ebook referencing

If you are adding ideas and words - why not just write your OWN copy instead of trying to use the work of others?

Basically, you have three choices.

1. You could go scholastic, with a bibliography and footnotes or endnotes that identify which material you "borrowed" from and where others can dig deeper should they choose to do so.

2. You could go part way, with an acknowledgement that your work stands on the shoulders of those who have gone before you, and list the sites you found helpful.

3. You could take the lazy/shiftless way out and pretend that everything in your ebook is your own expertise and that you came up with it all by yourself. Of course, the first time someone finds that others have published similar material predating yours, the curtain gets pulled back and the all-powerful Oz is shown as the fraud he is.

Rewriting someone else's material doesn't make it yours. It may save you from an infringement complaint, but that's about it.

I'm curious, though. Why are you, like so many others, afraid to give credit where it's due? Are you afraid that acknowledging that someone else might know more than you do might damage your authority or credibility? Some other reason? :confused:

Citing credible sources does not take away from your authority. It adds to it by demonstrating thoroughness and diligence about your subject.

I added a bibliography page in the ebook I wrote. A lot of warriors said it was a waste of time and wouldn't add anything to it. I just wouldn't feel right not crediting my sources. Plus i think it makes me sound more credible.

It is really your choice. If you are only getting some ideas but not using the same words and also adding your own ideas, it appears to me that it becomes a new whole product and result. So, you don't necessarily have to reference. But you can also do it if you want. You are not required and will not be considered plagiarism as long as you don't copy in verbatim. But if you feel that you need to do it, then you can. Only you know how much of it you are going to copy and use, so you will know what to do.

You can actually have it both ways: If you make chapter notes with added detail and complete references you have lived up to expectations. If this is in smaller print, a bit more nerdy in tone and less straightforward to read most people will still read the main body as "your work" (a silly notion for any writing really). Only people with a developed critical sense of writings will get a real sense of the structure.

I might not be really fair to your sources, unless you actually produce something that would not be read out of your sources if you read those instead.

But that is really not as hard as you think when you start writing. If you keep working over your material you will push past what your sources represent.