Indexing

When you need an index for your book to make the content more accessible to readers.

Creating a book is more than writing—it’s about making your ideas discoverable. A well-crafted index ensures that readers can navigate your work easily, find the insights they need, and return to them when necessary. At Flatpage, we specialize in professional indexing services for books, helping authors and organizations present their work with clarity and precision.

An index is a roadmap that reflects the structure and intent of your book, not just a list of terms. A good index connects concepts, highlights key themes, and anticipates how readers will search for information. Done poorly, an index frustrates readers and diminishes the value of your work. Done well, it elevates your book, making it more useful and more likely to be cited, adopted, or purchased.

Our team of experienced indexers works across genres—general nonfiction, various academic disciplines, and other specialized fields—using both subject expertise and industry-standard tools. We don’t just “tag” words; we carefully analyze your manuscript to build a thoughtful index that reflects the depth of your content. Whether you need a back-of-book index for a trade title or lengthy report, a detailed scholarly index for a university press, or something in between, Flatpage can help.

Partnering with a professional indexer saves you time and ensures your book meets both publisher requirements and reader expectations. We tailor each project to your goals, your audience, and your deadlines.

If you’re ready to hire a professional book indexer, we’re here to guide the process from start to finish. Explore our indexing services today and see how Flatpage can help make your book not just readable, but truly usable.

Indexers can help you with:
Comprehensive final read

A comprehensive final read of the book’s body text (and any other text the publisher wants indexed)
Creating alphabetical lists

Create an alphabetical list of names, places, events, and subjects; direct the reader to important themes; and cross-reference related entries so that readers can refer to them using locators (page numbers) in the book’s text
List of errata

Compile a list of errata found during the indexing process

Indexing Services

What are the typical projects for indexing?

Most of our indexing work is for academic and nonfiction books, including scholarly monographs, edited volumes, professional handbooks, and trade nonfiction titles. If your book contains concepts, names, or recurring themes that readers will want to look up later, a professional index ensures they can find that information quickly. Whether you’re publishing with a university press or an independent imprint, indexing makes your book far more usable and citable.

How much does indexing cost?

Our standard rate is $6 per indexable page. This page count includes body text, footnotes or endnotes, illustrations, and appendices, but excludes front and back matter and bibliographies. The total cost is calculated on the actual number of pages that need indexing—not the full manuscript length. We’ll confirm the page count with you before starting, so you’ll know exactly what to expect. Investing in professional indexing services for books improves accessibility and reader satisfaction, and can increase your book’s long-term value.

What does indexing include?

Every Flatpage indexing project includes:

A comprehensive pass through your page proofs (or final Word file) to build the index
One revision or query response (submitted to your editor within 14 days of delivery)
Delivery of the index in your publisher’s required file format (usually MS Word)
A list of errata found during indexing (typos, inconsistencies, formatting errors)
A short indexing questionnaire before work begins, to capture your project details and terminology preferences

This package ensures your book not only has a polished index but also benefits from an extra layer of editorial quality control.

When should I get indexing?

Indexing is typically the final step before your book goes to print. The text should be fully laid out in page proofs (usually a PDF or design file). Some publishers occasionally request indexing from a Word document, but a proof is strongly preferred. Scheduling indexing at the right stage helps avoid costly revisions and ensures page numbers line up correctly in the finished book.