Glossaries in fiction: good or bad?

I read a fair amount of fantasy fiction – always have, since being introduced to a hobbit named Bilbo and a lion named Aslan at an early age. It’s safe to say that fantasy is one of my favourite genres: you just can’t beat a good escape to a magical world.

However, I have sometimes found myself yanked out of the immersion of fantasy when presented with a muddle of made up words that mean nothing to me, the reader. Of course, when inventing a new society, country, or even galaxy, an author may well find they need a few terms to express concepts we simply don’t have on Earth! And, as I discussed in my previous post, rich detail such as new words or languages can very much bring a world to life.

So how do you avoid confusing your readers beyond comprehension? A good many fantasy authors choose to make use of a glossary at the start or end of their book. This glossary will list the main terms the reader will come up against, along with a nifty definition. Problem solved, right?

Unfortunately, this can sometimes backfire horribly by smashing through any sense of immersion in the narrative. Being forced to constantly flip back and forth, keeping your place in the book while searching a list of strange terms, can be just too frustrating for some readers.

What, then, is the answer?

I think a couple of tactics can be employed to smooth out the reader experience. The first of these is obviously to limit the number of made up words you use. Sprinkling them lightly gives a bit of flavour. Packing them in densely is overwhelming.

Secondly try to use them in situations where the context makes their meaning clear. For a very basic example, if a character picks up a ‘triggle’ and begins to chew on it, we can probably assume it’s some sort of food!

Another option is having a character present who acts as a sort of stand in for the reader: someone who also doesn’t know what these strange words mean! Fantasy protagonists are often dragged in from the mundane world, so this can work really well. Bear in mind that, as with the rest of these tactics, overuse is not your friend!

All this is all not to say you must never use glossaries. If you strongly feel your work requires it and your readership will engage with it, by all means go for it. Just be sure to use sparingly and with caution!

What do you think about glossaries in fiction? Let me know in the comments!

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