Linda Presto
Presto Indexing and Editorial Services

linda.presto@att.net

414-962-9465

Services offered

• Editorial services
• Book indexing

Editorial services

Throughout the development process and before the book reaches the proofreading and indexing stages, various editors play essential roles. Sometimes the lines are blurred between one function and another, often related to the publisher's interpretation of light edit, medium edit, and heavy edit.

Editorial services include:

• Acquisitions editing - finding and signing authors for a particular project
• Developmental editing
• planning and organizing content
• coordinating the contributions of multiple authors
• rewriting content as needed or notifying authors of missing content
• achieving appropriate voice when editing the contributions of multiple authors
• securing and coordinating the services of subject expert reviewers
• providing appropriate input to the marketing department
• Ghostwriting - a version of developmental editing that requires more original writing
• Copyediting - may be light, medium, or heavy
• replaces incorrect word usage
• corrects spelling, punctuation, and grammar
• references figures and tables in text
• replaces passive verbs with active
• creates parallel structure
• eliminates or defines jargon; smoothes transitions and improves readability
• Fact checking - verifying the accuracy of content according to publisher requirements
• Permissions editing - securing written permission to use quoted material from another publisher
• Production editing
• incorporating author's changes
• tracking editorial and design revisions
• scheduling the production process
• Project editing
• securing freelance services
• coordinating page designers, editors, illustrators, proofreaders, and indexers
• Proofreading - performing a final review of the entire book to the level requested by the publisher
• comparing copyeditor's corrections against the final galley pages to assure they have been made
• catching overlooked grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling errors
• verifying accurate positioning of figures and tables and appropriate text references
• checking for and correcting word blocks and incorrect word breaks and line breaks
• comparing chapter titles and headings to table of contents
• comparing figures and tables to the list of figures and tables in the front matter
• checking for mechanical issues such as kerning, margins, typography, and the placement of graphic elements

Sometimes editorial tasks are called technical editing, line editing, substantive editing, or other titles. Regardless of terminology, a typical book production process requires most of them. My publishing background includes all of these services and I'd be glad to talk with you about your needs.

Indexing

A good index serves two types of reader: 

• a browser who wants to know whether a topic is covered in the book
• someone who has already read the book and wants to go back to a particular topic

Some indexes are as simple as keywords; others are complex, gathering scattered references into logical entries. Research (and common sense) shows that a good index increases the value of a book, increases usability, and increases sales.

Indexing is typically the final stage of the book production process. It often occurs simultaneously with final proofreading of galley pages. Because editorial schedules sometimes slip, indexing is often performed under tight deadlines in order to meet the print date.

Because of my experience with the entire book production process, I'm well aware of the importance of meeting the indexing schedule. I work with a professional indexing software and I deliver the finished index as a Word document in rtf format - on schedule.

Samples

Here are links to several books in my indexing portfolio.

H. William Dettmer
The Logical Thinking Process: A Systems Approach to Complex Problem Solving
http://tinyurl.com/ycxfu65

Clay McShane and Joel A. Tarr
The Horse in the City: Living Machines in the Nineteenth Century
http://tinyurl.com/yd5ktv2

Douglas E. Booth
Land Trusts and Biodiversity
http://tinyurl.com/y8b7kpt

Jeffrey J. Burgard
Continuous Improvement in the Science Classroom
http://tinyurl.com/yjg5s4s