Services
I provide high quality user-friendly back-of-the-book indexes for trade, scholarly, and children's authors and publishers. Client satisfaction, accurate indexes, and on-time delivery are of the highest priority.
I specialize in back-of-book indexes in a wide variety of subjects. Areas of expertise include, but are not limited to: arts & crafts, Catholicism, cookbooks, criminology, earth sciences, education, food and beverage, general history, general science, geology & mining industry, homeschooling, juvenile nonfiction, parenting, religion and spirituality, social sciences, travel, and water/wastewater industry.
In addition to subject indexes, I can create name indexes, scripture indexes, and source/reference indexes or index locorum. I can also accommodate rush projects.
Rates are dependent on the nature of the work to be indexed, the depth of the index required, and the time frame for completion. I charge by the indexable page. Please contact me to discuss your indexing needs and receive a quote for your project.
A note about generative AI: Weight of the Word Indexing Service does not input or use any content, data, or information provided by clients or created by Weight of the Word Indexing Service into any generative or predictive artificial intelligence software, programs, or models.
From the Digital Publications Indexing SIG of ASI:
Statement on the Role of AI in Indexing (as at July 1, 2025)
The current assessment is that using large language model AIs (LLMs) such as ChatGPT to generate indexes does not produce results that come anywhere near meeting standards for excellence in Indexing.
These LLMs fail at the indexer’s primary task: to ensure readers find needed information. Tests have shown that LLMs typically underindex book-length works, do not provide adequate structure or cross-references, and can insert false information (hallucinations) into the index.* Each of these is problematic:
- Severe under-indexing, with as few as 20-40% of the access points of human-generated indexes, can prevent readers from locating desired information and mislead them into thinking that omitted information isn’t in the book at all
- Absent/near-absent index structure, especially cross-references, prevents the reader from effectively navigating to subtopics and related topics while misrepresenting the focus of the book
- Hallucinations (including invented page references and even wholly nonexistent topics) waste the reader’s time and break the trust between the reader and the book
Future developments in AI may bring improvements, but at present the human brain of a professional indexer is still the best tool for analyzing, writing, and editing an index in full awareness of context as per quality standards.
*Bartmess, Elizabeth, “AI: Where You Can Use It and Where You Shouldn’t,” May 31, 2025, ISC/SCI Conference 2025 “Location! Location! Location”.
A sampling of works indexed:
(Links direct to Amazon where the index can be viewed using the "Read Sample" feature, where available.)
Good Things (2025)
The AI Con (2025)
Apocalypse (2025)
Secrets of the Icewomen (2025)
Person in Progress (2025)
Califailure (2025)
Parties, Power, and Change (2025)
Paris Undercover (2025)
Summer of Fire and Blood (2025)
The Franklin Stove (2025)
What Your Body Knows About Happiness (2025)
To Stand with Palestine (2025)
The Owl Handbook (2025)
Underground Politics (2024)
Intensive Caring (2024)
The Last Tsar (2024)
A Phantom Storm (2024)
The CIA: An Imperial History (2024)
The Vietnam War: A Military History (2024)
My Brother's Keeper (2024)
Purpose (2024)
If Confirmed (2024)
What Lies Beneath Colorado (2024)
By the Fire We Carry (2024)
Modern Creole (2024)
The Age of Melt (2024)
The Insect Epiphany (2024)
Invisible Labor (2024)
Journey to the Jones Act (2024)
The Skill Code (2024)
Secure Relating (2024)
Homemade-ish (2024)
Tailings Case Studies (2024)
Say It Well (2024)
The Web We Weave (2024)
Basic Cyanide Chemistry (2024)
In This Economy? (2024)
French from the Market (2024)
There's Always This Year (2024)
In the Courts of Three Popes (2024)
Wild Sugar (2024)
Black Women Taught Us (2024)
The Book of James (2023)
Modern Human Design (2023)
Decades of Decadence (2023)
The Greatest Capitalist Who Ever Lived (2023)
The Slip (2023)
The Last Ships from Hamburg (2023)
Lebanon and Turkey (2023)
We Need to Talk About Antisemitism (2023)
Web3 (2023)
Gardening Can Be Murder (2023)
Bogie and Bacall (2023)
In the Aggregates (2023)
Reducing Recidivism (2023)
Ethics of Alterity (2023)
The Cannons Roar (2023)
Monstrous Politics: Geography, Rights, and the Urban Revolution in Mexico City (2023)
Chasing Icebergs (2023)
Egg Rolls and Sweet Tea (2023)
Edible Wild Plants, Volume 2 (2023)
Spiritual Care in Psychological Suffering (2023)
Digital (In)justice in the Smart City (2023)
Muslim Religious Authority in Central Eurasia (2022)
Of Ice and Men (2022)
The Art of the Board (2022)
Healing a Divided Nation (2022)
A Critique of Liberal Cynicism (2022)
Come, Holy Spirit (2022)
Self-Determination in Mediation (2022)
The Search for Meaning at Work (2022)
Memory Laws and Historical Justice (2022)
A Spy in Plain Sight (2022)
Exploring the Religions of the World (2022)
A Catholic Pilgrimage through American History (2022)
Communist Poland: A Jewish Woman's Experience (2022)
Reclaiming Migrant Motherhood (2022)
Fugitives: A History of Nazi Mercenaries During the Cold War (2022)
Fitting the Facts of Crime (2022)
Project Management for Mining, 2nd ed. (2022)
Reading Ricoeur Through Law (2022)
Tailings Management Handbook (2022)
Dance Music Spaces (2022)
The Church and the Age of Reformations (2022)
Paul Ricoeur's Renewal of Philosophical Anthropology (2021)
The Church and the Dark Ages (2021)
Come to the Table: Ronald McDonald House 40th Anniversary Cookbook (2021)
Breastfeeding Answers Pocket Guide, 2nd Edition (2021)
The Ave Prayer Book for Catholic Mothers (2021)
The Business of Tomorrow (2021)
Institutional Sexual Abuse in the #MeToo Era (2021)
The West Texas Power Plant the Saved the World (2021)
The Homeschooling Starter Guide (2021)
Literacy Experiences of Formerly Incarcerated Women (2021)
Wilful Blindness (2021)
Interior Castle: Study Edition (2020)
The Church and the Middle Ages (2020)
The Church and the Modern Era (2020)
Breastfeeding Answers Made Simple (2020)
Notes on Geoplasticity (2020)
Moon Japan (2020)
Moon Prague and Beyond (2020)
Moon Marrakesh and Beyond (2020)
When Politics Comes Before Patients (2020)
Trigger Point Therapy Made Simple (2020)
The Essential Panini Press Cookbook (2020)
Particles of Faith: Student Edition (2019)
Your Christian Vocation (2019)
The Church and the Roman Empire (2019)
Ramen Obsession (2019)
The Southern Comfort Food Diabetes Cookbook (2019)
Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy (2019)
All for Her: The Autobiography of Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C. (2019)
Yoga for Kids and Their Grown-Ups (2018)
The Mindful Eating Workbook (2018)
Keto Meal Prep (2018)
The Baking Cookbook for Teens (2018)
Together with Christ: A Dating Couple's Devotional (2018)
The Art of Hand Lettering for Beginners (2018)
The History of Tunneling in the United States (2017)
Herbal Medicine Natural Remedies (2017)
Mineral Property Evaluation (2017)
The Way of Catechesis (2017)
Crystals for Beginners (2017)
The Better Than Takeout Thai Cookbook (2017)
Risk Management in Evaluating Mineral Deposits (2017)
Communicating Water's Value Part 2 (2017)
Minimalism for Families (2017)
Kid Chef Bakes (2017)
Instant Pot Obsession (2017)
The Natural Soapmaking Book for Beginners (2017)
Fibromyalgia Freedom! (2017)
The Life of St. Therese of Lisieux (2017)
Perfect English Grammar Workbook (2017)
Perfect English Grammar (2016)
A Passion for Permit (2016)
The Beginner's Guide to Cheesemaking (2016)
Family Style Chinese Cookbook (2016)
The Classic & Craft Cocktail Recipe Book (2016)
Baking for Two (2016)
The Meat Lover's Slow Cooker Cookbook (2016)
Potty Training in 3 Days (2016)
Maximizing Performance Management (2016)
Plant Auditing (2015)
Physician Billing Process (2015)
Project Management for Mining (2015)
Responsible Mining (2015)
Data Sanity (2015)
Mine Rescue Manual (2014)
Offender Reentry: Beyond Crime and Punishment (2013)
In Secret Service of the Sacred Heart (2012)
Weight of the Word has provided indexes for the following award-winning books:
Intensive Caring - Second place winner in Grief and Bereavement Category; Third place winner in Life and Dignity of the Human Person Category of the Catholic Media Association 2025 Book Awards
Talking with Your Teen About Sex - First place winner in Family Life Category of the Catholic Media Association 2025 Book Awards
A Journey through the Catechism - First place winner in Faith Formation Category; Second place winner in Pastoral Ministry Catechetical Category; Second place winner in First-Time Author of Theological Subject Matter Category of the Catholic Media Association 2025 Book Awards
Pilgrimage of Anastasius - First place winner in the International/In Translation Category of the Catholic Media Association 2024 Book Awards
Start Talking to Your Kids About Sex - Second place winner in the General Interest Category of the Association of Catholic Publishers 2024 Excellence in Publishing Awards
A Catholic Pilgrimage through American History - Third place winner in the Pilgrimages/Catholic Travel category of the Catholic Media Association 2023 Book Awards
A Feast for Hungry Souls - First place winner in the Spirituality–Classical category of the Catholic Media Association 2021 Book Awards
Bless Us, O Lord - Third place winner in the Prayer category of the Association of Catholic Publishers 2021 Excellence in Publishing Awards
The Early Church (33-313) - First Place Winner in the Best New Religious Book Series category of the 2020 Catholic Press Association Book Awards
The Flowing Grace of Now - Second place winner in the Prayer category of the 2020 Excellence in Publishing Awards from the Association of Catholic Publishers
Anchors for the Soul - Second place winner in the "Prayer: Collections of prayers" category of the 2019 Catholic Press Association Book Awards
One Ordinary Sunday - First place winner in the "Popular Presentation of the Catholic Faith" category of the 2017 Catholic Press Association Book Awards