: Re: Creating species/race names for supernatural/fantasy fiction In urban fantasy style fiction with multiple supernatural characters, is it understandable to the reader if race names of each group are

@Gail2416123

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In urban fantasy style fiction with multiple supernatural characters, is it understandable to the reader if race names of each group are a combination of stereotypical species names (such as 'vampire' or 'fairy') with made-up names or regular names that have been altered somehow? A quick example for the sake of my question could be spelling fairy as 'fayree' or using latin/ancient language terms in the name such as 'necro' being part of the created name for zombies?

There's a balance here, but I'd say err on the side of caution. Using latin or ancient terms in the name might be appropriate, but it depends on your audience and how common the term is. Your example of necro is great, but something like vulpine might not fly.

I want my story to contain some of the usual creatures of fantasy but I also want to avoid cliches with the trope-y boring names and connotations associated with such. I am worried that creating my own titles alongside normal ones could create too much confusion for the reader.

Hold on a minute. Tropes need not be boring. Tropes are the touchstone for your reader; they're a great shorthand. The trick is to use the trope, like the name, but then put your twist on it. It sounds like this is exactly what you're trying to do, so don't throw the baby out with the bathwater by not using a name everyone recognizes. It'll make the twist much more satisfying ("Wait, the vampires in this setting aren't afraid of crucifixes!?")

Any advice on how to structure narrative to explain any created names/traits etc without info-dumping yet making it easily understandable to the reader that if for instance they read the word 'fayree' without too much background info that they would immediately associate it with the common ideal of fairy?

Show, don't tell. Seriously. You dole out the information. One way to do it is to give the name away immediately with a story element that keeps with the trope. Next scene (or chapter or whatever) introduces the unfamiliar element. Go back and forth introducing familiar and unfamiliar elements to keep the reader engaged and on their toes.

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