy stories.
Satuawany  :  I'm glad someone's as obsessed with bathrooms as I am. Honestly, for whatever reason, it's one of the first things I wonder about when reading/watching sci-fi or fantasy. I still love Demolition Man just because of the three seashells. (See, it's even fun when the story fails to explain their potty practices.)
Three cheers for realism in the other-worldly realms. It makes the story have foundation, and does so much more to put the reader there. Excellent topic. 
Thanks for the comment! Of course, there is a such thing as too much realism, and that can detract from a story.
Mike Day  : Hi, I agree totally with your sentiment that the background reality should "work", I would like to extend the premise a stage further; for instance when a Knight climbs off a war horse after galloping for miles, A/ The horse is sweating and exhausted and B/ the knight probably has a pain in his backside and lower back. Reality builds up fantasy, at least I think so.
Thanks Mike
Of course you're correct; the "bathroom" thing is only an example of realism - albeit an amusing one.
JJ : I am an avid fan of realistic fantasy, myself. I like to think that the only difference between fantasy and reality is that fantasy have different rules of physics; I think it's important to make the magic, itself, realistic. I have trouble with Harry Potter because I don't feel very convinced that waving a stick and saying some Latin can make things happen.
When generating ideas, I sometimes work on the basis that magic is the manipulation of some form of energy. This can be applied to influencing emotion, "the elements" (fire, water, wind, etc.), growth, so on and so forth.
The easy way out is to invent a god (or gods) that created the universe/world and then claim that the magic is drawn from that god's abilities, or that it is the desire of that god.
Very true also - though sometimes taking the easy way out isn't the way to go. That's a literal example of why deus ex machina is frowned upon in writing. Though I suppose what you're describing is more machina ex deus...
emerin-liseli : What a great reminder, Waltz - we need to put a lot of thought into our settings to make them "realistic" as possible. I am always intrigued by the depth of creativity in the little things such as sewer systems, bathrooms, etc. in making a fantasy world.
In a story, sometimes the little details spell the difference between holding the reader's attention, and letting it wander. Too many, though, and again, you risk losing the reader.
faithjourney: Thanks for the great newsletter on practicality in sci-fi. I am a fan of the Star Trek series and you're right, it's never mentioned. I sometimes read work by Ben Bova though, and he doesn't neglect these details. So yes, there are practical issues to address even in the best of stories.
Agreed on Ben Bova. He's a good writer in general.
Ðungeon Щarden : Until the day that invading armies can fly over stone walls with ease, there will always be a need for walled cities. The only difference flight makes is to require you to build air defenses as well. While I agree that world designers need to think about how cities would protect themselves from the various dangers of your world, it is not realistic to say that city walls wouldn't exist at all. If anything, city walls would be built bigger and stronger to protect the place from the many monstrous creatures that inhabit your world.
The important thing is to make details such as city defenses work with the world you're writing in. Thinking about things like this can only help your writing.
karabu: Great Newsletter.
I do remember at least once in Star Trek TNG, Picard going into his bathroom to splash water on his face from the sink. Your point is well taken anyway, though. 
Thanks! And that's certainly a step in the right direction. No disrespect is intended to Star Trek; those series had a lot going for them.
Caledonia Lass : It's nice to know I am not the only one who notices these little details! I am a fantasy writer and an avid reader. I love mysteries and in the books I've read, people don't seem to go to the bathroom. When was the last time someone described their character doing the pee-pee dance?? It isn't just fantasy that lacks this reality.
When people write it's nice to be able to connect to characters on a human level. Sure you read about them jumping in the shower for a quick scrub, but is that where they relieve themselves? Ew!
It isn't just bodily functions that get skipped. I actually read a book where the characters never ate or drank. So while it is important to stay on task, listen to your character! They're probably telling you they either need to eat before they die or really need to take a potty break and could you please pass the magazine you are currently reading?
It's time to stop ignoring the basic needs of our characters, after all, we created them!
Very true, but see comment below about working it into the plot. And what's wrong with relieving yourself in the shower, anyway?
Amarisa : This is why I research before writing a story. When all those realistic aspects come together, it's easy for the reader to accept the particular world. It's why I gravitated toward magical realism; fantasy actually follows guidelines and the more realistic the explanations, the more likely people will accept it. As for that cost thing for the elbow room in the space ships..I think on Journey Home or... whatever that whale movie was for the original Star Trek, Kirk says that money is not an option in the future, everyone helps out where they can and for the good and betterment of mankind, they did away with money. So when you don't have to pay for the materials anymore, of course you'll have comfortable spacing. Anyway, thanks for telling people to basically pay attention and make things realistic and believable. I can't stand it when there's a glaring error in a story simply because the writer didn't stop to think. It's a nice reminder. Thanks.
And that, of course, is the most unrealistic thing about Star Trek: I can deal with warp drives, transporters, phasers, and maybe even with not showing bathrooms - but no money? Betterment of mankind? Try again. 
In researching this newsletter, though, I happened upon this website, which argues that the economic theory supporting Star Trek could be a system known as "Participatory Economics," which was developed in the 1980s to 1990s. Since that also coincided with the heyday of Star Trek, you have to wonder how much life imitates art, as opposed to the other way around.:
http://vanparecon.resist.ca/StarTrekEcon/index.html
However, one must remember while contemplating ideas of this sort that Star Trek made a pile of real money for its writers, directors, producers, and actors.
I'm just saying.
alanscott: Bob, did you ever see "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" with Barbara Eden and Peter Lorre? Talk about a sub with elbow room! Wow! This one had a dance floor! :)
Sounds like it'd work with a movie like that!
mlarsen05: Good thoughts, Robert, though I would caution against authors writing about characters using the toilet unless relevant to the plot. I have never seen that from any of the "greats," and I think there's a reason for that. Who wants to read about Frodo using leaves to clean himself?? That space can be used for more important and interesting storytelling. Cheers, Brooke.
Yes, it is true that plot relevance should always be considered. The story should always be advancing the plot or illuminating the characters. But I'd argue that a culture's most basic customs are good ways to illuminate the characters - or even to provide plot motivation.
Mareli : While I understand your point about dragons and walls, the way you present it makes it seems that one makes the other obsolete. I disagree. Just because there are dragons does not mean that is the only thing they are defending against. Walls are still a necessary fortification against other, land bound attackers. Think Tolkien -- they had eagles and wraiths, dragons, and they still had walls.
As noted above, fortifications are but one of the many things that need to be considered in the context of the other aspects of the world involved.
Thanks, as always, for all the insightful and helpful comments, and until next time...
DREAM ON!
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Fantasy: July 09, 2008 Issue [#2486]
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