Game Book Indexer

I am available on a freelance basis to write indexes for gaming related material. 

I know that rule's in here somewhere. Arrgh!

Nothing is as frustrating to a Game Master than flipping through the rule book, trying to find that one thing the players wanted to use or do. Is there a rule for that? If the game book is not indexed well then the game grinds to a halt while the GM frantically flips pages. Players get bored and wander off to check Instagram or whatever.

What is an index?

An index is a concept directory and finding aid. It tells you where to find that concept, rule, chart or flavor text that you need to keep the game moving. Indexes also enhance the professional appearance of a book.

How does this work?

You send me the complete, paginated final proof copy of your book, with instructions on:

• How many pages are available for the index
• What font face and type size to use, and any other formatting requirements
• The turnaround time
• The depth or complexity of the indexing desired. This is the amount of cross-referencing, subheadings and the like. 

I return to you the proof copy with the index attached. If the editor approves, it gets added to the books final form.

I work part time, around my full time job as an academic librarian. I prefer to work on a cost-per-page basis. Per-page rate is negotiable based on the size of the work, the amount of time available, the density of the writing and the depth of indexing. Rate to be set before delivery of the page proofs.

Please review these samples of my work:

Files hosted on Dropbox
From These Stars are Ours!

A reviewer's comment: 
"The last part of TSAO is an index. This is one of the best indexes I have ever seen in a book."
From The Space Patrol

From The Traveller Book (not published, but created with permission of Marc Miller).

About Me

I am an academic librarian, at a large private university in Virginia, USA, with over fifteen years experience. I started playing role-playing games in 1982. I've owned and played dozens of games, but Traveller has been my mainstay for the last twenty years. I have written and published one game supplement. I am self-taught in indexing, now supplemented with formal training. In September 2020 I completed a Library Juice Academy 1-month course Introduction to Book Indexing. In 2022 I became a member of the American Society for Indexing.

 

Contact

Robert L S Weaver
librarian.indexer @ gmail.com