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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/40402
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/40402
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

# A Glossary Is not a Substitute for Clear Writing

If you were writing a nonfiction book where precise vocabulary was required, I'd say, yes, include a glossary!

If you were writing a very detailed fiction book with a lot of references to words used in a particular culture, language, religion, or historical period, I'd say, yes, include a glossary, but also make sure 90% of the words are obvious from context or unnecessary to know the exact meaning of.

In your case, you're writing a young adult novel (teenagers are the group for young adult books, though the readers can also include college-age) and one that isn't technical or historical with a large amount of necessary obscure vocabulary.

Every single one of your examples is something that most people will know (is there anyone over the age of 12 who doesn't know what a temple is?), something that will be obvious in context if you write it well, or something that can be explained at the time in the text. Some of the words are simply unnecessary.

Do you need a glossary? YES!! For yourself. You say that it's helping you as you write.

Should you publish the glossary with the book? Probably not.

Will anyone who put the book down suddenly decide to read it because, hey, it has a glossary! Hell no. Not a single one.

Original score: 3