Formatting Footnotes for Kindle

[Trana]

Has anyone else had a problem with footnotes for Kindle? I know KDP changes footnotes to endnotes, but I thought it would still provide a link or a pop-up to this material. I recently downloaded a Kindle version of my novel to reread it and found it does not do this. :( I could swear that it worked when I reviewed the Kindle Create file!

Revising my novel to create a book club edition, so I'd like to know what I need to do to fix this problem. Do any of you know of a solution? Will it work if I change the footnotes to endnotes for the ebook version?

[Wanjiru]

I would like to know the answer, too.

[Eldon, Lost on the road to Mordor]

Hi Trana,

I'm not sure how it works with Kindle Create, but I know it can be done using Jutoh. It comes down to coding the HTML properly to recognize the footnote, and point it to the correct section of the ebook file to retrieve the proper information to display. If you do not understand coding, it would be best to stick with a software solution.

If you don't have Jutoh (I assume you don't since you aren't using it), try typing "kindle create footnotes" into Google. There is a YouTube video on the process that might help you :)

[Trana]

Eldon wrote: "Hi Trana,

I'm not sure how it works with Kindle Create, but I know it can be done using Jutoh. It comes down to coding the HTML properly to recognize the footnote, and point it to the correct sect..."

Eldon,
Thanks. I'm using Word then Kindle Create. Since KC changes footnotes to endnotes, I'm in the process of changing my Word footnotes to endnotes for the ebook. I searched and found information on creating bookmarks then linking to the named bookmarks. I tested my Word file in KC, but I'm not 100% sure this will work. However, the KC previewer does now show a blue hyperlink! Unfortunately, the previewer won't allow you to click on the link. :(

[Eldon, Lost on the road to Mordor]

Trana wrote: "Eldon wrote: "Hi Trana,

I'm not sure how it works with Kindle Create, but I know it can be done using Jutoh. It comes down to coding the HTML properly to recognize the footnote, and point it to th..."

Good luck with it Trana :)

[Trana]

Thought I should update this thread based on what I found out. I'm thoroughly disgusted!

I added named bookmarks to my 19 endnotes in my Word document. Then, I also linked each one to the named bookmarks. I created an epub file using Calibre, and my links to the footnotes worked like a charm.

When I used Kindle Create to create my manuscript, these appeared as hyperlinks in the Kindle Previewer - but you can't follow links with their previewer! Yesterday, I uploaded my new file to KDP. When my updated book became available today, I downloaded it. Clicking on any one of those links only took you back a page! :( Today I uploaded the epub file and I hope this will fix my problem.

WARNING! Do not use Kindle Create if your novel has footnotes or endnotes!

[Eldon, Lost on the road to Mordor]

Trana wrote: "Thought I should update this thread based on what I found out. I'm thoroughly disgusted!

I added named bookmarks to my 19 endnotes in my Word document. Then, I also linked each one to the named b..."

That's disappointing Trana :( Hope it works out for you!

[Mike]

This is helpful information. I'm working at the moment on a book that will have quite a few footnotes, and I can't really avoid them.

[Trana]

The Calibre created epub file worked. My ebook now has clickable links that go where they should!

[Eldon, Lost on the road to Mordor]

Trana wrote: "The Calibre created epub file worked. My ebook now has clickable links that go where they should!"

Congrats!!

[Trana]

Thanks, Eldon :)

[Tomas, Wandering dreamer]

Also, on the matter of Calibre... epub converts into reflowable text while AZW3 and MOBI don't seem so, at least in the previewer.