Making up words

It has definitely happened to me but I don't think I've ever actually ended up keeping any. There's almost always a real word that works just fine. Altarful of books doesn't quite make sense in the context you provided - It implies something is 'full of altars' or 'like an altar' in the same way that wonderful means 'full of wonder.' Hyphens are useful for this: Altar-full.

Beckonment should be beckoning. Like I said, I have definitely believed a word existed when it did not and used it until learning otherwise. I suppose if you can slip it past most people it might be fine but if I noticed it as a reader, I would not like it.

 

I've seen that the squiqqly red line doesn't know everything. About once every page or two, I use it word that it doesn't know, but is real (even if arcane or obsolete). I was rather surprised when it didn't reckognize "rulership". And on the other hand, I seem to recall that it didn't balk at my recent use of the word "cromlech". Who programmed this stuff anyway?

Mostly, you want to avoid these kinds of out-of-the-way word constructions, but there's always a way to do something with it. For instance, there could be a character with a strange habit of making such words up on the spot while they're talking.

I agree with Trick--the hyphen is your friend.

You might, might, just get away with it if you establish early on that you're extremely playful with words, and you keep it up regularly. As far as I'm concerned the all-time master of coining interesting compound words was Clark Ashton Smith. Super cool, but difficult to pull off.

 

That might work, if it's done very well. Humor would probably help. It would be somewhat expected and as such would not break immersion.

Yes and no. We are using a language that constantly changes and grows but if you just start throwing in words that don't exist, most of the time they will be standing in for words that do exist and serve the same purpose. That might lead readers to think that you, as the writer, are uneducated. Not always, but that could definitely happen. When I'm speaking with people who misuse words or grammar in conversation I want to correct them so badly that it hurts. I don't usually, unless they are a close enough friend or relative that they know I'm a bit compulsive about such things.

This is totally separate from fantasy-word creations, by the way. If you introduce an animal in a fantasy or sci-fi work and call it an Antedion, I won't even blink but I will expect some description. I will, however, be disappointed if you describe it and I realize it's just an elephant. That would break immersion.

 

As they said, it's about how you do it. Dr. Seus created some fun words, but such was the schtick of his writing. I also agree though that you shouldn't make up words that are meant to convey real world things, situations, or effects. To me it can be aggravating.

 

This. Every time something in your prose or plot or whatever makes the reader look up from the book and say "what?" you increase the chance that they'll just put the book down rather than keep reading. Obviously you want to avoid that.

Invented words or word combinations can give you a very unique voice and can help contribute to the atmosphere of your story, but it's a very fine line between immersing the reader more fully and making them go "huh?" It's going to be a huge risk every time you try. So I guess I would only recommend it for writers who like to take risks and seriously challenge themselves.

Personally, I don't make up words and I very rarely even make up names. I prefer to go digging around in ancient mythologies and cultures for names and terms that are obscure to most people.

 

Thought I'd revive this to report on a recent experience of mine.

I'm writing a story in first person POV with a character who is an arrogant, scholarly scientist type. I fully anticipated the appearance of the baneful squiggly red line when my character (I swear it was him) wanted to use the word 'pulchritude'. To my surprise, it let it pass. I just think its weird that it recognizes such an unusual word and does not recognize 'rulership'.

 

Actually I used to keep mini glossaries of words I know technically don't exist, and add my own definitions. So I don't have to keep making up new words for the same thing.

In short: I see nothing wrong with it. Sounds fun.^^

 

If I read a non-word, other than something related to a book's particular setting, I usually think the writer has made a mistake and, just for a second, I'm pulled out of the story.

On the other hand, occasionally it seems to work: some of the spelling in Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, if I remember correctly, is deliberately (I hope) idiosyncratic, and it suits the story.

Generally, though, I would stick to proper English - it has enough words to cover every eventuality.

 

Unobtainium. A substance mentioned in a few other movies. The first time I heard the term, I broke into laughter.After all, they never did obtain the unobtainium.

 

I make up tons of words, which has led Microsoft Word to declare war on my manuscripts and inundate me with thousands of squiggly red lines. It also resents me for peppering my English with scraps of German, Irish Gaelic, and Old English. Did you know that Microsoft Word says the word "wyrd" ("fate" in OE) doesn't exist?

I like made-up words in books--as long as they're important to the setting or plot, I'm okay with them. Sometimes they help flesh out the culture the story is set in, or add depth to a character. It's also fun when an author makes up names for everyday things that don't seem to have names.

 

I've come to similar situations before. If it is something neat I'll probably use for something/place, like my beloved Damnlands. This should be word, an area that is so f****d up (sorry, couldn't find better way to express it) that makes a 'wasteland' feels like a spring garden full of flowers in comparison.

It all depends of how the word is used. If it break my immersion, then I would just acknowledge that as bad grammar.