Services

Rates

 

Although indexing rates can be figured in different ways, I prefer to work on a per indexable page basis, calculated based on your book’s galley. However, if your preference is to determine the cost by the entry or by the project, this can be accommodated.

My rates are based on the density of the material and the depth of indexing required. The page rates below are for books with 300-350 words per page and a very straightforward structure and writing style. For a firm quote, please  reach out to me.

RATE RANGES:

  • Trade books: starting at $3.75/page

  • Textbooks: starting at $4.25/page

  • Scholarly books: starting at $5:50/page.

  • Embedded indexes: starting at $6.50/page

Very dense text (11-15 entries per page), is charged at a higher rate. Rush jobs will incur additional charges, starting at 10 percent of the total job cost.

Cookbooks would be priced at the lower end of the price range and academic and legal studies, including footnotes and appendices, at the higher rate. Very dense text (11-15 entries per page), and rush assignments are charged at a higher rate.

After you contact me about an indexing project, I will ask you for a sample of the text (one to two chapters) so I can gauge the density of the text. A PDF file can be e-mailed to me and is the best way for me to assess your project. Alternatively, a link to the document may be sent to me. When you contact me about a project, we will also talk about the format of the index, your publisher’s specifications, and your deadlines.

I use Sky IndexTM Professional software.

Materials Indexed

  • Scholarly books

  • Textbooks

  • Trade books

Indexing Formats

My training at the British Society of Indexers is based on British Standards, however, I am very familiar with the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) and have produced indexes using CMS guidelines. Many house styles vary from CMS. Working from a publisher’s specifications or a sample index I can provide you with an index that conforms to your preferences.

Considerations to note:

Indented style indexes, where each sub-entry begins on a new line, are easier to read, but use more space. A “run-in” or “run-on” style index will save space. In this style, subheadings follow one another in the format of a paragraph, with each entry separated by semicolons. However, sub-subheadings, if there are any, may be difficult to interpret in the run-in style.

Alphabetical arrangement of entries may be either letter-by-letter or word-by-word. If your normal house style is letter-by-letter but if you have an index with a large number of names or related phrases involving cross-references, it might be better to consider a word-by-word arrangement. With the indexing software I use, indexes can be sorted either way very simply so both formats can be produced for comparison purposes.

Capitalization rules vary widely. If you don’t have a specific house style, we can discuss what might be most suitable for your index. My preference is to not use initial capitals on entries to avoid confusion with homographs and proper names.