An index is an optional but highly desirable element for nonfiction works. The publication of john boltons book about his time working for president trump, the room where it happened, has been pushed back from march until may due to the trump white. Alphabetical list of topics and their page numbers placed at the very end of a book. Indexan alphabetical listing of people, places, events, and subjects cited along with page numbers. Book back matter what to include in the back of your book. If you dont find the book or author youre looking for in the first page of results the chances are its because it. Please keep in mind that the computergenerated keyword index that lists a page number for a key term every time it occurs in your book. Back matter is the final pages of a book, where endnotes, the appendix, the bibliography, the index. Henrys key word index, reminder book, formula inserts and code book tabs installed.
For that you need an indexer, a skilled professional who understands how readers will use this. Our friends at bookbub carried out an ab test in which they sent group a a book description with a testimonial and group b a version without a testimonial. How to create an index for your book in adobe indesign. Also includes tom henrys key word index, reminder book, formula inserts and code book. There may be a list of contents at the front of the book, which is a list of chapters. Back of book indexes and table of contents have been the two most important means for accessing specific information in books. Utilizing one in your book is a great way to define, list, and expand upon unfamiliar, made up, or intricate terms used in the book.
In books, an index is usually placed near the end this is commonly known as bob or backofbook indexing. Fivestep process for writing a book index the writing. The back of a book cover is the perfect place to put this social proof. 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. Most nonfiction books include some back matter, perhaps a glossary, bibliography, or index. Back matter is the stuff at the end of your book, after the main sections of the book are finished. Backofthebook indexes are precious information retrieval devices that offer an easy. Back ofbook indexing may seem to be a matter of picking out a few keywords from the text and shoving them into an index. Lisa rivero is an author, freelance indexer, and blogger who writes about words, meaning, and creativity. In books, indexes are usually placed near the end this is commonly known as bob or backofbook indexing. The books homepage helps you explore earths biggest bookstore without ever leaving the comfort of your couch. The list of chapters at the front of a book is called. A back ofthe book indexer with over 20 years of experience, i have indexed hundreds of books on a wide variety of topics see selected titles and always look forward to working on each title with the goal of creating the most effective and readerfriendly index.
Pdf index generator is a powerful indexing utility for generating the back of your book index and writing it to your book in 4 easy steps. Placed at the very end of the book, it acts as a map to the mentions of and references to major topics and. This is typically done for a scholarly, nonfiction book. Examples are an index in the back matter of a book and an index that serves as a library catalog. Book promotion expert ben cameron always says writing the blurb is the hardest 100 words youll ever write, and many authors are also stumped when it comes to writing the front and back matter another task that usually falls just when youre feeling least like writing another word, after completing your book. Introduction a backofthebook index is a collection of words or phrases, often alphabetically arranged to allow users to locate information in a given book. If it is nonfiction, you may wish to include an index. Isbns are usually located on the back of a book, or in the inside front cover of your book near the date. Fully indexes over 160,000 journal and book based proceedings in science and social sciences and humanities, across 256 disciplines. Front and back matter in books alliance of independent. Can backofthebook indexes be automatically created. Index definition, in a nonfiction book, monograph, etc. You associate each index marker with the word, called a topic, that you want to appear in. The order of pages shown above is customary but not mandatory.
Once a book is in final form and all laid out, the editorial changes have been made, all the graphics and illustrations are in place, and it is almost ready to go to the printer, the book is ready for an indexer to create the index that appears at the back of the book. Title page, preface, and table of contents precede the actual content of a book. Indexes over 60,000 editorially selected books in the sciences, social sciences and humanities, with 10,000 new books. I have been writing indexes professionally since 2011, with over two hundred indexes under my belt, and i still get lost in the details for a particularly complex book or index. Book design is the art of incorporating the content, style, format, design, and sequence of the various components and elements of a book into a coherent unit. In the words of renowned typographer jan tschichold 19021974, book. The chicago manual of style online is the venerable, timetested guide to style, usage, and grammar in an accessible online format. In the simplest terms, a book index is simply a key to locating information contained in a book.
First page of a book which tells the title, author, illustrator, and publisher. An index is constructed from the concepts behind the terms and people cited within your book. 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. John boltons book has been delayed until may due to white. Bookbrowse is a selective website featuring some of the best books published in the past 15 years.
Backofthebook index, book index, term informativeness 1. The parts of a book for self published authors bookstand. Placed at the very end of the book, it acts as a map to the mentions of and references to major topics and people throughout the work, indicating the specific page numbers on which they appear. It is also known as backofthebook index, as it is mostly found at the. You can create only one index for a document or book. Information and translations of index in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on. Catharyn martz is a skilled indexer and says that when creating an index, shes. Keyword extraction only gives a list of keywords in a contextoblivious way, without pointing out from what context the keyword should be indexed. If your book is fiction, it probably ends on the last page. Your chapters should be divided into various levels of headings usually not more than 2 or 3 levels deep. The glossary is found in the back matter of the book. Use the index below to help you answer the questions. My understanding is that indesigns indexing feature is no better than words. Index a list of specialty terms or phrases used in the book, along with the pages on which they appear, so the reader can find them easily.
In such cases building and maintaining an index is a worthwhile process. Automatic procedures have been in use for the generation of back of book. After the last chapter, the back matter can contain an appendix, a glossary, andor an index, all of which are optional. Index an alphabetical listing of people, places, events, and subjects cited along with page numbers. The index will be in alphabetical order with page numbers. The index is an alphabetically ordered list of words and terms used for referencing your text. About the authora brief biography, nor more than 1 page, about the author. What is a glossary in a book how to write a glossary for. While the glossary defines specific words found in a book, the index merely tells you where to find them. It includes pointers to where those keywords or concepts are mentioned in the booktypically page numbers, but sometimes footnote numbers, chapters, or sections.
Bibliographyreference list a comprehensive breakdown of sources cited in the work. Front matter is the material at the front of a book that usually offers information about the book. Creating an index for a non ction book is the responsibility of the author, but most authors do not actually do it. Prices quoted do not apply to bulk buyback shipments or multiple copies of the same book. Also known as backofthebookindex, indexing is found at the end of the book and mostly sorted in alphabetical order. 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. This is part of the index in the back of the reference book in the library. The thing in the front is called the table of contents. Back matter is reserved for things like an index, a glossary, notes and other material that doesnt belong in the body of the book itself, but which youd want to include for the convenience of readers or to make the book. How to build the back of a book cover with template. Here youll find current best sellers in books, new releases in books, deals in books. A backofthebook index is a list of words with corresponding page references that point readers to the locations of various topics within a book. To create an index, you first place index markers in the text. Index is in the back of the book, most of the times behind the glossary.
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