Saltydoghayden

Do publishers like or dislike any work that have foot notes?

it's just that I want to add somethings to the bottom of the page that can shed further light on the story that the reader might not understand.

Talia_Brie

I think footnotes are used solely in non-fiction now.

A publisher might like the idea that a fiction writer is trying something different, but then again, they may not.

If you need to explain aspects of the story you should use a glossary (like you would see at the end of a fantasy novel) or you should explain them in context.

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Saponification

A few authors use footnotes, Talia_Brie. Terry Pratchett springs to mind. I've seen them elsewhere as well.

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Metta.

Talia_Brie

fair enough.

I stand corrected, well, sit corrected.

That somehow doesn't have the same impact, does it.

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Hodge

Michael Crichton uses footnotes in some of his novels, but he's also an incredibly popular author so he can do whatever he wants...

If it's some aspect of the story that needs clarification of some real life technical aspect, I'd say don't use footnotes. If it's fully enclosed in your story, however (like Tolkien used footnotes to clarify events and aspects of the world he created), then go for it.

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Science

TsuTseQ

I agree with Hodge.

Using footnotes depends on what kind of writing you do.

In a humourous novel they're the perfect place to put quirky, but totally irrelevant information -- things the author enjoys but couldn't fit into the story. Susanna Clarke used footnotes throughout her novel Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. They were mostly amusing notes about the history of English magic.

In a serious piece, they might be needed to fill out relevant information. But if, for example, you're writing a thriller that includes military manoeuvres or weaponry and want to include some background, use endnotes or appendices instead. Only the hardcore people will care to look up the info.

Be careful: If the information isn't truly important to the story, footnotes become tedious.

Maybe find a way to include the information in the narrative?

As for what publishers prefer, I couldn't say.

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-- Jillian Barbarie

Verago

Jonathan Stroud, author of the Bartimeaus Trilogy, comes to mind.

jta_8888

I'm not sure what the title was, or the author for that matter, but in one case, the author put an astrerick (*) beside an term he mentioned in one paragraph. Then, he included an appendix at the end of his novel, explaning what the asterick'd text meant.

Of course, authors that are "higher up" (someone mentioned Michael Crichton) can really do what they please.