Check out this article from iStock.com, about 6 things to keep in mind when designing a logo. These tips can also be handy to keep in mind when designing books, book covers, and typesetting books or ebooks.

What is an index worth to your book? As an article from the American Society of Indexers reminds us, an index is not just a cool add-on, it’s a sales tool.

Every author I’ve ever worked with has given me that same funny look when I mention the idea of having an index for their book. I can understand why they don’t think of it – they’re really focused on getting the content created, as they should be. But what value is great content if it’s not made easy to use and access?

As a teaching tool, the use of an index is obvious. It’s the key that unlocks the door to your non-fiction book as a reference, and for reviewers who want to refer directly to certain portions of the work. (Many reviewers, like myself, use it as a direct criteria for rating a book.)

Buyers in a bookstore will check the index to see if a book talks about the exact topic that they are interested in. Think about it – you’ve done it yourself. If the index was not well written, or comprehensive enough, did you still buy the book?

Like a good cover design and professional typesetting, the index is a measure of credibility of you and your content. What is the reason that you’re publishing? If peer credibility and building your business has anything at all to do with it, your index may be the make-or-break of the entire project.

For direct sales benefits, remember that many online retailers like Amazon will use the index to refer new potential buyers to your book. Buyers may even be able to see screen shots of it using Amazon’s “look inside” feature.

As said by the Society, “Creating a good index takes understanding of the reader as well as the subject. It takes objectivity, perspective, a sense of proportion and priority, patience, speed, technical training, and experience. If you have all these qualities, if you can apply them under deadline pressure, and if you would rather index your current book than start writing your next one, you, the author, are the best indexer for your book. Otherwise: Entrust Your Index to a Professional.”

Oh yeah – it’s that important.