Book Indexing: A Step-by-Step Guide
How to write an index for any book, collection, or report
It’s true. Creating an index for a book is challenging and time-consuming. It’s why authors and publishers hire professional indexers. But that’s not the only way to get a quality index. If you have the desire—and a penchant for detail—you too can write an orderly and comprehensive index.
Book Indexing shows you how.
Available in both print and ebook formats, with both formats complete with an index.
Find a list of online retailers here. Book Indexing is also available through your local bookstore and library.
A step by step process
With the aid of checklists, “Try This” exercises, and dozens of examples, Book Indexing helps you face the text with confidence. Step by step, you will learn:
- The different kinds of indexes, and which to use for your book.
- How to use the hierarchy of information to decide what to include in the index, and what to leave out.
- How to capture the book’s themes and give the reader a starting point into the index.
- How to lay out the index to help readers with their search—including searches for words that aren’t in the book.
- Tips for choosing the right words for index entries—the basis of a refined index.
- The five-step process for tackling your indexing project.
A book for everyone
Throughout the book, Stephen takes you through his decision-making on dozens of extracts from his own indexes.
Imagine the value of an index for a favorite cookbook, your community’s history, your company’s manual, or a book you wrote yourself. With Book Indexing as your guide, you can create an index worthy of the text—an index that your audience will turn to repeatedly.
Who else can use this book? If you’re an editor, a publisher, or anyone else who works with indexers, you’ll see first-hand what indexers think about and how they do their work. Or perhaps you’ve wondered about professional indexing as a career or a side business. Book Indexing will give you the chance to try out your abilities and interests with no investment but your time.
Other Writings
“Is Embedded Indexing a Worthwhile Pursuit for Indexers?: A Qualitative Survey of Current Practices and Thoughts for the Future.” Co-authored with Enid L. Zafran. The Indexer 43.1 (2025): 57-75
“Book Review: Free Money, by Austin L. Church.” Key Words 32.3 (2024): 22-23
“Writing about Book Indexing for the Non-Indexer: Reflections of a Novice Author.” The Indexer 42.2 (2024): 221-29
“Hello AI, Goodbye Indexers?” Key Words 31.2 (2023): 14-15
“Indexing Gwich’in Oral History: A Workshop.” ALLCAPS: University of Alberta Press Blog (March 26, 2021)
“Reflections on Winning the Ewart-Daveluy Award.” ISC/SCI Bulletin 43.3 (2021): 11-12
“Rewriting the Book in the Index: What Does this Mean?” The Indexer 38.4 (2020): 419-22
“Mentoring for Indexers: The Mary Newberry Mentorship Program” The Indexer 37.1 (2019): 55-58
“On Double-Barrelled Terms.” Key Words 27.2 (2019): 15
“Names and Titles in the Orthodox Church.” The Indexer 35.3 (2017): C7-C12
“Decolonizing the Index.” The Indexer 34.3 (2016): 10-12
“Backpacking Blues.” Among Worlds 17.2 (June 2015): 16-17
“How Flexible are You?” In The Worlds Within: An Anthology of TCK Art and Writing: Young, Global, and Between Cultures, edited by Eva László-Herbert and Jo Parfitt. Summertime Publishing, 2014.
“Singing ‘the Song of the Redeemed’: Creating Christians at the Chinese Rescue Home.” In Raincoast Chronicles 22, edited by David Conn, 8-19. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing, 2013.