Published: August 15, 2026

How do you build an in-world glossary?

An in-world glossary keeps your invented terms, titles, and concepts in one place, making it easier for you (and readers, if you choose) to follow your world. The goal isn't to write an encyclopedia, it's to build a short reference you can check whenever you need it.

What belongs in a glossary?

Invented words, titles (like a rank or a form of address), slang, shortened place names, any term a reader (or you) might forget the meaning of on a second encounter is a glossary candidate.

The difference between a glossary and Lore

A glossary holds short, definition-style entries; Lore holds the longer narrative behind a rule or event. Defining a term in the glossary and expanding its background in Lore is the clearest way to use both without mixing them up.

A reader-facing glossary, or your own reference?

For most writers, a glossary starts as a private reference, there to keep your own continuity straight. As noted in what is a Shareable Wiki, you can choose to publish it alongside the rest of your book for readers too.

Where should you keep track of this?

yazar.io's Glossary section exists exactly for this, each term gets its own short profile, and you can link it to a related character or place with @Name right in the body text.

Are glossary terms explained automatically in the story?

No, yazar.io doesn't write your novel's text, the glossary is your own reference, how you explain a term to readers is still up to the prose you write.

How many terms is enough?

There's no fixed number, it's usually enough to add terms that recur in the story and risk being forgotten.

Can I share my glossary with readers?

If you want to, you can publish your book's Glossary section alongside the rest through the Shareable Wiki.

What's the difference between a glossary term and a character or location record?

Glossary terms hold things that need a definition, like a concept, title, or item name; a character or location record represents something concrete that exists in your story.

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