Take off your monocole and check out these character writing prompts that focus on the fabulously wealthy. As I'm writing this book, there are protestors on the streets lambasting the top 1 percent of the nation that holds a large portion of the country's wealth. Are the richest people hoarding the money while the bottom 99 percent suffer? This is a great question to address when creating fabulously wealthy characters in your books. While there are some of these characters that have no doubt, done a few shady things in their time to create a financial empire, there are others who give generously to charity and try to do the best they can with what they've earned. Choose from either side of the aisle when creating such rich (and wealthy) characters.
Free Character Writing Prompts #40: The Fabulously Wealthy
1. He spent half of his time traveling around the world as a consultant, but when he was back home, there was nothing he'd rather do than to have a giant feast at his house. For nearly 20 years running, every Friday night he was in town, a large group of friends came over to share in his large wine and liquor collection and bring their favorite meals. He was good at his job and had accumulated millions of dollars, but it was the simpler things that put a smile on his face. What are some of the pleasures he gains from his Friday evening feasts?
2. Most of his life he'd worked over 14 hour days to keep his business afloat and when it boomed, it became world-renowned in his industry. Soon enough, he was able to hire people to take on some of the tasks he hadn't wanted to do but couldn't afford to delegate. The amount of time he was needed per day decreased and completely evaporated when he sold the business and became a deca-millionaire. He decided to do everything he hadn't been able to during his extremely long work days and even though his kids were grown up now, he did all he could to make up for lost time. It turned out he didn't know much about being a dad and a husband and he had to learn it all from scratch. What was his day-to-day life like as a multimillionaire attempting to be a regular guy?
3. When she invested a good chunk of her inheritance on a feature film, her friends thought she was crazy. When the film paid out dividends that were approximately 100 to 1, she became rich beyond her wildest dreams. Now those same friends that doubted her were hitting her up for cash and she wondered if these were truly her friends at all. As she continued in the movie financing business for smaller films with a chance of breaking out, she tried to figure out who she could actually trust. How will she find her true friends and how will she spend her money?
4. Most people didn't realize that she had been a major asset to her husband as he created one of the largest retailer in the world. She was instrumental in huge decisions that took the company from small town to the big time. When her husband passed away, she had over $500 million to spend on the rest of her life. What she really wanted though, was to still have some sort of control over the company, but her previous position was unofficial in nature. While the company was willing to offer her a position in the office, it was mostly a superficial one. How will she work her way back into a decision-making capacity in the company she helped to build from the ground up?
5. His grandfather was one of the largest oil magnates in the country and was a billionaire at a time only a few existed. His father had made some decent investments and made sure all his children would be billionaires by the time they turned 18. He was 18 and ready to take on the world with pockets full of cash, but he had no desire to invest it or save a penny for the future. He wanted fast cars, women and drugs and he knew that he could keep such practices up until he died without much trouble. His family worried about his wild tendencies but they continued to escalate with each passing day. Will he be able to control his taste for the extravagant long enough to become mature adult?
6. He had what most would call an incredibly lucky streak. When the dot com era was in full force, he invested all he had and pulled it out before anyone even thought of the word "bust." He invested heavily in tech startups in the 2000s and moved everything out before the recession at the end of the decade. He was no Warren Buffet, but he was close to billionaire status and had no idea what to do with himself. He lived in a small house with his wife and they had no desire to move anywhere larger. He was wary of charities for fear that they wouldn't use the money wisely. He had money but nowhere to put it. What will he do with his estate in the last few decades of his life and why?
7. She was the whistleblower for a legal case involving a company that had embezzled billions of dollars from the federal government. She was just trying to do the right thing and didn't want anything in return. As per the law, she received a percentage of the settlement the company made, which consisted of tens of millions of dollars. She used the money to retire on a tropical island. She'd never married and spent her time dating attractive islanders and throwing elegant parties with her new friends. She was a bit bored, but going back to work wasn't really an option. She opted to write a book about her experiences. Describe her attempts to write about her life and how everything changed by doing the right thing.
8. In her 20s and 30s, she was a phenomenon in the racing world and being the most famous woman in the business, she received countless sponsorship deals. She racked up millions of dollars of savings during this time and when she retired, she knew she'd be well taken care of the rest of her life. That wasn't enough for her though. She was frustrated that women had few role models in professional sports and opted to give more women an opportunity to learn from the best. She created a foundation with some of her fortune to create more sports programs for women throughout the county. Every day she woke up with excitement that racing couldn't compete with. She was helping girls to know that she was no happy accident. Why did she get into racing and what gave her the idea for her philanthropy?
9. He an international recording superstar with appeal on every continent in existence. He eclipsed most album selling milestones and had even been something of a high paid actor in a few countries. He never liked spending money, so most of his earnings went into an account accruing interest for several decades. Sure, a little went to his clothes, his family and his employees, but it's funny how money can add up when you save as much as you can. When he considered retiring, he asked his accountant how much money he had and it turned out to be several hundred million. He was absolutely astounded and wondered how he would ever chip into such a sum. What was it about him that made him such a popular musician and such a thrifty penny pincher?
10. She was a rarity in this world, an inventor who went on to mass produce her own invention. She thought of the idea while watching her children play and ended up amassing a fortune as a result. In her personal life, she was incredibly meek, which was in complete contrast with her business dealings. She was shrewd in the boardroom but quiet and a little self-deprecating in the living room. Her husband was astounded by what she accomplished and wondered if this was really the woman he intended to marry. Their marriage suffered and she wondered if her invention would be worth it if she split from her one true love. What will this timid but brilliant woman do about her money and her marriage?
Did you enjoy these character writing prompts? Keep an eye out for the book 1,000 Character Writing Prompts in late 2011.
Done with Character Writing Prompts about the Fabulously Wealthy? Go back to Creative Writing Prompts.
Use the above prompts or article as inspiration to write a story or other short piece.
