• Should the author create the index?
  
• What are the costs and benefits of hiring a professional indexer?
  
• What will an indexer need from me?
  
• How do I evaluate the quality of an index?
  
• Who owns the copyright on an index?
  
• How can I find an indexer who understands my subject area?
  

There are pros and cons to having a book's author also create its index. This may be a viable solution for you if you're aware of the challenges involved.

The main advantage to author indexing is that the author understands the book's content and structure better than anyone else. Because indexing requires a synthesis of information found throughout the book, the author's knowledge is a definite benefit.

However, there are several challenges you'll face with author indexing.

If the author is limited to word-processing software for index generation, the tool itself will limit his/her productivity. Dedicated indexing software speeds the process and helps refine & edit the index, but may not be feasible for the author due to budget and time constraints.

If the author is not trained in indexing conventions and standards, he/she will have to research many detailed issues, increasing both the time and cost required to complete the index. The risks of compromising the quality of the index or delaying the production schedule are obviously significant.

If the author is fatigued from months of working with the same content, he/she may not be enthusiastic about the prospect of another intensive procedure with the same material.

Because the author has been completely involved with the content for so long, it may be difficult to "shift gears" and look at the text through the eyes of someone new to the information. An effective index is always developed from the user's perspective.

The ideal situation is to hire a professional indexer to collaborate with the author.

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Considering the impact a high-quality index can have on a book's success, the cost of hiring a professional indexer is relatively small.

To evaluate cost-effectiveness for your particular project, request a bid from an experienced indexer and consider the benefits a professional can bring to your project:

Meeting strict production deadlines. Professional indexers are accustomed to working with strict deadlines and understand their importance. It's simply part of the business for them.

Producing the index in the shortest amount of billable time. Professional indexers use dedicated indexing software, which maximizes productivity. Experienced indexers are up to speed on indexing conventions and usability issues. They have honed very specific analytical processes and thus can produce the index faster than a novice.

Producing a high-quality index. Indexing conventions are numerous and nit-picky, but for users they make the difference between finding information quickly and getting frustrated. Professional indexers know how to handle very specific situations for greatest usability. They also specialize in looking at text from the user's point of view.

Improving customer satisfaction. Readers come to associate index quality with the overall usefulness of publishers' books. Happy customers are repeat customers.

Reducing tech support calls. In the software industry, technical support personnel routinely receive calls for questions that are answered in the documentation. If the index (and online help searches) are not complete, users become frustrated with the product and the company.

As you strive to meet the challenges of the publishing business, professional indexers can be a valuable asset. High quality indexes add significant value to your publication at relatively low cost.

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Providing the following information for an indexer will help produce a high-quality index and minimize your costs:

• A minimum of two weeks' notice before beginning work on an index. Freelance indexers are usually working on two or more jobs concurrently, and strategic scheduling is critical when deadlines are tight.

• A list of your index specifications, including index format, typographic conventions, and submission format.

• A style guide, either one you have developed or a published guide such as The Chicago Manual of Style.

• A description of the intended audience: who they are, what previous experience they may have with the subject.

• A description of how the work will be marketed. Purchasers will often browse an index before making their decisions. If the purchaser is someone other than the reader (for example, in educational settings), the index should be designed accordingly.

• A list of indexable material: illustrative material, captions, footnotes, and any special typographic treatment needed.

• The required length or depth of indexing: number of pages available for the index or approximate number of entries per page, if applicable.

• A .pdf or Word file of the text. The ability to search for a particular portion of text makes the indexing process more efficient.

• Final page proofs or text files. Changing page numbers or embedded tags after work has begun can significantly add to the final cost of the index.

• Author contact information. Particularly with more technical texts, a collaborative relationship between the indexer and the author typically results in the strongest index.

The purpose of the index is to guide readers quickly to the information they need. There are a few specific items you can check to make sure the index is serving its users well:

Length of the index. Does the length meet your publication constraints? Are the index length and density appropriate for the type of text? Index density reflects the average number of entries per page of text. For light trade books, three to five entries per page may be appropriate; for very technical works, ten or more entries per page may be required.

Coverage of important topics. Look up a few of the main concepts in the text. Do the numbers of entries and subentries reflect the relative importance of concepts?

Locator accuracy. Look up a dozen index entries to be sure they guide you to the correct page. If you find errors, a more thorough edit may be necessary.

Wording of entries. Are the entries worded so that they are easy for the intended audience to understand?

Spelling and grammatical errors. If you find errors, plan on a thorough edit.

Long strings of locators. Determine how many page numbers you will allow after an entry. More than five or six locators compromises usability, and the entry should probably be broken down into subentries.

Cross-reference accuracy. Make sure "see" and "see also" cross-references lead to the appropriate places.

Term consistency. Are concepts indexed according to the author's preferred terminology?

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If the index is a "work made for hire," the publisher will own the copyright for the index. To be considered a "work made for hire," two requirements must be met:

1. The index must be specially ordered or commissioned by the publisher, and
   
   
2. Both parties must sign a written document in which they agree that the work will be considered a "work made for hire."

The American Society for Indexing maintains a listing of professional indexers with a wide variety of specialty areas. You can find the ASI Indexer Locator at http://www.asindexing.org/ custom/locator/.

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To request an estimate, call Carol Reed at BlueStem (248)736-9705 or click here to send an email.