References

References are project files that support research and context without becoming part of a manuscript. Typical examples include research notes, a prior book in a series, an imported story bible, interview material, or a background document.

Add a Reference

1. Open Canon → References.
2. Select Add Reference.
3. Choose a .docx, Markdown, or plain-text file.
4. Review the title and choose a category: Research, Prior book, Imported bible, or Other.
5. Confirm the upload and wait for its status to become Ready.

Only add material that you have the right to use.

Understand the status

• Pending means the Reference has been added but is waiting to be prepared.
• Indexing means it is being prepared for evidence-backed search.
• Ready means Ask and other supported features can cite it when relevant.
• Failed means preparation did not complete; open the Reference for the available retry action and error summary.

Reference preparation requires a connection and available account capacity. Writing and manuscript sync continue if a Reference is pending.

Find and manage References

Search by title or original filename. Filter by category or status, sort by recent activity, title, or file size, and use Show more in a large library.

Project editors can rename, recategorize, retry, or archive a Reference. Other project roles can inspect the library and open permitted citations.

How References affect answers

Ask and Discourse may use a relevant Reference as supporting context and label its citations separately from manuscript passages and Canon. A Reference cannot silently override a confirmed Canon fact or prove that an event occurred in the manuscript.

Bookclub reads only the selected manuscript chapters, so its simulated readers do not know private research material that an ordinary reader would not see.

References are not manuscripts

Reference text does not appear in the binder, manuscript word count, export, Scenes context, or chapter collaboration. Enspeller is not a general file archive; keep the original file in your own document storage.

Replace changed material

If a source document changes substantially, add the updated file and archive the obsolete Reference after the new one becomes Ready. For small metadata corrections, edit the title or category directly.