Economics is another large category, much like politics and society. There are tons of college courses and books written about the subject. I am not going to drone on about the economy. I am, however, going to list a few things that you can keep in mind while building your world. Your character does not need to be an economics major (unless you want them to be), but they are influenced by the economy, and contribute to the economy. Below are some questions that you can pose and answer within your books to make your character and your world have more depth.
ECONOMY:
What kind of money does your world have?
-Paper money
-Coins (gold, silver, copper etc.)
- Credits (as in galactic credits, or even a world where we only use crypto)
- A barter system (goods and services traded for other goods and services)
- Money in every form no longer exists
- In the book, "The Giver", all necessities (shelter, food, clothing) is provided by
community
How does your character make and spend money?
Where on the economic food chain does your character lay?
-Rich/poor/middle class etc.
What happens if something unexpected happens?
-If their car breaks down, or they're in a wreck, can they financially cover the cost?
- What if they lose their job?
- What if a natural disaster hits?
You do not need to go into deep detail when a few sentences can easily do the trick. If your character is middle classed, you can describe the neighborhood they live in. You can have them complain that gas prices are rising, or the cost of food is too high. They can complain about bills. If your character is poor, have them struggling to make ends meet. They work multiple jobs, but still have to decide if they're skipping meals or paying their electric bill. When dealing with characters who have a lot of wealth, you don't need to tell the readers how much they have in their bank account. You can make a point of telling the readers that the character wears a lot of tailored expensive suits. Their car is an expensive, or even rare, model.
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