Index for print book

[sidneydavenport]

Whether I hire a pro or do it myself, is the first step up to me or editors to create a list of tags?

[Derek Cross]

If you have a complex book I suggest you get a professonal indexer to produce it. How you implement that in InDesign/PDF is another matter.

[James Gifford—NitroPress · Accepted solution]

Indexing is one of two things: a list of keywords and where they are to be found, and a guide to small elements of content that may or may not conform to any one keyword. InDesign's features, like most app features, are designed only to do the first. So if a list of keywords you think readers might want to find seems useful, that's the place to start.

But real indexing, as done by a pro, means reading the book and creating entries for both every entry of "Gibbet, Flibber T." and ones for "Engineers, spaceflight" or "Minds, great."

Note that by 'pro' I do not mean here someone who is exceptionally skilled with the keyword listing features. And that for e-books, such indexes are largely obsolete, given searchability. If a book is of significant value to need an index, it needs to serve readers who are looking for ideas and concepts and events and explanations, not just keywords.

A more direct answer: if you're going to pay someone to index your book, you don't really need to provide them with a list of keywords.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

If you do go about hiring a professional indexer, make sure they are a SME with your book's topic.

[sidneydavenport]

Dave, that isn't going to be possible. It's a small niche market.

[Derek Cross]

FYI https://www.indexers.org.uk

[sidneydavenport]

Thanks, Derek.