My Services
What I offer and what it costs
Back-of-book index
A back-of-book index runs between $3 and $7 CAD per 300 words. Factors that I take into consideration while calculating the rate for a project are the length and density of the index, the time-frame for completion, and whether the text is a trade or scholarly publication. So a book with 100,000 indexable words would run between $1000 CAD and $2333.33 CAD before tax. My fee also includes two hours of editing of the index after submission, should the client desire changes be made. Editing work beyond those two hours is billed at an hourly rate. Back-of-book indexes are prepared using the final proofs of the manuscript, submitted as a PDF file (preferred) or as a hard copy, using Cindex software.
Embedded index
An embedded index is complex and often requires more time to complete than a back-of-book index. The overall cost for embedded indexes tends to be on the higher side of the rates listed for a back-of-book index. I use Index Manager software to generate embedded indexes for Word and InDesign files.
FAQs
Why does a book need an index?
An index is for the reader, both new readers and ones returning to look something up. A good index adds value to your book by giving the reader multiple different ways to engage with the material. As a bookseller, I’ve seen the way that readers decide between two books on the same topic: they look at the synopsis, they look at the table of contents, and they look at the index. While a synopsis gives a broad overview and a table of contents sketches your book’s structure, an index lets the reader know what topics are included. For example, while the table of contents for a book on the Spanish Civil War might tell readers that there’s a chapter dealing with international involvement, an index will tell them if it contains locators for the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion or the writings of George Orwell. And those details can make all the difference in whether or not your book is purchased or set back on the shelf.
Why hire me?
As an indexer, it is my job to make the contents of a book accessible to readers through careful selection of terms, choice of language, and consideration of usability. I’ve trained in indexing at Simon Fraser University and participated in the Mary Newberry Mentorship Program through the Indexing Society of Canada, where I was mentored by the co-president. My experiences in publishing and as a bookseller have given me unique insight into many different kinds of readers and the different ways they approach books. My work in advertising and marketing has furnished me with a wealth of experience in the use of plain language to concisely convey meaning. I read widely, avidly, and with endless curiosity. Some topics that I tend to favour include history, popular science, gaming, biography, literary theory, mythology and folklore, writing craft and craft writing, philosophy, and politics, but this is by no means an exhaustive list.
How do you calculate your rates?
Rates are calculated for each project independently but align with the industry standard. Length and complexity of the work, deadline for completion, index density and type of index (back-of-book or embedded, scholarly or trade) are all factors in calculating a project’s rate.
Portfolio
What follows is a partial list of texts that I’ve indexed.
Jones, Bill. Deerholme Foraging Cookbook: Wild Ingredients and Recipes from the Pacific Northwest, Revised and Updated. TouchWood Editions, 2024.
Wilhelm, Lindsay Puawehiwa. Evolutionary Aestheticism in Victorian Culture. Cambridge University Press, 2024.*
Thiessen, Janis and Kimberley Moore. mmm…Manitoba: The Stories Behind the Foods We Eat. University Press of Manitoba, 2024.
Zepernick, Rasmus. Halloumi: Vegetarian Recipes Starring Your New Favourite Cheese. TouchWood Editions, 2024.
Jones, Bill. Deerholme Mushroom Book: From Foraging to Feasting, Revised and Updated. TouchWood Editions, 2024.
* embedded index