An index is a guide to all subjects discussed within a text and where to find them.

Nonfiction books without indexes are unfinished. Prospective buyers of your book such as bookstore chains and libraries may not stock your book if it lacks an index. Readers need them too. People who have not read your book and want to know if it contains any information on a particular topic use the index to find out. People who have read your book and are looking for a fact, anecdote or story they needed or enjoyed will also need an index.

I receive a manuscript in pdf from a publisher. I open it on my computer, next to it on the monitor is the window of my indexing software program. I read the manuscript and make index entries as I go. When I’m finished making entries for the entire book I then have to edit the index. This involves making subheadings for large entries and making these clear and easily understood. Then I proofread the index looking for names that are misspelled and errors in page numbers. Next I format it to the specifications asked for by the publisher. I then save the index in rich text format and the index is ready to be emailed to the publisher or author.

Certainly you can index it yourself. However you may not want the bother. You might find it is more difficult than you bargained for. Indexing is my job. I have learned over the years what works and what doesn’t. It also helps to have someone with a different perspective indexing your book. For example the dedicated indexer may think of headings that a reader not so familiar with the subject matter might look under for certain information and put a cross reference there guiding the reader to where he/she needs to go. Indexing is a task which demands one’s full attention. If as an author you don’t feel you can achieve this it’s probably best to give it to someone who can.

At the final page proof stage. It’s possible to start earlier than this but the complication of changing page numbers and shifting text will likely increase the time needed to complete the index.

A rough guide is 200 pages a week. Of course much depends on the complexity of the material and depth of indexing. Most books produce 5 to 15 index entries per page. For this density of indexing the 200 pages a week rule works. My week is seven days.