Type of book, entries per page, pages per hour, page rates. I do collect the index entries from the book in a text file, then do everything else through the program. Its the most practical and straightforward guide to the process of composing index entries and compiling a working index. Comfortable with tight production deadlines, i provide accurate, thorough, highquality editorial services for numerous satisfied clients just like you. Book indexing rates can be quoted by the page, by entry, or by the hour, depending on client preferences. Trade books are lighter 25% or 35 entries per page while textbooks, reference, and scholarly books run around 78%. I once accepted to index a book on a subject dear to my heart. For example, the reader will find a single entry on mining with subentries on. You can see from this model that the density of indexable information contained on the pages of the book, as well as the content itself, have. Time allowed unusually short deadlines add to the cost of the index. Leastrecentlyused lru ring functional description, 317 elements of, 324 page number style. If you want to write a note next to one of your entries, do it. Praise for handbook of indexing techniques, 5th edition i welcome this fifth edition.
I then copypasted those terms into a separate spreadsheet file and printed it out three columns per page. Grrrr also, many publishers impose severe constraints, e. The index itself is stored on pages, making up the index pages in sql server. To prepare a price quote on a perentry basis, figure the total number of entries in the book and divide this into the total estimate. If you come across a word or phrase while marking index entries that you know occurs elsewhere in your document, click the mark all button in the mark index entry dialog box. Others would do better to enlist the aid of a professional indexer. Sometimes that means either insisting on some leeway or else producing a poor index. The two most common ways of charging clients for book indexing work are a per page rate and a per entry rate.
Nov 04, 20 a book written for a scholarly audience is typically denser, and has more index terms per page. Embedded indexing increases the time required and the resulting fees. The expected number of entries per page or in the whole index should also be specified, since this is a key factor in the time spent doing the index. A book with no index may have the subject words listed at the bottom of each page. Add the page numbers for every meaningful reference to a. I index several pages and time myself to estimate how long i think it will take me per page. Most indexers would probably tell you that four entries per page is the most.
When you index you help connect families by typing up historical documents so they can be published online. This is usually based on the average number of entries per page somewhere around 47 since. The index is typically placed at the end of a book. All episodes are now available for immediate download as a complete book. In other words, the index in a book is an ordered arrangement of entries. To make an index you must ask, for every passage in a book, if i were looking for this, what words would describe what i was looking for. In the same sense any book index is a meta index because the book itself is a sort of index. Per entry is when book indexing services are charged per item. Book indexing is an art form not everyone can do it. When we index a webpage, we add it to the entries for all of the words it contains. Notes may or may not be indexed depending on the book and the authors preference. How to create an index for your book in adobe indesign.
I prefer to charge a per page rate, although i am amenable to discussing an hourly rate, or a fixedrate fee e. Jun 07, 2016 tables, for example, may contain a wealth of entries, or may be one chunk of information, but the indexer has to read the page over to make that determination, and so the indexer will probably charge for each table page. But when i try to create the index using the concordance file it says, no index entries were marked. The other block to a good index can be the books author. So, first, i imported the pdf copy of the manuscript into devonthink and produced a concordance of every word in the file. Accesspoints indexing creates indexes for books and journals. Leading function words in subentries are not alphabetized. Indexing is new york times bestselling author seanan mcguires new urban fantasy where everything you thought you knew about fairy tales gets turned on its head.
A computer can assist the project, however, by accurately locating and alphabetizing the entries. Rates can be quoted by the entry, by the project, or by the hour, but most professional indexers charge by the page. Without an index page, you have no other option than scanning through the entire book chapters. Most book indexes have to be made between the time page proof is issued and the time it is returned to the typesetter usually about four weeks. Writing means thinking of an idea and creating content for it. Accelerate large projects by dividing work between several indexers and merging files cut costs by creating cumulations and updates with minimum rekeying of text.
Interview with ken hassman, professional book indexer. Book index guidelines provides newest technical book indexing knowhow. This discussion took place on wmstl in february 2009. The entry is made up of a heading followed by any necessary subordinate phrases. These fees are perpage, hourly, or a combination of perpage and hourly. Density of text, and depth of index, are some of the factors that determine rates for indexing. In addition, be cautious about indexing the main topic of your book.
This analogy is known as full table scan in database world. The productivity information helps me know what to charge for two column pages vs. Amy murphy indexing and editorial amy murphy indexing. Indexing is defined based on its indexing attributes.
Fiction authors are lucky that they only have to create a table of contents, but nonfiction authors also have to create a robust index to help readers navigate their book. A book index is an alphabetized list of words and phrases showing the page numbers on which text on the subjects listed can be found. The unit of the index is the entry, which is a grouping of all page references to aspects. The problem is that some page references are duplicating within the same index entry. Through it i can easily define the entries and their sub entries, define cross references, it will locate their pages numbers, and i can set the font styling for each entry as needed. The number of index entries that the indexer will need to create per page can run from 3 to 10 or more entries. Indexing, copyediting, and writing are my professional specialties. Mar 05, 2015 manual indexing a skill that lives on. Factors that change after booking may change the rate. My rates are based upon a nominal publishers page of 250 words harkening back to typewriten, double spaced pages in 12 point courier font.
Index density the greater the number of entries per page, the more time required. The first was for an easy book of less than 100 pages. An index should also capture any comparisons of one concept with another in your book. Sql server index architecture and design guide sql.
Indexes are constructed, separately, on three distinct levels. Index preparation for more on indexing, see chicago. Each of these tabs has 5 pages with room for 3 entries on the front and 3 entries on the back 30 entries per tab. You can create an index entry for an individual word, phrase, or symbol, for a topic that spans a range of pages, or that refers to another entry. Book indexes have only one kind of visible relationship. We show you step by step how to index in a safe and. The percentage of pages by type of book ranges from 2 to 15 or more pages. It includes pointers to where those keywords or concepts are mentioned in the book typically page n. Pages that are not indexed, such as the table of contents, preface, introduction, or bibliography, are not included in the page count. If the book is a monograph, the author can be constructing a list of index entries while the manuscript is being typeset.
Please note that, if a professional indexer does the work, the author is usually. Indexing books, second edition chicago guides to writing. The keys are in alphabetical order, which makes really easy for us to scan the index, find an entry, note the pages, and then flip the book to the correct pages. I was thoroughly impressed with their understanding of the concepts that i was working with, and they even realized some more concepts that i didnt know that i was working with. For this density of indexing the 200 pages a week rule works. For example, programming syntax, 12, 45, 74, 122, 219, 222. In other words, it is about identifying and describing the subject of documents. Indexing in database systems is similar to what we see in books. I charge only for indexable pages, that is pages which i have to read, looking for indexable material. Toward a standard measure of index density word for word book. While not needed in novels or short books, an index is required for most textbooks, technical manuals and other books that contain factual information. How to contract with a book indexer word for word book services. Indexing is a data structure technique to efficiently retrieve records from the database files based on some attributes on which the indexing has been done. Generally an index is found in the back of book or document and lists several keywords or phrases in alphabetical order with page numbers.
I grabbed indexing because it was a recommended book that i should enjoy and enjoy it i did. Separate these terms into main entries and subentries. Its like the index in the back of a book with an entry for every word seen on every webpage we index. I received a document from a user who has created an index for a manuscript. If an entry runs over the width of the column, it is indented. You can see from this model that the density of indexable information contained on the pages of the book, as well as the content itself, have a big impact on the time it takes that indexer to work. After the indexing process starts, its important to submit the final page proofs of. An author preparing his or her own index will have to proofread as well as index the work.
In backofthebook indexing, on the other hand, the unit that an index. I love to index books, because it requires intense thinking thats like writing in reverse. Because of the alphabetization system typically used, two adjoining indexing entries can have a maximal conceptual distance from one another. An indexer can often provide fast turnaround for a book with a tight deadline, but rush jobs usually cost more. It has been remarked that, while at first glance the driest part of the book, on closer inspection the index may provide both interest and amusement from time to time. When im bidding on a job, i ask to see a sample chapter of the book. Ensuring each topicsection includes a variety of relevant index entries. Crossreferences are an important part of terminology control in your book. An alphabetical index referred to as an index is a list of keywords or phrases used throughout a document that, if listed in order, may help the reader find information quickly. Creating index entries as you write your document just slows you down and distracts you from your primary task. When we format a book, we place the authors text file into a page layout program called adobe indesign. Online book indexing work jobs, employment freelancer. Oct 27, 2017 the lower the percent index, as you may hear it called, the fewer entries per page. Find everything you need to know about horse racing at.
If you love books and reading, have a fairly analytical mind, would love to be a business owner, and are looking for a career change or a parttime career opportunity, indexing might be just the thing for you. For journal indexes, flat rates by the article or issue. In a regular book, if the index spans multiple pages and you have to find pointers to all the pages that contain the word sql for example, you would have to leaf through until you locate the index page that contains the keyword sql. The sublime joy of making a book index without bullshit. Indexing books, second edition chicago guides to writing, editing, and publishing mulvany, nancy c. Click the button below to start the conversation and get a quote for your book. Add the page numbers for every meaningful reference to. Using the formula on page sixtyfour of this book, this is a 7% index. I save and close the concordance file and make sure hidden fields are not displayed in my book.
An index lists the terms and topics that are discussed in a document, along with the pages that they appear on. If your book 600 pages long, but your index is only 2 pages, the index is. If you want to flip the order of two entries, draw a big arrow on the page. Indexing books, second edition chicago guides to writing, editing, and publishing.
The index for a typical nonfiction book can look bewildering, with its entries and subentries, each with its own indentation plan. To create an index, you mark the index entries by providing the name of the main entry and the crossreference in your document, and then you build the index. Of course much depends on the complexity of the material and depth of indexing. For entries longer than the column width, the first line is set flush and the rest of the entry is indented below it. A geographical map is least like a book index in that it shows visible relationships between places. Some organizations have actual styleguide rules concerning how many page references following an index entry are allowable. Im trying to create an index using a concordance file using word 2003. A book written for a popular, lay audience is fluffier and much quicker to index. Ideas on fire is meticulous in their work because of their genuine passion for the material at hand. May 21, 20 tria yes, there is a sequel scheduled, and itll be on the same sort of model released chapter by chapter for kindle, since indexing was originallymore yes, there is a sequel scheduled, and itll be on the same sort of model released chapter by chapter for kindle, since indexing was originally commissioned for the kindle serials program, and is due for release bit by bit sometime this. The american society for indexing asi has a book on indexing to help authors and editors. It includes the titles and description of the headers or sections of the book or document, and in books that contain works of different authors, their names are also listed on the table of contents.
In this article im going to leave aside the editorial concerns of whats included or not included in an index, how the entries are cross referenced, and all similar concerns. I provide indexing and taxonomy services from my home on an island in the pacific ocean. Density of material number of index entries per page manuscript page size. Index rate quote wright information indexing services. Middle school textbooks and selfhelp books contain very few entries per page tend to be charged at the lower end of range. For journal indexes, flat rates by the article or issue can also be quoted. Difference between table of contents and index difference. How to contract with a book indexer word for word book. Documents that have more than ten pages usually have a table of contents.
Frequently asked questions american society for indexing. Number of index entries per page of text density of text print size, amount of graphic material additional research required to produce accurate entries an average 200 page book written at a general level can be indexed in 710 days more complex or longer texts require more time. The index was prepared with the macrex indexing program. The page number compression style follows that in the chicago manual of style, 14th ed, section 8. Rates fedorak indexing services vancouver, bc canada. With over 100 projects from all over the world, you can find a project that helps you and others. The index entries consist of the key and page number. Text difficulty highly technical text takes more time to index than general interest texts. Words builtin indexing feature can make your job a whole lot easier, but it wont do all. The indexer must be familiar with the book before a reasonable bid can be given, because of wide variations in words per page and complexity of material. And more, to lookup any particular chapter that matters, you just need to look over the index page, again and again, every time.
However, including index entries for each breed will help readers discover the. Fairy tales replay themselves time and time again over the centuries, without the assistance of the ati management bureau the effects could be devastating to society. Ask the indexer for the statistics on the index if you want to see how your book fit into this model. The amount of crossreferencing needed for your book is a significant consideration for the indexer when determining the cost of doing an index for a book. How to make a really good book index in word tck publishing. There are a total of tabs with 5 pages each for a total of 65 pages. For a book with one overall index, five or six references per page is about right.
For this, youll need to master book indexing software and industry standards or find a freelancer to index your book. Pdf index generator is a powerful indexing utility for generating the back of your book index and writing it to your book in 4 easy steps. These pages must come from an interior chapter of a book, not introductory material. Macrex records time taken indexing, entries per page, references per entry, etc. Welcome to, your official source for horse racing results, mobile racing data, statistics as well as all other horse racing and thoroughbred racing information. Compact, spiralbound book has tabbed alphabetical pages 2 letters per tab. To prepare a bid or price quote for a client who uses perpage pricing, divide your total estimate by the page count. The steps below are the closest we can get to an automated index for you. The pros and cons a surprisingly interesting discussion of whether it is necessary to create an index for a book one writesedits, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of creating the index oneself, hiring someone else to do it, or creating it with software, and how creating an index can be a feminist act. There are 2,062 entries, averaging seven entries per page.