Article
March 5, 2024
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by Stephen

When to Walk Away

A month ago I wrote about my ideal working relationship with publishers, as a valued member of the team. But not every publisher or client is going to be ideal, and sometimes you need to know when to walk away.

Walking away from a project or client is scary. Especially early in my career, I was loath to pass up an opportunity. I needed the paycheck and would say yes to books that I either had no interest in subject-wise, or were beyond my skill level in either subject matter expertise or indexing know-how. Which isn’t always bad. Sometimes being pushed out of my comfort zone shows me where I need to improve or shows me that I am capable of more than I realize. Though sometimes it means that I need to set better boundaries.

Sometimes you need to walk away from a project because of the client, not the actual work. Or at least be willing to walk away.

I faced this situation with two different clients last year, both academic authors. The experiences caused me to reflect on what it is I need from clients in order to make this working relationship worthwhile. Are all of the terms dictated by the client, or do I have some agency too? Though to be fair to both authors, I found them both (or in the one case, the author’s assistant) pleasant and easy to work with. The problem actually lay with their respective universities.

Often when I am hired by an academic author, payment for the index comes from their university, in the form of funding that the author can tap into. This usually means that I need to register with the university as a vendor, which almost always means paperwork. In these two cases, both universities had requirements that I was unable to fulfill. In one case, the university wanted a tax number that I did not have (as a Canadian citizen and resident, with the university in another country, it was a foreign tax number I ordinarily do not need). In the other case, for a university in yet another country, their requirements seemed more suited to a larger company than my one-person freelance outfit. After initial inquiries, neither university seemed to want to budge.

What do I do? Do I invest time and money trying to meet their requirements, which could potentially take months trying to acquire that which I do not have? Or do I walk away? I don’t really want to walk away, because the issue isn’t with the book or with the author. But if being paid is going to be a drain on my time and resources, the project is no longer so appealing. How much red tape is $1000, or even $2000, worth?

In both cases I decided to be honest with the authors. It also helped that they had started the vendor registration process early, before the proofs were ready for indexing, so there was still time to find another indexer if necessary. I explained why I was unable to meet all of the vendor registration requirements. I asked if the university would be willing to waive the problematic requirements. I politely stated that if the requirements were not waived, then I would regretfully need to withdraw from the project and they would need to find another indexer who would be a better fit.

I felt anxious threatening to pull out of a project I had previously agreed to do. I didn’t know how the author or the university would react. I also felt okay at the prospect of losing the client and project. There was still time for another project to come along to fill that time slot in my schedule and it felt good to protect and value my own time and business.

Thankfully, both universities decided, after all, that they could waive the troublesome requirements. I don’t fully know what happened on their end, but the authors decided to advocate to keep me as their indexer and the university administrators found a way to make it happen. A happy outcome for everyone, at least from my perspective.

These experiences taught me a few lessons:

  • Know my boundaries. As an indexer, I am here to serve my clients, which involves dealing with payment and paperwork. Some paperwork is reasonable. But I also want to enjoy my work, and I only have a finite amount of time. To keep my business sustainable and enjoyable, I need to know and enforce my boundaries, which may mean saying no or goodbye to certain books or clients. I know I can’t serve everyone, so I may as well focus on the books and clients that are the best fit.
  • Always ask. Administrative requirements may not be set in stone. While the answer may not always be what I want to hear, it is worth asking if changes can be made (and letting the client know what I am willing and not willing to do) before making a final decision about a client or project.  
  • Learn to say no. I wish I was better at saying no, and that I was better at it earlier in my career. Turning down projects is tough, especially when offers are scarce. But if you are a newer freelancer, practice saying no, and maybe actually say it sometimes. This circles back to boundaries. Know what kind of work is too far out of your comfort zone. Know what level of red tape you are willing to deal with. It may be difficult in the moment to turn down a project or client, but your future self will thank you. 

Have you ever walked away from a project? What was that experience like? What did you do to make the situation better? Please feel free to reply below in the comments. I am curious to hear your experience.

Article
February 6, 2024
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by Stephen

A Member of the Team? Freelance Indexers Within Publishing

Freelancers are ubiquitous within publishing. Most publishers maintain a relatively small number of in-house staff, with much of the actual production work contracted out. What does this mean for the relationship between freelancer and publisher?

Before I dig into this topic, I want to acknowledge that I write from a place of having previously been on the inside, and from also now having been a freelancer for about eleven years. When I first began working in publishing, I worked in-house for two different publishers. I developed a strong sense of publishing as a team effort, with each person, whether in-house or freelance, contributing to the finished book. As a freelancer, I have retained this sense of being part of a team, and in my ideal working relationship with a publisher, we respect each other as team members. That said, I am also aware that many freelance indexers do not have in-house experience, and that publishers can come across as opaque and unapproachable. 

This reflection draws upon my own experience and what I would like to see. Your experiences and ideal working relationship may be different. I am curious to hear what you think, in the comments. If you are a new freelance indexer, I hope this gives you some ideas for what a positive working relationship can be like.

To start, let’s look at a couple of recent experiences I’ve had.

The Editor Who Couldn’t Care Less

Some publishers, or at least certain editors within those publishers, couldn’t seem to care less about the freelancers supporting their work. I encountered this a few months ago when I was hired by an author to index their book, which was being published by an independent academic press. (For the sake of this reflection, I’m keeping authors, editors, and publishers anonymous.)

Indexing guidelines were scant, though it seemed that both run-in and indented formats would be accepted. Working with the author, I submitted the index in run-in format. To our surprise, the editor unilaterally changed the format to indented, on the grounds that indented is easier to read. I actually agree with the editor on the format, but that’s not the point. If the editor felt so strongly about the format, they should have made that clear upfront.

We asked the editor about the change, and the editor confirmed that the press does indeed accept both run-in and indented formats, except, I guess, when the editor decides they know what is best. Reverting to run-in format was not an option. I followed up with some additional concerns, since the structure, as I originally envisioned it in run-in format, no longer worked quite as well. I also asked that in the future the editor provide clearer instructions, to avoid this extra and unnecessary work caused by this unilateral change. In reply, the editor made very clear that they had no interest in communicating with me nor in providing clearer instructions. The editor stated that they primarily work with scholarly authors who apparently get confused by too many instructions, and so the editor is used to taking whatever the author provides and formatting it as they see fit.

The irony is that I had already been hired by a different author to index a second book for the same press (which I submitted in indented format). The editor seemed unaware and uninterested in the fact that at least some of their authors were hiring professional indexers. Even if I am not in direct contact with the editor, I would suggest that we are still on the same team, and that better communication, whether directly or in the form of clearer indexing instructions, would make for a better book and a smoother production process for both of us.

The Editor Who Gets It

That same author who hired me to write the first index later passed my name on to a friend, who turned out to be the manager editor for two small university presses. That editor got in touch and, after a few emails back and forth sorting out the details for how we might work together, wrote, “Welcome to the team!”

Guess which editor I want to work with.

Being Part of a Team

Every publisher and project is going to be different. Some publishers prefer to be hands-off, making the index the author’s responsibility and not wanting to be in direct contact with the freelancer. I understand that the in-house editors are often very busy juggling multiple books. I respect the desire to be hands-off and I let the author take the lead on how communication flows between me, the author, and the press. In other cases, I am hired directly by the press, and so I am in regular contact with the in-house managing or production editor. For complicated projects, I may also be put in contact with the copyeditor, proofreader, or designer—whoever is best placed to answer my questions—which really does feel like I am part of the team. 

As a freelance member of the team, I recognize that I am being hired to perform a service. I realize that I don’t always get the final say, and if the author or publisher insist, I will revise the index as asked, even if I disagree. That said, part of being a team also means having my role and expertise respected. I appreciate at least being consulted on potential changes and to have my opinion taken seriously, even if the author or press ultimately decides otherwise. Respect also involves clear communication, whether direct, through the author, or through the indexing guidelines, so that I can properly do my job and have a way to ask questions. 

Being a freelancer also means recognizing when I am not part of the team. This took me a while to learn, as I was initially used to being part of the in-house team. But as a freelancer, I work with multiple authors and publishers. What is best for my business is not necessarily in line with what the publisher wants. While working together with authors and publishers on specific books, I also need to have boundaries with clients, to be able to say no when a project or publisher is not a good fit or if my schedule is already full.

For me, at least, it doesn’t take much to feel included. I don’t need a small gift or card at Christmas (though it is a lovely surprise when it occasionally happens), nor do I need to be included in company-wide meetings (though again, a nice gesture, especially if the meeting pertains to freelancers and my time is compensated, as did once happen). What matters is feeling appreciated. A word of thanks for the index. A willingness to answer questions. A desire to work together again in the future. Basically, an openness to a positive professional relationship that makes it easy to get the work done. 

What are your thoughts on the freelancer-publisher relationship? Do you feel part of a team? Or do you feel shut out or disrespected? What do you look for in a positive working relationship? Please feel free to reply in the comments and let me know.

Article
January 24, 2024
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by Stephen

Indexing Local History: Stories I’ve Been Told Series

Front cover for the book Stories I've Been Told, Vol. 3, by Elaine Thomas.Local history can be both a joy and a challenge to index. It can be deeply personal, both for those telling and writing the stories, and for those reading, as it reaffirms our bonds with each other and with the places we belong. The index is often the first point of contact with the text, as readers search for the people, places, and memories that they hold dear—or even search for themselves.

Over the last few years, I’ve had the honour and pleasure of working with Elaine Thomas, an author and storyteller. Elaine is an Albertan transplanted to Fayette County, Texas. She regularly writes for a local newspaper, The Fayette County Record, including, for several years, a column profiling a wide array of locals, especially senior citizens who reminisce about their lives. Elaine is now collecting and self-publishing these columns in the Stories I’ve Been Told series. I have indexed all three volumes published so far, as well as three other books of local and family history that Elaine has written. Today, I want to discuss how I approach indexing the Stories I’ve Been Told series, drawing examples from the third volume that was launched last November.

I love Elaine’s work for a couple of reasons.

Elaine has a knack for finding and telling incredible stories of everyday life. These are ordinary, everyday people, and yet dig beneath the surface, as Elaine does, and extraordinary accomplishments and joy shine forth. It is an excellent reminder of the wealth of knowledge and experience that surrounds all of us, if we only pay attention and listen. Elaine’s books epitomize the value and importance of preserving our local history. 

I also love reading these profiles of people in Fayette County, Texas, because it is a completely different world than what I am familiar with. Add in the fact that many of the people profiled are reminiscing about life during the Depression, World War II, and postwar, and it is a whole other world yet again. Rural farm life among Czech and German immigrants is about as far away as you can get from the concrete Taiwanese city of a million people that I grew up in, except, maybe, for the shared summer heat. I get to explore a different perspective and way of life as I index these books, a way of life that is slowly becoming more familiar with each book.

From an indexing standpoint, there are a couple of challenges which I find are common to indexing local history. The first is, what in indexable?

Details

Local history books often contain a lot of detail. Because there is so much that could potentially be picked up, it is a good idea to decide ahead of time, as much as possible, what is indexable and what can be left aside. I find my approach often evolves as I work and better understand the text. The plan does not need to be rigid. But starting with a plan does help to avoid being overwhelmed by the sheer number of potential entries, and to avoid adding, and then later deleting, irrelevant entries.

For the Stories I’ve Been Told series, I make a distinction between Fayette County and the rest of the country and world. The people profiled are all from and live within Fayette County. I assume that readers of the book also have a connection to the area. So information about Fayette County forms the bulk of what I pick up. I index somewhat less detail about the rest of Texas, with most such entries being about neighbouring counties and cities that readers are likely to be familiar with, and where the people profiled may have studied and worked. I index the least amount of detail about the rest of the country and world. If someone spent part of their career in Virginia, for example, I will likely include that as a subheading, but I probably will not create main headings for places and businesses within Virginia, as I don’t think that readers will be searching for Virginia-related details.

I index all of the local people. This can lead to long lists of family members, if a person profiled mentions all of their grandparents, parents, siblings, spouse, children, and other relatives. But since this is intended for a local readership who may be searching for their families and friends, I think it is important to pick up all of the names, even minor mentions. This can also mean double-checking surnames with Elaine, to make sure I am properly identifying people.

I also pick up places. This includes all of the cities and towns within Fayette County. I also pick up churches, schools, local businesses, significant geographic features, and any other place that seems important. These are often minor mentions, but again, this is a book for local readers. There are memories attached to these places, and local histories can be an aid for people to access their own memories.

I also pick up details for various activities. These can be memories about Christmas or attending dances, childhood memories of working on the farm, or about people’s careers, such as delivering mail or running a flooring business. I also create arrays for local events, like the Fayette County Fair.

Several of the people profiled are veterans who reminisce about their wartime experiences. I’ve learned that honouring vets is important, in a way that seems more strongly emphasized than in Canada. I include several arrays for the different branches of military; the military bases where these veterans served, especially those nearby within Texas; and the wars, which is mostly WWII, along with a few mentions for the Korean and Vietnam wars. 

Basically, if someone or something happened or existed within Fayette County, I index it. Elaine and I want local readers to be able to find their family and friends, and places and events, that are significant to them.

Structure

With so many details, structuring the index is also important, to ensure that the index is easy to search.

I build the index structure around the book’s structure. Stories I’ve Been Told, Vol. 3 contains 30 profiles, with each profile about 8 pages, give or take. This includes 1-3 pages of photographs. Because it is these people who form the core of the book, I use subheadings for each person, focusing on what that person chooses to discuss. I also include a range, at the top of the array, for the whole profile. Photographs are indicated in italics. 

Kea, Arleas Upton, 1–9

career with FDIC, 1, 7

childhood, 2–3

education and desegregation, 3–4, 9

family, 3, 7, 8, 9

photographs, 7–9

prayer and worship, 3

reflections on life and success, 6

at University of Texas, 5–6

I also do a lot of double-posting. All of the churches, for example, are both indexed as standalone entries and are gathered together in a single array. Gathering together does mean that the index will be longer, but I think it is helpful to provide a place for readers to scan if they can’t remember the name of a specific church or if they want to see which churches are mentioned. It is also generally a good practice to provide multiple access points, if there is space, to accommodate how different readers choose to search. If the community that the church is in is not obvious from the church’s name, I also include that detail in parentheses. (I also include the community in parentheses for main headings if the community is not obvious from the name of the church, school, or business.)

churches

Bethlehem Lutheran Church (Round Top), 189

Big Spring Hill Baptist Church, 79

Elm Creek Baptist Church (Seguin), 179

Holy Cross Lutheran Church (Warda), 143, 147, 149

Prairie Valley Lutheran Church, 181

prayer and worship, 3

Queen of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church (Hostyn), 89, 92, 217

Sacred Heart Catholic Church (La Grange), 36, 91

St. James Missionary Baptist Church (Plum), 79

St. James Missionary Baptist Church (Schulenburg), 3

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church (Ammannsville), 83

St. Mary Catholic Church (High Hill), 40

St. Mary’s Catholic Church (Ellinger), 125

St. Paul Lutheran Church (La Grange), 27, 220

St. Paul Lutheran Church (Serbin), 97–98, 99

St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church (Schulenburg), 54, 56–57, 101

Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church (Plum), 32

Swiss Alp Lutheran Church, 112

Trinity Lutheran Church (Black Jack Springs), 12, 154

I also double-post for significant events and memories that have enough entries to warrant subheadings, such as Christmas:

Christmas

Alvin J. Anders’ memories, 101–2

Christmas trees, 54, 57, 138, 143, 153

Frances Pietsch Schumann’s memories, 143–44

gifts for WWII soldiers, 51

Gracie Loessin Taylor’s memories, 153

Kahlich family traditions, 54–57

mail delivery and, 134

Santa Claus, 54–55

St. Nicholas (St. Nicholas Day), 53–54, 58

For military arrays, such as the wars and branches of the military, I suspect that some readers would like to see who else served, and so I double-post names in these arrays as well, in addition to double-posting military bases. For example,

U.S. Air Force

Bien Hoa Air Force Base (Vietnam), 225, 227–28

Eugene J. “Gene” Wessels, 177, 178–79, 183

Fort Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, 178

Harry Richard “Dick” Peck, 223–28, 231, 232

Lackland Air Force Base, 61

Laredo Air Force Base, 223–24

For Stories I’ve Been Told, Vol. 3, thanks to a suggestion from Elaine, I’ve also included cross-references from the various towns to the people profiled who are from those towns, so that readers can more easily see the connections between people and places. I should have thought of this for the earlier volumes, and I’m glad Elaine noticed this possibility. For example,

Rutersville (TX), 69, 89–90. See also Dixon, Richard; Fietsam, Lydia Eberenz

Working with the Author

Especially if you are not familiar with the area or history, take advantage of the author’s knowledge. When I first started indexing this series, Elaine’s insights were invaluable as I made my plan for how to index, as well as helpful feedback on the draft index. This can be a fruitful collaboration to serve the readers.

Indexing local history can often be more work than it initially appears. All of those details and entries can add up, and then you need to decide how best to organize. Indexing local history can also be satisfying, helping readers remain engaged with their history and community, as well as the reminder that each of us live extraordinary lives, if only we can see ourselves, and each other, from the right angle. 

If you would like to see the full index for Stories I’ve Been Told, Vol. 3, you can find it on Amazon, using the “Read Sample” feature. The indexes for the first two volumes are also available for viewing.If you would like to buy a copy, proceeds are being donated to assist struggling students at Blinn College, Schulenburg campus. Elaine also writes a lovely blog, Stories From the Slow Lane, where you can enjoy more stories about the past.

Article
October 25, 2023
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by Stephen

Persevering Through the Dip

It’s tough becoming established as a freelancer.

In my last two posts, I’ve written about marketing and money. Today I want to acknowledge that it also takes time to become established as a freelancer. And that time can feel painfully slow and leave you wondering if you are ever going to succeed.

The time and space on the way to being established can be described as the Dip. This is a concept I learned from Seth Godin, from his book The Dip: A Little Book that Teaches You When to Quit (And When to Stick). The book is indeed little, and I highly recommend it.

The idea is that there is always a Dip on the way to mastery and success. The Dip comes after the fun and excitement of learning a new skill or beginning a new venture. The Dip is the long slog towards success, wondering if anyone will hire you, wondering if your skills are good enough, wondering if your business is a failure. 

When it comes to indexing, I think the Dip can include the struggle to market and find work.  It is discouraging when you don’t know who to contact, no one seems to want to hire you, or when there are large gaps in your schedule between projects. The Dip can also include struggling to improve your skills. It takes practice to gain proficiency. If you are still struggling after the fifth or tenth index, doubt can creep in on whether you will ever get the hang of this. The Dip can also involve a project or client relationship blowing up in your face. Do you really have what it takes to run a business? Do you dare try again and accept a new project?

I want to assure you that yes, it is possible to get through the Dip. I also want to acknowledge that getting established is hard. I’ve often heard the rule of thumb that it takes about three years to become established as a freelancer. That was true for me. I noticed that the number of queries I was fielding seemed to pop in my third year, as did my income and the number of indexes I wrote. Though I also know other indexers who have found full-time work sooner, and others who are in the Dip for longer. The Dip varies from person to person, though everyone faces it one way or another. 

Godin writes that when in the Dip, you are faced with two choices. Do you quit, or do you persevere?

Quitting isn’t always bad. I knew an indexer, who started about the same time I did, who later quit indexing to focus on being an editor. They realized that they were better at editing, earned more from editing, and found editing more enjoyable, and so it made sense for them to quit indexing. Similarly, a few years ago I made the decision to quit proofreading, as indexing is a better fit for me. If indexing is not a good fit for you, or if freelancing is not meeting your needs and goals, then quitting might be the right decision. Quitting strategically is not failure. What I don’t want you to do is to quit because the Dip just feels too hard.

The trick to getting through the Dip is to keep moving. As Godin writes, “The Dip is flexible. It responds to the effort you put into it.” Keep practicing your skills and accepting new projects, knowing that each index is an opportunity to learn and improve. Keep marketing, reaching out to authors and publishers who might want to hire you. You never know who is going to write back. Keep networking with other indexers and editors, attending conferences and participating in online events and forums. You may gain a referral or advice for a sticky problem, or at least feel less lonely in the profession. Move through the Dip rather than being stuck at the bottom.

Lastly, be realistic about the fact that the Dip exists and that you may be in it. Whether it takes a year or three or more to get out of the Dip, it will be a stressful time, with a lot of uncertainty and doubt. It will take a lot of work to get out of the Dip. And that’s okay too, because the work you do now is laying the foundation for your future success.

It is possible to succeed as a freelance indexer. You can build the business that you desire. I believe that you can do it.

Article
October 11, 2023
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by Stephen

Money Advice to Make Freelancing Easier

In my last post, I wrote about my two golden rules for marketing and building a client base. Today, I want to write about money.

If you are a freelancer, or are thinking of becoming a freelancer, I assume at least part of your motivation is to earn an income. Even if an income is not your primary goal, money is still likely to be involved, unless you plan to work pro bono. Some basic financial planning and understanding is crucial, though don’t worry, you don’t need to be an expert.

As a disclaimer, I am not a financial expert either, so by all means please do your own research or consult actual experts.

These are a few things which I have found helpful in my own business, and which I wish I understood better when I first started. I hope this helps set you on the right path too.

Outsource Tasks, Not Responsibility

You don’t need to handle all of your bookkeeping and taxes by yourself. If you are not comfortable doing so, lack the time, or know that a professional can do it faster than you can, then you can certainly hire a bookkeeper, accountant, or other assistant to help you with your finances. You don’t need to do this alone.

What you can’t outsource, however, is responsibility for your finances. This is your business and you need to understand what is happening. Schedule a regular time, maybe once or twice a month, to review your finances. Even if you are not doing the work yourself to create invoices, record payments, or record expenses, understand how the process works. You don’t want to be in the red because a client failed to pay and you never noticed. 

Plan Ahead

For me, a key part of managing my finances is being organized and planning ahead – which can be hard. How I manage my finances continues to evolve as my needs change and I learn better methods to be organized. For you, try to set up a good system from the start, while also know that it is possible to change as you go along. 

Here are a few tips for planning ahead and organizing your finances that I’ve found useful.

  • Plan for an unpredictable cash flow. One of the downsides of freelancing is that no one is paying you a regular salary. How frequently you issue invoices will vary. The amounts on each invoice will be different. Clients may also pay early or late. This can sometimes lead to a cash flow crunch when you need money to pay your bills and payments have not yet arrived – which is why it is important to keep a reserve fund. Set money aside from each payment so that you can still pay yourself and meet your financial obligations when payments are late and cash is short. There are different ways to do this. I’ve found the Profit First system, by Mike Michalowicz, to be helpful (I recommend his book by the same name). Or can you find or develop a different system.
  • Set financial goals. It can be easy to drift along in your business without some kind of goal. Without a target income, you may even earn less than you need to to stay afloat. So set some goals for yourself. If you are just starting out, maybe aim to increase next year’s income by ten or fifteen thousand dollars. If you’ve reached a comfortable yearly income or have all of the work that you want, I recommend still setting a minimum income that you want to reach. I find it helpful for gauging my progress throughout the year and for ensuring that I have enough money coming in for my budgeted expenses and savings. Once I reach my goal, I can either continue to earn extra or I can give myself permission to take time off. 
  • Decide how to track the numbers. Will you use bookkeeping software? There are several options. Or track expenses and income in Excel? It doesn’t really matter so long as it is accurate and works for you. When I first started, I bought a program to handle invoices and I kept track of everything else in spreadsheets. Now that I have a somewhat larger business, with more invoices, expenses, and also now royalties from my book, I find it more convenient to use an all-in-one bookkeeping program.
  • Use templates for invoices. If you plan to be in business for a while, then you are going to be sending out a lot of invoices. Save yourself some time and use a template. This could be using a template within your bookkeeping program or it could be a template that you create in Word or Excel. 
  • Track expenses. Have someplace where you record expenses immediately, and have a place where you keep receipts. For physical receipts, consider also taking a photograph of the receipt and keeping that photograph in a dedicated folder on your computer. You can claim business expenses on your taxes, but only if the expense is documented.
  • Add bookkeeping to your schedule. When it comes to creating and sending invoices, recording payments and expenses, and reviewing my finances, I find it much easier to remember and to do when it is a regular part of my schedule. So, I do my bookkeeping twice a month. Find a time that works for you.

Taxes

As with planning ahead for an unpredictable cash flow, plan ahead to pay taxes. Set money aside from each payment in a separate account so that you aren’t caught short at tax time. Depending on your jurisdiction and income, you may also need to pay quarterly installments.

It can be difficult to know how much to save. I suggest plugging some estimated figures into a tax program or tax calculator, taking into account any tax credits or deductions you anticipate claiming. The goal is to save a ballpark figure so that you at least have most of the money set aside.

Depending on where you live and how much you earn, you may also be responsible for collecting sales tax, as well as complying with other business regulations. This may also depend on the type of business you have (for example, a sole proprietorship versus incorporation). As a one-person business, requirements shouldn’t be too complicated, but still do your research for the jurisdiction you live within and proactively abide by the rules. 

To sum up: have a plan, as I have repeated throughout this post. If you understand what is happening financially with your business, if you have a place for recording and tracking all of the numbers, and if you have a schedule for keeping all of that information updated, then I find it is fairly easy to keep the whole system moving along and to remain financially healthy. It doesn’t need to be a lot of work, so long as it is done regularly.

Article
August 23, 2023
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by Stephen

East Asian Names, Deep Dive

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you are probably aware that indexing can get pretty technical. Details matter. Creativity works best when interwoven with the rules and conventions that make an index tick.

All that to say, today’s reflection is going to get geeky.

East Asian Names

I just finished indexing a book within the field of Asian studies and literary criticism. Asian studies—especially East Asia and history—is one of my favorite areas to index in. I grew up in Taiwan and I still speak and understand Mandarin and Taiwanese to varying extents.

I have also, in the past, fielded questions from other indexers on how to index Chinese names. Chinese names, as well as Korean and Japanese names, follow a different naming convention than English or other Western names. If you are not familiar with these names, they can be confusing to index. I was reminded of that on this index I just finished, so I thought I’d write a quick primer.

To start, be aware that there may be more than one naming convention at play in the book. The Western convention is to write names in the format of First name Surname (or, using different terms, Given name Family name). In China, Korea, and Japan, that format is reversed. To use my own names as an example, in English my first name is Stephen and my surname is Ullstrom, written as Stephen Ullstrom. In Mandarin, my surname is Ou 歐 and my given name is Shijie 士傑, written as Ou Shijie 歐士傑.

My experience with the English-language books that I index is that both formats can appear in the same book. People discussed who are from within China, Japan, or Korea—such as historical figures, politicians, or scholars—are often presented with their names in the traditional format, with the surname first. People who are Korean American or Japanese Canadian, for example, or scholars who are published by Western presses and journals, will probably have their names written in the Western format.

Don’t assume that all of the names in the book follow the same naming convention. They might, if the author and/or press made that decision. But there is also a good chance that the names reflect how those people prefer to be known or are typically known.

Identifying the Surname

Since names are typically sorted in the index by surname (assuming the name has a surname), the key to correctly indexing East Asian names is to first identify the surname.

This is not always easy, especially if you are not familiar with the language or what constitutes a typical surname. But, if you can identify the surname, most of your work is done.

If I see a name that I am not sure about, I do a few minutes of research using one or more of the following methods.

  • I look to see how the author refers to the person, especially in subsequent mentions. The usual convention for subsequent mentions is to use the surname, so look to see what the author uses.
  • If a scholar, I also try to find the person in the bibliography, as the bibliography should also be sorted by surname.
  • I try to find the person online. If a scholar, I look for their faculty webpage or for citations to other books or articles they have written, which may indicate to me their surname. If a cultural, historical, or political figure, Wikipedia often states, at the top of the page, which part of the name is the surname.
  • I also look at the name itself. Chinese and Korean names, for example, are often written, in roman script, with a space between the surname and the given name. This doesn’t help for a name like Hao Wang (Chinese American mathematician and philosopher, surname Wang), but does for the Taiwanese writer Pai Hsien-yung (surname Pai).
  • If I am still not sure, I ask the author.

Comma Necessary?

Once the surname is identified, it is time to add the name to the index.

Because Western names are written in the format First name Surname, names are inverted, with a comma, so that the name can be sorted by surname. But what if the name does not need to be inverted?

I have seen indexes and bibliographies where a comma is inserted anyway. Pai Hsien-yung is written as Pai, Hsien-yung. But to me that implies that the name is properly written as Hsien-yung Pai, which is incorrect. I much prefer to omit the comma. Since the name already leads with the surname, I simply index it as Pai Hsien-yung.

Alphabetical Sort

The last consideration—and this is getting geeky—is how to sort the names.

Most of my clients prefer letter-by-letter alphabetical sort, which can cause some problems. Having some names with a comma and some names without interferes with the sorting. Surnames can also be short and can intersperse with other entries, which makes the list of names difficult to scan. This is especially true when there are several people with the same surname, which is fairly common.

So, if letter-by-letter sorting is specified, I force-sort to make these names easier to scan. This means both ignoring the comma when alphabetizing and making sure that like surnames stick together.

In this example from the index I just finished, without force-sorting, the names with commas rise to the top and there are a couple of other subject-matter-related main headings mixed in.

Liu, Jianmei
Liu, Lydia
Liu Denghan
Liu Jiang
Liushou nüshi (Those Left Behind; film)
Liu Weihua
liuxuesheng
Liu Yiqing

Force-sorted, with the commas ignored and the names brought together, this series of main headings makes more sense alphabetically and is much easier to scan.

Liu Denghan
Liu Jiang
Liu, Jianmei
Liu, Lydia
Liu Weihua
Liu Yiqing
Liushou nüshi (Those Left Behind; film)
liuxuesheng

Indexing names from another language can be intimidating. The key is to understand how those names work, and to not assume that they follow Western conventions. For Chinese, Japanese, and Korean names, first identify the surname. From there, determine if the name needs to be inverted. When editing the index, consider whether the names need to be force-sorted for alphabetization and ease of reading.

The goal, as always, is an index that is easier for its user.

Article
August 2, 2023
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by Stephen

Index Profile: Placing (Hiding?) Sensitive Entries

Where do you put potentially embarrassing or upsetting information in an index? The information is true. It is discussed. It qualifies as indexable. But where and how should it appear?

I faced this question when I received feedback last year from Adele Weder, the author of the biography Ron Thom, Architect: The Life of a Creative Modernist (Greystone Books, 2022), about the Canadian modernist architect, Ron Thom. My original array for Thom, for which I used the em-dash-modified format (which I like to use for biographies), looked like this (for space and the sake of this example, I am only including the first three subheadings for each section):

Thom, Ron (Ronald James): Adelaide Street apartment, 255–56; alcoholism, 34, 212–13, 214, 239–40, 255, 257, 259–60, 272–73, 275; art and, 17, 288n20;…

—ARCHITECTURE CAREER: apprenticeship, 46–47; on architects, 208–9; on art and architecture, 38, 133, 200, 211–12, 243–44;…

—ARCHITECTURE PROJECTS: Atria North, 246–47; Banff Centre’s Thom Studio, 254, 254; B.C. Electric Building, 87–88, 90–92;…

—ARTWORK: At the Fair Grounds, 37, 38; Seated Figure, 41–42, 42, 290n2

—FAMILY AND RELATIONSHIPS: children, 54, 57, 101, 102, 172, 234, 237–38; courting Chris, 26; divorce from Chris, 113–14, 295n6;…

Do you see the problem?

Alcoholism is the second subheading. While acknowledging that alcoholism was a significant problem in Thom’s life, the author was concerned that having the subheading so early in the array overshadowed Thom’s architectural accomplishments.

Which I think is a fair point.

When I use the em-dash-modified format, I usually treat the first section as a catch-all for the subheadings that don’t fit anywhere else. These are often subheadings for childhood, death, miscellaneous jobs, hobbies, personal quirks, and, in this case, alcoholism. I think I did notice that alcoholism fell at the front, which struck me as unfortunate while also part of the vagaries of the alphabetical sort. So, I didn’t put too much more thought into it. 

The author was not so quick to let the index—and me—off the hook. I am glad she pushed back. After some back-and-forth discussion, I revised the array:

Thom, Ron (Ronald James)

—ARCHITECTURE CAREER: apprenticeship, 46–47; on architects, 208–9; on art and architecture, 38, 133, 200, 211–12, 243–44;…

—ARCHITECTURE PROJECTS: Atria North, 246–47; Banff Centre’s Thom Studio, 254, 254; B.C. Electric Building, 87–88, 90–92;…

—ARTWORK: At the Fair Grounds, 37, 38; Seated Figure, 41–42, 42, 290n2

—FAMILY AND RELATIONSHIPS: children, 54, 57, 101, 102, 172, 234, 237–38; courting Chris, 26; divorce from Chris, 113–14, 295n6;…

—PERSONAL LIFE AND VIEWS: Adelaide Street apartment, 255–56; alcoholism, 34, 212–13, 214, 239–40, 255, 257, 259–60, 272–73, 275; art and, 17, 288n20;…

That catch-all section is now labelled “personal life and views,” which sorts it to the very end of the array. The alcoholism subheading is still present, but it is no longer the first thing that readers see. Instead, Thom’s architecture career and projects play the starring role.

I took away three lessons from this experience.

One, it is a good reminder that alphabetical sorting isn’t everything and it is possible to manipulate where entries appear. The goal should be to make entries visible, of course, rather than burying entries. But depending on the material and the needs of the audience, it is possible to move entries around and to highlight or deflect attention as needed.

Two, sensitive information should be handled sensitively. I am not a fan of using the index to ignore or whitewash uncomfortable or difficult information. If there is a significant discussion in the text, then it should also be in the index. But I am open to considering how and where it appears in the index. In Thom’s case, what is the focus of the book? What are the elements of his life which should be celebrated? What are readers looking for, and what should readers be presented with first? The array can be structured accordingly. 

The last lesson is that feedback from authors can be invaluable. I don’t always agree with the feedback, and I may explain my approach if I think the index is misunderstood. But there are also times when I have made a mistake, or I didn’t consider other options, or fully think through the implications. I want to be someone who takes feedback seriously. Even if I disagree with the author’s solution, there may still be something there that I need to reconsider. For this Thom array, I am thankful that Adele Weder, the author, explained her concern and pushed me to look further for a better solution. I think the array and the index are better for it.

Article
May 24, 2023
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by Stephen

Index Profile: Tracing Complicated Relationships in Main Headings, in The Other Great Game

What can main headings be composed of?

Main headings, which kick off an entry or array, usually describe a single person or thing. It could be a name, or a government agency, or a physical object, or a concept. It is concrete and identifiable. Which is what we want in a main heading. Readers need to be able to clearly identify what it is they are searching for.

But sometimes the thing that we are trying to describe is complicated, and it is okay for the main heading to expand and help carry the weight of the text.

I ended up taking this approach for the index for The Other Great Game: The Opening of Korea and the Modern East Asia, by Sheila Miyoshi Jager (The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2023). This is a delightful history, squarely within one of my favorite areas to index—East Asian studies—while also quite challenging in its scope and length, at about 570 indexable pages.

This book is about the colonial jockeying for power and control over Korea, with Korea ultimately becoming a protectorate of Japan. One of the challenging aspects was all of the intertwined relationships. Korea is a key player, of course. Japan is also involved, and wanting to be taken seriously as a great power. Russia also has its interests and influence. China is a waning influence, though still trying to exert itself. Though less involved, the other Western powers—US, Britain, Germany, France—all played a role as well.  Much of the book covers the diplomatic back-and-forth as all these powers try to figure out what to do with Korea (instead of respecting Korea’s independence). From an indexing standpoint, what is the best way to index all of these relationships?

Most of these relationships, say between Korea and Japan, or Japan and Russia, are too large to be contained within a subheading or two. These are relationships that span decades, and include wars, lengthy negotiations, and shifts in the balance of power. With so much material to cover, double-posting these relationships under each respective country would have led to enormous, unwieldy arrays.

The solution I landed on was to make the relationship itself the main heading. So, “Korean-Chinese relations,” “Korean-Japanese relations,” “Japanese-Russian relations,” etc… I still had arrays for each country, for subheadings specific to that country, but the bulk of the entries fell under these various arrays for these relationships. This meant that under Korea or Japan, for example, there are several arrays, which break down the discussions into manageable, yet still clearly defined, portions.

This also raised the question of which country to prioritize in the main heading. Should it be “Japanese-Russian relations” or “Russian-Japanese relations”? Because Korea and Japan were the two biggest actors, I decided to let them take the lead, so to speak,, with the Western countries generally being listed second.

These main headings also required a lot of cross-references from the other countries. As I mentioned, double-posting wasn’t a viable option due to the sheer number of entries. Better to pick a single array to place entries under, and then use cross-references to point readers in the right direction. For example, “Russian-Korean relations. See Korean-Russian relations.”

If you are interested in seeing all this in action, you can view the index here, on Amazon, using the Look Inside feature.

The number one goal for main headings is that they be clear. A confused reader is less likely to find what they are looking for. But while keeping clarity in mind, you can also play with main headings to better match the discussions in the book. Some subjects and relationships are more complicated, and a longer, multi-part main heading may be the clearest and best option.

Article
May 9, 2023
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by Stephen

Is Over-Indexing Really a Time-Saving Strategy

I’ve been thinking about a piece of common sense advice that I was reminded of a few months ago. You may have heard it too. It goes like this: on your first pass through the book, pick up more than is necessary, because it is quicker to go back and trim than to go back and pick up a second time.

The assumption is that reading the text and picking up entries is time-consuming. Which is true. Carefully reading the book and selecting terms does take time. Also assumed is that you may not know, on the first pass, what is indexable and what can be left. Which is also true. By picking up an abundance of entries, all bases are covered. But is over-indexing and then trimming the extraneous entries really a faster approach?

To some extent, yes. I certainly pick up entries knowing that they may not make the final cut. But I still try to choose entries within certain parameters. This advice can get you into trouble when you have no filters (or very few filters) in place.

Consider this scenario, which I have seen and done myself earlier in my career: You get a book to index and the publisher informs you that the index can be no longer than 700 lines. Which sounds like a lot. Excited to start, and worried about missing relevant discussions, you jump into the project, typing up whatever entry seems like it might mean something to someone. Finishing the full draft, you realize that the index is pushing 1,000 lines. Or 1,500 lines. Or maybe even 2,000 lines. Now what?

Trimming an index that is a little longer than it should be usually isn’t a problem and is part of the indexing process. By definition, rough drafts need to be tidied. There are entries that aren’t as important as they originally appeared, or entries that can be combined into one, or subheadings that can be removed. But an index significantly longer than the target length requires more than a trim. It requires deep cuts. Chances are, whole categories of entries need to be removed and the index structure needs to be simplified. Not only has time been spent creating all of those entries, but time will now have to be spent figuring out how to get rid of all those entries. There is also the emotional pain of having to sweep away all that you created.

It is not efficient or effective.

What I try to do instead, before I start the rough draft, is to think about what needs to be in the index. I think about the subject matter and the arguments or stories that the book is telling. I think about who might be reading the book. I think about what kind of book it is, and how readers will use the index. If there is a length limit, I think about how much space there is relative to the number of pages and to how densely the book is written, and I then try to gauge how detailed the index can be. With all of that in mind, I can more easily identify and filter out passing mentions as I read the book. This approach is not perfect—I often still come across potential entries that I am uncertain about, and I may still go back and pick up entries that I have missed—but having a plan means that my rough drafts are closer to being completed. When editing, I can focus on polishing, rather than cutting and rebuilding.

This approach works both when there is a firm length limit, and when there is no limit to how long the index can be. Just because there is unlimited space does not mean that everything is now relevant to the reader. Think ahead about what the audience needs, and filter the text through that lens.

Besides planning ahead, what else can you do to avoid over-indexing getting out of control?

  • Partway through writing the rough draft, stop and assess the number of entries so far. Is the number proportional to how much space is available in the index and/or to how many pages indexed? Being a little over is okay; some trimming is normal. But if you are only halfway through the book and the rough draft is hitting the line limit, then you probably have an over-indexing problem. Stop, think again about what is important to include and what can be excluded, assess and do a preliminary cut of entries so far, and then finish the rest of the rough draft with some new filters in place.
    ​
  • Try running a quick search to see how often a term or name shows up, especially if you are unsure if it is worth including. If it is only mentioned once, then it may not be important. If mentioned multiple times, then probably worth including. But be careful: number of mentions should not be the only criteria for including in the index. The quality of the discussion is also important.
    ​
  • Try using some sort of label or symbol to mark entries that you are unsure about. In Cindex, I can label entries with different colors, and I use red to indicate entries that I may want to cut. These are entries that I am on the fence about—I’ll still pick up so I don’t have to go back later, but I also want to make them easy to identify and delete. Whatever you use to label, remember to remove so that it doesn’t make its way into the printed index.
    ​
  • Practice. Indexing is a skill that takes time to develop. It may take several indexes to figure out how to effectively plan ahead, and how to recognize and filter out passing mentions. And that’s okay. Keep working on it with each index, and you will gradually get the hang of it.

Writing an index is hard work. We can use all the hacks and shortcuts we can get. And that’s what common sense advice is—a way to make indexing easier and hopefully faster. The problem though, is that common sense advice usually doesn’t come with instructions for how best to implement that advice. Used the wrong way, and the advice may end up creating more work.

So yes, over-index, but within limits. Assume that the index will need to be trimmed and that some entries may not make the final draft, but still think carefully about what to include on the first pass. The cleaner the rough draft, the easier and quicker editing will be. Which is the most efficient way to index.

Article
April 25, 2020
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by Stephen

Updating an Index: Worth It or Not Worth It?

I think every indexer will, at some point, experience a baptism by fire from updating a previously written index. It is tedious. It is time-consuming. It is mental gymnastics trying to get into the mind of the original indexer and trying to figure out what has changed. 

My first freelance project was like this. Thankfully the budget that the client offered was not a pittance, but it was still a hard grind. I should have suggested that the index be re-written from scratch.

Which is the usual advice, when it comes to updating an index. It may take as much time to write a new index as it would take to update, but it will feel a lot easier because it is yours and because you won’t be constantly second-guessing yourself, wondering if a correction was overlooked.

I have come to realize, though, that not all updates are equal. And while they are usually still tedious, in some cases I think updating is the best option. To help me decide whether or not to accept an updating project, I have developed a set of criteria, which I try to rigorously stick to.

  1. The first is, how extensive are the changes? Understanding this is key to estimating how much work will be involved. If chapters have been added, removed, or shuffled around, then definitely re-write the index from scratch. If it is just a handful or couple dozen changes throughout the text, then the main issue will probably be reflow. Which is not a lot of fun to fix, but it does have the virtue of being fairly straightforward and can usually be done within a day or two.
  2. If it turns out there are only a few changes, I then ask if the client is able to mark all of the changes on a PDF. This removes the guesswork for me. Part of what takes so much time, otherwise, is trying to figure out what has changed between the two versions of the book. If the client can show me what has changed, I save time, the client saves money, and the changes are usually pretty easy to make. If the client cannot tell me where the changes are, then I will pass on the project.
  3. I also consider whether or not I have written the original index. It is a lot easier to update if I have, because I understand how the index is written and I may even have some memory of writing it. Deconstructing someone else’s index can be an interesting learning exercise, but trying to update or fix someone else’s index is a lot more stress and mental work. In a way, I prefer it when clients ask me to update rather than finding someone else because even though I don’t really want to do it, I know I can probably do a faster and better job because I am already familiar with the index.
  4. My relationship with the client is also important. This does not have anything to do with the index itself, so perhaps should not be considered, but I think it is important to consider a project in light of the larger relationship. I am more likely to say yes to a long-term client. And, last year, I did update an index for a regular client that I did not originally write but still met my other criteria. Even though I was paid, I also saw it as a favour and good customer service. If I did not write the original index and I don’t know the client, I will probably say no. 
  5. Lastly, I estimate how much time it will take. For it to be worth it, it needs to take me less time then writing from scratch. This usually means that I want to finish within a day or two. Since I also charge per hour for updates, completing the index within two days should also save the client money, as a brand new index would typically cost more. 

Thankfully, I don’t get asked too often to update indexes. I definitely prefer writing fresh. But when I am asked, it helps to have a plan for how to judge and complete the work. The pain and frustration does not need to be all-encompassing.