A firm estimate can be projected based on the provision of sample chapters from the book to be indexed. Common editorial ratesregardless of whether a fee is flat rate, per page, per word, or hourlytend to fall within the ranges indicated below. December, 2017 3 comments what is an index in a book. Bcis schedule of rates and price books updated for 2020.
An indexable page is defined as any page i have to read for indexing purposes. All types and levels of science and medicine books can benefit from an index produced by a professional indexer with a passion forand a deep knowledge ofscience and medicine. Book indexing rates can be quoted by the page, by entry, or by the hour. Front matter is not included neither are blank pages or most appendixes. The sublime joy of making a book index without bullshit. When a project is expected to have a lot of changes to its text, and due to scheduling constraints indexing must be begin using a draft form of the book, hourly rates are charged. Front matter is not included neither are blank pages or most. In effect, the variables in question must be set equal to each other and then examined over time for differences. I confess i have no idea what a reasonable rate would be. I create backofthe book indexes that keep the needs of the reader and the author in mind.
I compose traditional backofthebook or embedded indexes to provide a comprehensive network of. Indexers are not obliged to charge this rate, but many do. These pages must come from an interior chapter of a book, not introductory material. Small presses are usually charged at the bottom of the scale. Whether your goal is simply to be a published author in a certain niche or you want to publish a book to promote your overall freelance writing business, your book might need an index.
In a traditional backofthebook index, the headings will include names of people, places, events, and concepts selected by the indexer as being relevant and of interest to a possible reader of the book. An interest rate charged on loans to borrowers that is calculated by taking the sum of a benchmark index interest rate and a specified margin. Indexing books, second edition chicago guides to writing. The indexer may be the author, the editor, or a professional indexer working as a third party. 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. Rates are influenced by the density and complexity of the material and by the depth of the index.
I provide indexing and taxonomy services from my home on an island in the pacific ocean. In either case, i want to help by telling you everything i know about index prices, including pricing structures, average rates, and factors to consider when choosing. Ive done about a dozen indexes so far, mostly for books and manuals i cowrote or edited, but a few for books by other authors including seth godins linchpin, which i indexed on a whim. The society currently recommends that indexing rates start from. I recently indexed my own book for precisely this reasonthe fee the publisher. An index is an essential route of access to the knowledge contained in a document. She develops appropriate, consistent, precise, and accurate main entries and subentries, arranged in easily. The type of book trade books are less than scholarly texts, subject matter, intended audience and amount of text on a. One of the biggest differences between an index and a. How to contract with a book indexer word for word book services. The two most common ways of quoting book index prices are per page and per entry.
Editorial rates freelancer rates editorial freelancers. All types and levels of science and medicine books can benefit from an index produced by a professional. That is, they charge by the project, not by the hour. The company specializes in writing backofthe book indexes for scholarly monographs, textbooks, and trade publications focusing on literature in humanities and social sciences. Indexing books, like cutting down tall trees, is best handled by professionals. Millis indexing services provides quality backofthebook indexing and copyediting at competitive rates for publications in many different fields. She develops appropriate, consistent, precise, and accurate main entries and subentries, arranged in easily recognizable and searchable order with crossreferences, reflecting the authors presentation of the contents. We are skilled in assimilating these differences so that our indexes meet the needs of all your readers. All episodes are now available for immediate download as a complete book. An hourly indexing fee should always be at least four times the wage one can earn by flipping hamburgers at a fastfood emporium. An index is a valuable tool that allows readers to quickly.
As indexicon demonstrates so well, backofthebook indexes cannot be. Hourly rates, however, may apply for some projects, such as embedded indexing in ms word. Noalani terry is a professional indexer who provides backofthebook and journal indexes. The company specializes in writing backofthebook indexes for scholarly monographs. In a traditional backofthe book index, the headings will include names of people, places, events, and concepts selected by the indexer as being relevant and of interest to a possible reader of the book. Before we discuss fees for indexing, lets look at the life of a freelancer briefly so that you. With an index, a reader is directed to the information he or she seeks with ease and efficiency. Rates can be quoted by the entry, by the project, or by the hour, but most professional indexers charge by the page.
This book was initially released in episodes as a kindle serial. We know you may have more than one target audience for your book, each with a different perspective and varying levels of subject matter expertise. My rates are competitive and vary depending upon the following factors. My indexes are living navigational aids, breathing finding tools that reflect the tone and. In effect, the variables in question must be set equal to each other and then examined over time for. Interview on nonfiction book indexing with virginia c.
I primarily index scholarly books within social sciences and natural sciences, with a bit of humanities for good measure. Rates depend on the depth and complexity of the text. While experienced indexers come to know what rates per page or per entry they can. Sep 09, 2019 interview on nonfiction book indexing with virginia c. Indexed data are handy because they allow an observer to quickly determine rates of growth by looking at a charts vertical axis. For journal indexes, flat rates by the article or issue can also be quoted. The australian and new zealand society of indexers has a recommended minimum hourly rate for book and periodical indexes see. Book indexing is typically billed at a perpage rate for most projects, with rates depending on the content technical, academic, trade, etc. Like its predecessor, this edition of indexing books offers comprehensive, reliable treatment of indexing principles and practices relevant to authors and indexers alike. That being the case, most nonfiction books should have an index. If a 250 page book, for example, has 210 indexable. Indexers usually use this rate to calculate a fee for an assignment.
What is a good online course to learn book indexing. Still, inflation has been low for that time period, and the indexing is usually between 1. Ive done about a dozen indexes so far, mostly for books and manuals i cowrote or edited, but a few for. You can sign up for a monthly or annual subscription, and cancel anytime, so if you. Sample chapters and a table of contents must be submitted before any estimate can be made. As a part of the back matter, the index is found in the end pages of a book, and it can be a resourceful tool for readers who may be using the book in their research, or for readers who just want to read up on a certain subject. Whether your goal is simply to be a published author in a certain niche or. Userfriendly indexes to books, journals, and databases, written from the users. Beauregard indexing services is a sole proprietorship committed to creating excellent book indexes. Contact me for a free quote regarding your individual project, for more specific information. This usually takes the form of page rates although there are other methods available, such as per entry, per line, or per book. The society of indexers recommends that indexing rates start from. My indexes are living navigational aids, breathing finding tools that reflect the tone and structure of your book.
Fees indexing fees are usually based on the recommended rates of the society of indexers. Have you ever considered writing a nonfiction book. Book indexing rates can be quoted by the page, by entry, or by the hour, depending on client preferences. I was elected as treasurer and served the pacific northwest chapter of the american society for indexing in 2017. An index is a valuable tool that allows readers to quickly access the material in your publication. Rates fedorak indexing services vancouver, bc canada. While the glossary defines specific words found in a book, the index merely tells you where to find them. Rates vary and can be higher for very complex or specialized material and as you gain experience. Every serious book of nonfiction should have an index to achieve its maximum usefulness. Wordco facilitates discovery by providing publishers with the best in print and embeddeddigital indexes. 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.
Different publishers prefer different methods, and indexes for different. The australian and new zealand society of indexers has a recommended minimum hourly rate for book and periodical indexes see below. Some indexers provide other means of calculating their fees, such as a flat project fee. To get an idea of how much a perpage rate would be, try this estimator. A relatively simple way to make such comparisons is by indexing data to a common starting point. However, the picture is not the same across all trades. The two most common ways of charging clients for book indexing work are a perpage rate and a perentry rate. Rush jobs will incur additional charges, starting at 10 percent of total job cost. Millis indexing services provides quality backofthe book indexing and copyediting at competitive rates for publications in many different fields. I deal directly with authors offering rates as low as. Frequently asked questions american society for indexing. My rates are based upon a nominal publishers page of 250 words harkening back to typewriten, double spaced pages in 12 point courier font. It is recommended that these figures be used as a basis for estimating the total cost of an index. Without question, some authors can index their books competently.
Rates depend on many factors because books vary in depth and complexity. I have indexed over 2,000 books in my 25year career as an indexer. However, what defines an entry would need to be agreed upon before indexing proceeds. Complex material will cost more than simpler material. The type of book trade books are less than scholarly texts, subject matter, intended audience and amount of text on a page need to be considered. I compose traditional backofthe book or embedded indexes to provide a comprehensive network of access points to your text, styled to your specifications and delivered on your timeline. Index rate quote wright information indexing services. A firm estimate can be projected based on the provision of.
I charge only for indexable pages, that is pages which i have to read, looking for indexable material. Recommended rates as from 31 december 2019, the society recommends indexing rates of. In addition to practical advice, the book presents a bigpicture perspective on the nature and purpose of indexes and their role in published works. One of the biggest differences between an index and a concordance is the organization of terms which allows the index to cover the books information in its entirety by a structured arrangement of interconnected headings, subheadings, and crossreferences. Higher inflation rates and depreciation in the rupiah coincide during the later quarters of 2001, the early quarters of 2004, the later quarters of 2005 and 2008, and the early quarters of 2010.
Wordco, the nations foremost book indexing company, can give you the cutting edge when it comes to providing your readers with quick and easy access to your publications content. Rates are determined in advance on a projectbyproject a basis. It is extremely helpful to have sample pages of the text to be indexed in advance of setting the rate. Noalani terry is a professional indexer who provides backofthe book and journal indexes. My rates are based upon a nominal publishers page of 250 words harkening back to typewriten, double spaced.
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