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Would this be an acceptable use of Footnotes?

PhoenixF2B

Dreamer
Hello all! I am working on my first novel and it is a fantasy story in which I have spent the past 2 years world building and developing. I am outlining the story arc of the series and am almost ready to sit down to start writing the prose of the book.

My only debate at this point is that I have quite a bit of establishing information to give to the reader so that they understand this world. Obviously I am not going to just hit them with chapters or exposition, it will have to be threaded into the narrative naturally and smoothly.

I have avoided the cliche of tunics and medieval garb, instead my characters wear clothing in their world that has its own name. I am having a debate as to the best way to slip that in. For example, this culture uses a lot of clothing that "wrap" around their bodies, like scarves but they are in cuts that when wrapped form ornate clothing.

My opening chapter opens up with a bit of energy and action but the characters involved wear these wraps. In order to describe the clothing to the reader, do I introduce the character, and then describe the clothing and it's name and stop the action briefly to explain that this what is common garb in their world?

Would it be better to just refer to the item of clothing and then put a footnote on the bottom of the page that gives the definition of what they are wearing?

I had told myself that I wanted to avoid footnotes but I don't necessarily want to stop the flow of action to explain something.

In your opinion, what is the best way to describe this naturally in the story so that the reader understands how the characters are dressed without having to hit them with heavy detail and explanation?

Thank you! :D
 

Trick

Auror
Honestly, I am not a fan of footnotes. Can you have a scene with a character putting one on, possibly complaining about the complexity or how much time it takes? That sounds like something a male character would do as the women I know will tend to complain less about the work that goes into looking good. Men are kinda wimps that way.

EDIT: And not to discourage you but readers tend to care much less about clothing than the writer - It may be best to wait to describe the clothing in detail until you've mentioned it in passing a few times. Not to say you can't state that it is a wrapped garment or some other significant detail.

That's my thought, it may be mild, non-exciting 'showing' but even that is better than blatant 'telling.'
 

ndmellen

Minstrel
what does your gut tell you to do? How do you see it/ write it in your minds' eye? Maybe consider not really explaining it at all. After all, the characters in your world wouldn't have to explain it; it's common place. Maybe just consider saying something to the effect of "Karen donned her Snuggie, slipping her arms through the sleeves and wrapping the folds of cloth about herself. With a quick jerk of the belt around her waist the garment cinched tight, draped flowing across her form..."

Just a thought. Honestly, I shouldn't be talking about clothing at all. I'm a thirty one year old red neck that would rather wear jeans and a white Hanes t-shirt...Fortunately, my wife does her best to dress me...(sigh)
 

A. E. Lowan

Forum Mom
Leadership
Honestly, a footnote outside of the context of an academic work is jarring and serves to jerk the reader out of your narrative. If your clothes have a wrap around feel, try having one unwrap at a critical moment - this would serve both to be comical and to show your clothing in a utilitarian context - after all, that which wraps must unwrap. ;)
 

Ireth

Myth Weaver
Honestly, a footnote outside of the context of an academic work is jarring and serves to jerk the reader out of your narrative.

Not all the time. They can be used for humorous effect -- just look at Terry Pratchett, or A.R.R.R. Roberts' Hobbit parody The Soddit. But your point still applies to more serious works.
 

C Hollis

Troubadour
As a reader, footnotes in fiction are like hyperlinks within a thread on a message board: I ignore them.

Sorry, but if there absolutely has to be footnotes, appendices, glossaries, or a reading manual provided with a work of fiction, then you've gone too far, or failed to convey what you needed within the context of the story.

Not a fan, never have been.

Save the toga description for later and let the opening scene unravel as it may.
 

PhoenixF2B

Dreamer
Wow, a lot of fantastic replies. Thank you everyone for the input, these were exactly the viewpoints I was looking for. I never liked footnotes either, but I was on the fence about the best way to explain the clothing. I will just have to work it into the narrative, the first chapter starts at an intense point and it would definitely be out of place to stop and describe the clothing. I will have to refer to it in a way that is just enough for the viewer to understand it is different and then expand on it in a later scene when I can have characters interact with it more.

I remember reading Lord of the Rings and if I recall correctly there was a fair amount of footnotes and I never liked having to stop to "look up" reference.

Thank you all again for the quick and extremely valuable input!!
 

Steerpike

Felis amatus
Moderator
As Ireth says, footnotes can be very effective in humorous works. In additions to those mentioned, you can also look at The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Even for more serious works, they can work if done well. See House of Leaves, for example, where an entire story takes place in the footnotes.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
Footnotes can and have been used effectively. They appear in a variety of science fiction stories, for example, mostly to lend a sort of verisimilitude to the presentation, not as a technique for explaining points. If it's important information, find a way to work it into the story itself. If it never makes it into the story, it wasn't important.

It's really hard to let go of what is important to you as a writer, and focus only on what is important to the reader.
 
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