Citing sources consistently across a long non-fiction manuscript is easier when every citation goes through Deckle's footnote/endnote tool, in the same place, rather than being typed inline as ad-hoc parenthetical text.
What You'll Need
- A non-fiction manuscript in Deckle with sources you need to credit.
Step-by-Step
- Insert a footnote/endnote at the exact point you're citing, rather than adding a parenthetical reference inline. This keeps your body text clean and the citation itself easy to find and edit later.
- Write your citation with real formatting where it helps, such as italicizing a book or publication title or linking to an online source, since note content supports the same rich text as the rest of your manuscript.
- Decide between Footnotes and Endnotes for the whole book (Styles → Special Pages → Notes) based on how your readers will use them: footnotes keep the source visible on the same page (or a same-file popup in EPUB), endnotes keep the body text uninterrupted and collect every citation onto one page at the end.
- Stay consistent in how you format citations yourself. Deckle doesn't enforce a citation style (APA, Chicago, MLA, or otherwise). It gives you the insertion tool and rendering, but the actual citation format is up to you to apply consistently by hand.
- Switch styles freely while drafting. Since Footnote vs. Endnote is one global setting, you can draft with one and switch to the other later without touching a single note.
Common Mistakes
- Typing citations inline as parenthetical text instead of using the footnote/endnote tool. This makes them harder to reformat consistently later, and defeats the point of Endnote style's dedicated backmatter page.
- Mixing citation formats from note to note. Deckle doesn't standardize the format for you. Pick a citation style up front and apply it the same way in every note.
- Assuming Endnotes hides citations from readers who want them close at hand. Each endnote still links back to exactly where it was referenced, so readers who want to check a source can jump there directly, even though it isn't on the same page.
FAQ
Does Deckle format citations in a specific style (APA, Chicago, MLA)?
No. Deckle provides the footnote/endnote insertion tool and rendering, but the citation format itself is something you apply consistently by hand.
Should a non-fiction book use footnotes or endnotes?
Either works. Footnotes keep sources visible near the text they support; endnotes keep body text uninterrupted and collect everything at the end with backlinks. It's a single global choice, so you can try one and switch later.
Can I include a link to an online source in a citation?
Yes. Note content supports the same rich text (including links) as the rest of your manuscript.