Does my book need an index? That is a question writers should always ask. Will a search function do the job instead? The short answer – no. Indexes create a map to the information in a book. The index will inform the reader where to find a given topic. The index will inform a possible […]
Archive | Indexing education
The Skills We Bring to Publishing from Our Former Professions
Indexers usually become indexers later in life as a second, third, or twelfth career move. I suspect the same is true of many professionals in the publishing world. Bringing life and professional experience to the table increases our proficiency and depth of understanding. Learning what professions or experiences other indexers bring to their indexing careers […]
Professional Organization – Enough Bang for the Buck?
Many industries have professional organizations that represent the field and the interests of those employed in that area. Indexing is no exception. The American Society for Indexing (ASI) is the U.S.-based professional organization representing both indexers and the field of indexing as a profession. One of the questions that all professionals must answer for themselves […]
Mentoring Benefits
It’s nice to know that sometimes our enthusiasm for our field of work is contagious… enough to encourage others to join the profession (the profession in my case is indexing). I have had several opportunities over the last few years to provide the spark that ignites other people’s interest in being an indexer and to […]
Explaining indexes to children
As children begin to learn to use the resources in school libraries, one of the tools they need to be taught is how to use an index. I presented a brief talk to children in the third grade at the Bernice A. Ray School in Hanover, New Hampshire. Children are such quick studies that they […]