Indexing Specialties: Medicine, ed. by Pilar Wyman (Information Today, Inc., 1999) I have been curious about medical indexing since I heard Mary Russell from Australia speak on the subject at the Indexing Society of Canada’s conference in 2014. Though I don’t have a science or medical background, the way that Mary… Read More »Book Review: Indexing Specialities: Medicine
The words I dread the most from a client are, “You only have x number of pages for the index.” Those words put me on notice that I will probably have to censor myself as I write the index. Instead of thinking, “How can I make this information most accessible?”… Read More »Cutting the Index: Tips for Trimming to Meet Space Limitations
If you have indexed for long, you have probably been asked what areas you index in. You have probably also asked yourself this question when trying to market yourself more effectively. Is there a niche topic in which you can stand out? Personally, I’ve had mixed results trying to market… Read More »Decolonizing the Index: Indexing in Indigenous Studies
My review of Indexing Tactics & Tidbits, by Janet Perlman (Information Today, Inc., 2016). The review first appeared in the ISC/SCI Bulletin, vol. 38, no. 2, Summer 2016. This issue of the Bulletin is currently only available to ISC/SCI members, in the Members Area, but will soon be freely available, along with all… Read More »Book Review: Indexing Tactics & Tidbits, by Janet Perlman
If you read my previous post on genre, I’d understand if you think that this is another post inspired by the When Words Collide writing festival that I attended mid-August. This post, however, was actually inspired by Larry Sweazy’s keynote address at the joint ASI/ISC indexing conference I attended in June.… Read More »Plotter vs. Pantser? The Indexer Edition
I am currently recovering from a wonderfully exhausting four days at the When Words Collide writing festival in Calgary. If my notes are correct, I attended eighteen different panels and workshops, made new contacts and got to know previous acquaintances better, and had the world of genre publishing in Canada… Read More »The Uses of Genre
It has been a busy year. I had projects waiting for me when I got home from Christmas holidays, and the work hasn’t stopped since. It has been pretty tiring at times too. Working evenings and weekends? Check. Working on two indexes at once? Check. Have projects that take longer… Read More »Surfing the Schedule, and Those Damn Easy Projects
You know those days and weeks when it is one project after the other? The content from one book starts to blend into the content of the next? Occasionally my mind will draw a blank when my wife asks me at the end of the day what I’ve learned from… Read More »Five Things I Learned Last Month from Indexing
I am often asked, “How do you write an index?” This is often followed by, “Do you actually read the whole book?” Yes, actually, I do read the whole book. I need to know and understand the content that I am to direct the reader to. A computer search function… Read More »Metaphors for Writing an Index
I came really close to missing out on the Purple Pen Award for new indexers. I knew that the deadline was approaching, but I was also enjoying a road trip with the woman who is now my wife. On the due date of the competition, we were staying with friends… Read More »My Award Winning Index: Strange Visitors