# Book Indexing Services for Authors > Book indexing services: a professional back-of-book index for non-fiction, built from your final pages and linked in print and eBook. Free quote. Source: https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-editing-services/book-indexing/ Publisher: The Author Publishing Last updated: 2026-10-28 --- Book indexing is the creation of an alphabetical guide at the back of a book that tells readers where each topic, name and idea appears. Our book indexing services give you a professional, accurate index built from your final pages, with page numbers for print and working links for eBooks. A good index turns a book into a reference tool. Readers of non-fiction, textbooks, histories and how-to guides use the index to find what they need, and many judge a book by whether it has one. This service is part of our [book editing services](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-editing-services/) and follows [proofreading](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-editing-services/proofreading/), because an index depends on final page numbers. ## What our book indexing service includes - **Subject and name entries.** Main headings and subheadings for the topics, people, places and organisations a reader would look up. - **Cross-references.** See and see also references that guide readers from the term they know to the term you use. - **Print index.** A formatted index with accurate page numbers, ready to drop into your final layout. - **eBook index.** Linked entries that jump to the right location in an EPUB, so the index works on a phone or e-reader. - **Style and edit.** Consistent alphabetising, punctuation and capitalisation, matched to your book's style. ## Who this service is for - Non-fiction authors who want a reference-quality index - Authors of textbooks, histories, biographies and how-to guides - Authors preparing a second edition with new material - Self-published authors who want their book to feel complete and credible ## How this service works 1. **Send final pages.** You send the proofread, final page proofs, since the index needs fixed page numbers. 2. **Plan the index.** We agree the depth, the style and the length, and discuss special terms. 3. **Write the index.** Our indexer reads the book and builds the entries and cross-references. 4. **Review and finalise.** You review the draft, we correct it and deliver files for print and eBook. ## What makes a good index? A good index reflects how readers think, not just the words in the text. It lists concepts as well as names, uses clear headings and cross-references and avoids long strings of undifferentiated page numbers. An indexer reads the whole book with the reader in mind and decides which mentions matter. That judgement is why a human-built index serves readers better than a list of every word. ## Why can automatic word lists not replace an index? Software can list every occurrence of a word, but it cannot tell which mentions are meaningful, group synonyms or follow an idea that is described without a keyword. A real index connects concepts, so a reader who searches for one term finds a relevant passage under another. Tools help an indexer work, but the decisions about structure and wording come from a trained human. ## When should I commission an index? After the final layout, because every entry points to a page number. If text moves after indexing, the numbers are wrong. We recommend finishing editing, proofreading and layout, then sending the final page proofs for indexing. Allow time for the index to be written, reviewed and added to the layout, which can change the page count. For eBooks, the index links to locations and is less sensitive to page changes. ## How long should an index be? Length depends on the book's density, but an index often takes up between three and five percent of the page count for a typical non-fiction title, and more for reference books. A longer book with many names and concepts needs a longer index. We recommend a length that fits your layout and your readers, and we can trim to fit a page count if the book's design requires it. ## What does the indexer need from me? - The final page proofs as a PDF with fixed page numbers - Any style preferences, such as how to treat names or abbreviations - A list of key terms, people and places that readers will look for - Information on any notes, appendices or illustrations to include - A date for delivery, so the index can be added before print ## How long does indexing take and what does it cost? Most indexes take one to three weeks from final proofs, depending on length and complexity. We do not publish a price list, because cost depends on page count and density. Every project receives a free quote with a fixed price in writing before work starts. If you have a strict printing deadline, tell us early and we will plan around it. ## How do you handle names, abbreviations and special terms? Names need a consistent form, usually surname first, with cross-references from variants. Abbreviations can be entered in full with the short form as a cross-reference. Technical terms and synonyms are brought together under one preferred heading, with see references from the others. Where your book uses its own terms, we follow your usage and note it in a short style sheet. The result is an index in which readers can find what they want by whichever word they try first. ## Questions about book indexing ### Does every non-fiction book need an index? Not every one, but books that readers consult, such as histories, guides and textbooks, benefit most. We tell you if yours does not need one. ### Can you index a book I have already published? Yes. We work from the final PDF and update your files. For print, the index adds pages, which may affect the layout. ### Do novels need an index? Rarely. Fiction does not usually need one, and we will say so honestly. ### Can you create an index for an eBook? Yes. We build linked entries in an EPUB, which work without page numbers. ### Will you follow a particular style guide? Yes. We can follow the style your book already uses, such as the Chicago style, and we agree it at the start. ### Can I see the index before I pay in full? Yes. You review a draft before final delivery, and your agreement sets out the payment stages. ### Can you index a second edition? Yes. We update the index to reflect new material and page changes. ### Do I keep my rights? Yes. You keep your rights, and the index is delivered for use in your book. ## Related services - [Book editing services](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-editing-services/) - [Book proofreading](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-editing-services/proofreading/) - [Non-fiction editing](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-editing-services/non-fiction-editing/) - [Book formatting and typesetting](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-design/book-formatting/) - [Textbook and educational publishing](https://theauthorpublishing.com/book-publishing-services/textbook-publishing/) ## Why authors work with us - You keep your rights, your royalties and your accounts - You receive a written scope and a fixed price before any work starts - You approve every file before it moves to the next step - One project manager keeps you informed at every stage