Do Not Typeset Until the Book is Done!

In addition to writing my own books, I'm also a freelance proofer and editor.

About a month ago, a client sent me half a book. It was only half-finished, but he was excited and impatient and wanted the proofreading/editing process started immediately. He also wanted an index, which I also do.

Either English is not his first language, or he hired someone to write the book for whom English is a second language. In any event, I proofed what I had, and fixed a myriad of problems. I told him I wouldn't do the index until the book was done.

In hindsight, that was a mistake. Word has a function that allows the writer to set both Table of Contents and index as you go along. You just highlight the appropriate word with a little electronic symbol. When you're done, you choose "Create Index and word creates the index. When you typeset it, the page numbers automatically change - no need for you to go in and redo them. Then you paste the final version into Quarx Xpress (well...that's what I used to use when I did this, now its Indesign and Idon't know hoow to use that...)

I should have explained that process to him, but didn't. I didn't expect him to have the book typeset until it had been finished, and proofed, and edited. Until it was done.

Long story short. My client finished the book and had it typeset. On day 1 he sent me the Word doc and wanted me to proof and edit that.

I told him it would take a couple of days. I did my work on it on the first day - and intended to use the second day to go through it again, make sure I liked the changes I'd made and to see if I could catch any other mistakes.

On day 2 - before I had sent him what I had done- he sent me a PDF of the typeset version.

The two versions didn't match, and I'd already done all my work on the Word version.

If I'm to ignore the Word doc and work completely from the Typeset doc, he's going to have to pay me more, because I'll just be duplicating my work. Annoying and time wasting. Not good. Time is too precious to waste in this manner.