Article
May 1, 2019
2 comments
by Stephen

Using Triage to Shorten an Index

Cutting an index to fit a tight space limitation is never fun. At least, I do not enjoy it.

By cutting, I mean shortening the index beyond what I think the index should be. Editing may lengthen or shorten the index, depending on what needs to be done to make the index its best self, while cutting is simply about removing to fit an external standard. 

Yet, I think cutting an index can still be done well. The final index may not be ideal, but it can still be elegant and appear as a coherent whole. To do this, I have developed a form of triage to guide how I cut. 

The word triage comes from the medical world, and refers to making treatment decisions in situations of insufficient time or resources. In a way, triage is heartbreaking because it means that not everyone will receive treatment or treatment in a timely manner, yet it is effective because it forces the medical personnel to start with the patients for whom they can make the biggest impact.

For an index, my goal is to deliver the best index I can by using the most judicious cuts. Which cuts shorten the most while impacting the quality of the index the least? To do this, here are five strategies and considerations I keep in mind.

1) Identify What Needs to be Kept

This step seems counterintuitive because the goal of cutting, after all, is to remove. Yet I still think it is important that the core entries remain largely intact. I want the reader to still get a broad overview of the book from the index. This means identifying the metatopic entries and supermain headings, which cover the main points of the book. Once I have identified these, I may combine or shorten a few subheadings here and there, but mostly I cut around them.

2) Remove Subheadings

I do not like long strings of undifferentiated locators or mixing subheadings with unruly locators, but I will make exceptions to cut an index as subheadings do take up space. My usual bar for when to add subheadings is six or more locators, but if I need to cut I will raise the bar to say ten locators. I will also remove subheadings for less important entries, as a tradeoff for keeping subheadings for my core entries.

3) Eliminate Multiple Entry Points

One of the hallmarks of a good index is that a reader can find the same information in two or more ways. When I cut, I see multiple entry points as a luxury. My goal is to still have at least one entry point for each piece of information, but I will look for ways to cut out repetition. The main way I do this is to remove double-posts. If information is presented as both a main heading and a subheading, I may choose one or the other. I may also use more cross-references to compensate, if it seems like the cross-reference will take up less space.

4) Raise the Bar for Passing Mentions

Another strategy I use is to raise the bar for what I consider to be passing mentions. I actually start thinking about this before I edit the index. If I create an entry that I think I might be willing to cut, I label it so that it is easy to later find. You may ask, why not just cut if the entry is borderline? I would say that there are degrees of passing mentions, and what may be irrelevant to one person is valuable to another. So I tend to err on being inclusive, while recognizing that I may need to change my standard in order to cut.

5) Be Consistent

Regardless of which strategies I employ, I try to be consistent across the index. If I am cutting an entry from a certain type or level of entry, for example, I try to do the same for all entries of that type or level. I do not want the cuts to appear random or for a reader to say, Why is this entry included but not that? I know that a cut index is full of holes, but at least by being consistent I hope to mask the damage and make it appear that the index was still deliberately and thoughtfully made.

Ultimately, cutting an index is about tradeoffs. What gets to stay and what needs to go? These are not always easy decisions, especially if the cuts occur after careful editing. Still, with some planning, I think a decent index can still emerge. The index may not be great, but it can at least still be okay and still serve the reader as best it can.

Article
April 24, 2019
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by Stephen

The Power to Reveal and Conceal in an Index

Indexers hold great power, more than I think we often realize. Since the index we write will serve as a major entry point into the text for readers, we have a lot of influence over what readers find and how.

I first came to this realization a few years ago through my work indexing books on Indigenous topics. In Canada, where I live, these topics can be quite emotionally and politically charged, since as a nation we are still coming to terms with the legacy of colonialism. When working on such material, I am conscious that these are not my stories to tell. I do not fully understand these issues from the point of view of the Indigenous communities and individuals. Yet as the indexer, I have to somehow decide how best to present the information. 

One common claim by indexers is that the index needs to reflect the text, which is another way to say that the index needs to be objective. I agree that the index should be as objective as possible. Yet indexers also acknowledge that no two indexers will ever create the same index. The index is a subjective document, filtered through the indexer’s understanding of the text and preferred indexing practices. To be an ethical indexer, I think we need to consider and be aware of the different ways in which we can shape the index, particularly in how we can reveal or conceal information.

So, what are some ways in which this can happen?

The simplest way this happens is from me reading the text and making a decision about what I read. Is this detail or discussion important enough to be included in the index? Do I think there might be a reader who will want to find this information? To be objective, I have to be careful not to let personal bias or ignorance colour my decisions.

Next, let’s consider when I have chosen to index a certain discussion in the text. I can choose to highlight that discussion in a number of ways. I could use subheadings, for example, to both provide more information to the reader about the discussion, as well as to make the entry physically larger than surrounding entries, making the entry stand out. If there are a number of possible terms for the discussion, I can choose one that readers are likely to know and use and provide cross-references from the other terms. If the discussion is found in a subheading, I have try to have that subheading sort to the top of the entry to be more visible.

Conversely, I can choose not to use subheadings, even if there are enough locators to warrant them. I could also use a less common term as the main heading, and not use cross-references or double-posts to provide multiple entry points. I could also bury a subheading in the middle or at the bottom of an entry, or use vague wording to obscure the meaning. In all these cases, a reader can still find the discussion in the index, but the discussion is much less noticeable. Of course, I could also choose to not create an entry, thereby omitting the discussion.

In a best case scenario, when there is no line or page limit for the index, we can make sure that most, if not all, of the information in the text is clearly present in the index. But I think it is important to recognize that if there is not enough space, then the indexer may be forced to cut or obscure information out of necessity to make the index fit. This is not ideal, and while more can be said, I do have a triage process in order to identify what is most important to keep in the index and what can be cut or reduced. 

To give an example of how our decisions can affect the index, a few years ago I indexed the memoir of an Indigenous politician who described, alongside his many accomplishments, his struggles with alcoholism, depression, infidelities, and being sexually assaulted in residential school. It was quite a candid account, and I created headings and subheadings for these difficult topics, where I thought appropriate, in order to reflect the text. The publisher disagreed, and either removed the subheadings or folded these into a single subheading called “personal problems.”

The first reason the publisher gave was space, which, while I did not like it, I could at least accept. The second reason, though, was that the publisher did not want to make the author look bad. I disagreed, thinking that these changes whitewashed the issues and if the author was so candid, why not the index? It seemed that the priorities of the publisher were obscuring entry points into the text, which drove home for me this idea of revelation and concealment in an index. 

In the end, the index was published as the publisher wanted. In hindsight, maybe they were right, though I am thinking more about other victims who might have found the entries to be triggering than I am thinking about the author’s reputation. My point here is not to say that I was right and the publisher wrong, because I think handling sensitive information in an index is complicated and I am willing to accept that I was not entirely right. I am sharing this story instead to show how easily indexing decisions can affect how information is transmitted in an index. Our choices as indexers (and editors of indexes) do have consequences. While we cannot always write the index we want, due to external factors, we can still be mindful about the choices we make, and choose to reveal instead of hide.

Article
April 17, 2019
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by Stephen

Index Entries, Reconsidered

First, a definition. An entry, sometimes also called an entry array, is a single unit comprised of the main heading and everything that goes with it, which can include subheadings, locators, and cross-references. It is complete unto itself.

Yet though complete unto itself, a single entry is not an index. An index, rather, is formed by multiple entries—often hundreds or even thousands of entries—placed together. It is this unity out of many that allows an index to point readers towards so many different pieces of information in the text.

To succeed in its function, an entry needs to be clearly written. The user of the index should understand exactly what they can expect to find if they go to where the entry points. Subheadings and cross-references are tools that can be used to achieve this clarity. 

The entry also needs to contain the sum total of everything the reader needs to know about that specific subject. There is no ideal length for an entry, so long as the entry contains everything it needs. Each entry will be unique. 

Having said that, since an index consists of entries in aggregate, there should be consistency in how entries are written and formatted. Subheadings should be written in a similar style and used for similar reasons, for example. Exceptions can exist, so that each entry can be the best that it can be, but overall there should be a sense of unity to the index, which stems from the entries working together.

It is also important to recognize that not all entries are equal. Metatopic and supermain heading entries, for example, will likely be expansive, reflecting the role of those topics in the text. Regular main headings and other lesser details will likely have simpler entries. If index length is an issue, some entries may have to be prioritized over others, by way of elimination or brevity.

An entry is quite elemental and basic to the index; it hardly seems worth talking about. Yet it is also the building block out of which the index is constructed. It is possible to write a poorly written entry, which obscures and confuses rather than illumines, which in turn will lead to a mediocre index. So I think it is worth asking, what makes a good entry? Get the basics right, and the rest of the index will follow.

Article
April 14, 2019
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by Stephen

Mastery Before Speed

Photo by CHU TAI on Unsplash

I have been reminding myself recently to not get frustrated over my slow progress writing fiction. 

It has been a dream of mine since I was a kid to be a writer. In grade four I managed to turn a two-page story assignment into an epic that was at least ten pages long. I am not sure now if it was ever finished, as I remember hiding on the top floor of our house the morning it was due in a frantic last-minute attempt to finish.

Yet I have to remind myself that I still have a lot to learn about how to tell a good story, and that I do have a day job, after all. I am not going to publish a book overnight. 

And yet, I get frustrated.

If I can lean into the frustration, though, it is a good opportunity to focus on mastery. 

The need for mastery was first drilled into me my first summer tree planting. Tree planters are paid by the tree, and since prices averaged ten or eleven cents, it was in our best interest to plant fast. Yet speed without proper technique (by which my foreman meant planting a tree in a single fluid motion before striding three steps to plant the next tree) and the ability to read the ground (to find the best spot to plant the tree in) isn’t really speed. Sure, you’d be faster than someone who was slow and had poor technique, but the best combination was technique first and then speed. 

I see this too with indexing, both in my own career and in some of the new indexers I talk to. Since freelancing is (usually) for employment and income—and for some people, they do not have a backup source of income—speed is often seen as key to success. But attempting to go fast without mastering the basics is usually going to lead to greater stress and more time wasted trying to fix errors made in haste. I do believe that newer indexers are capable to writing great indexes—it is just going to take a little longer, most likely, and that is okay. Taking the time is part of making a new skill second nature. 

Bringing this back to writing, part of my frustration is that I can see that I have a much higher mastery of indexing relative to writing fiction. This makes sense, because I have spent most of the last nine years focused on indexing. I realize that I need to put the same time and focus into writing as well. And yet I wish I could just transfer mastery from one domain to another and bypass the work. Especially as making time for writing is, well, another issue. 

Still, mastery before speed.

I have to keep reminding myself of this order. I can see how it got me through tree planting and then indexing. Now, I need to put in my time with writing, to accept this time of learning the craft and becoming grounded in the basics. Speed will come soon enough. 

Article
April 10, 2019
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by Stephen

Choosing Appropriate Depth for an Index

Early in my indexing career I indexed a gardening book. In trying to follow the principle of specificity, I decided to create an entry for each tool which was discussed within a brief section on gardening tools. In her review, the client, who was also the managing editor for the book, commented that a single entry for gardening tools would have been sufficient. I can’t remember now, but she might have changed the index to reflect her point of view.

Regardless of who was right (I am willing to believe she was), this feedback alerted me to the issue of depth in an index. By depth I mean that there can be different layers in an index, which often reflects the types of information in the book, and which exists in a continuum from general or broad information to more and more detailed. The question is, which layers should be included in the index and which can be left out. 

Conceptualizing Depth

Let’s look at a couple of examples of how depth can manifest. 

The first, as mentioned, is to consider the different types of information in the text. For example, a book on transportation might have the following layers:

  • transportation (metatopic)
  • motor regulations (main topic)
  • taxies (subtopic)
  • Yellow Cab Company (example)
  • Jean the Taxi Driver (example/passing mention)

Each of these provides a different point of view and point of entry to the subject. An index should probably have entries for most, if not all, of these levels. 

Depth can also be shown through the use of subheadings and cross-references. In the following example, the subheading and cross-reference reveal a set of relationships, at least one of which is clearly hierarchical. 

  • motor regulations: taxies. See also Yellow Cab Company

Finding the Sweet Spot

The opposite of depth is a flat index, which I think is rarely helpful for the reader. By flat, I mean an index with no or very few subheadings, which means relationships are not indicated. Most terms also seem to come from the same level, likely on the upper, conceptual end, and subtopics and examples may not be present. While such an index gives a broad sense of the book, it does not facilitate more precise searching and much of the text remains opaque or hidden.

Yet, it may not be appropriate to include every level in the index. For the gardening index I wrote, the client clearly thought that having individual entries for each tool was a step too deep. It was enough to have a single, more general entry for tools. Going deep in this instance likely bloated the index. 

We can also question if the uppermost level—the metatopic—should be included in the index, or at least whether the metatopic entry should be prominent. The metatopic entry can often serve as a signpost to direct readers through the index, and while this can be helpful in many books it is not true for all. To use gardening again as an example, many gardening books clearly state the metatopic on the front cover and the reader likely has a clear idea of what they want to find. Signposting from the metatopic, while possible, is probably not necessary, and so that top level can be eliminated or reduced. 

In a way, depth in an index is about finding the sweet spot between too general and too detailed. It is about finding the right amount of detail with which to communicate to the reader. 

Tips for Choosing Appropriate Depth

So, how do we decide which layers to include?

One way is to consider the audience. I think most scholarly indexes should be deep, reflecting the level of thought that scholars put into their work. Readers of trade books, on the other hand, may not want to spend as much time searching in the index. For them, more general entries may be sufficient, leaving the reader to discover the finer details on their own.

We can also consider how the item is discussed in the text, as well as how the audience might perceive the information. If we can understand how that piece relates to its context, it can be easier to see its relative importance.

A last consideration is space. If there is a page or line limit for the index, then a decision will have to made about which entries to keep and which to cut. In this situation, I usually skew towards a shallower index, cutting out more specific detail so that at least the reader can get a broad overview of the book from the index.

In the end, decisions about depth will probably involve all three of these aspects. Trade-offs may have to be made, and clients or other indexers may have different opinion about what is appropriate. But I think these decisions will be easier if we can see and understand depth in an index, including how we can manipulate depth and how depth affects the index and the readers’ experience.

Article
March 28, 2019
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by Stephen

Five Steps to Writing an Excellent Index

Photo by Jo Szczepanska on Unsplash

Happy National Indexing Day! 

This is a celebration started in the UK by the Society of Indexers and is starting to spread around the world. From across the pond in Canada, I thought I would join in the fun too. 

The question I get the most from non-indexers is, how is the index written? Though people are often enthusiastic about using indexes, the actual writing process remains mysterious. You don’t have to read the whole book, do you? That sounds like work. 

Well, yes, the whole book needs to be read, and today, in honour of indexes everywhere, I would like to share the five steps to writing an excellent index.

Step 1: Lay the Ground Rules

Indexes are governed by conventions. You might be able to tell that from the alphabetical ordering of entries and by how neatly indexes are arranged in columns. The twist is that there are different conventions to choose from. Since changing conventions mid-process can cause all sorts of pain and anguish—chiefly from the tedium of having to go back and change what was previously done—it is best to decide from the start which conventions you want to use. So,

  • Run-in format or indented format?
  • Letter-by-letter alphabetical sorting or word-by-word sorting?
  • Should page ranges be abbreviated, and if so, how?
  • Should figures, tables, and other illustrations be indicated in some way, and if so, how?
  • How will cross-references be formatted?

These are the main conventions that you should establish from the start. It often does not matter which you choose so long as you are consistent. 

Step 2: Read the Book

This step may seem obvious, but then again, many people seem to assume that indexing can be automated by a computer. Yes, you do need to read the book, every single word, from cover to cover. So far humans are better than computers at pulling out implicit arguments and references, at discerning relevance, and at understanding how the index should be written to meet the needs of different audiences. An index should be more than a list of keywords.

Step 3: Create the Index Entries

The next step, once the text is read, is to create the actual entries that will be in the index. There is no right or wrong way to do this, so long as terms are selected and written down with page numbers (or other locators) to direct readers to the information. 

I usually create entries as I read the text, so I will read a paragraph or a page, write down the entries that I see, and then move on. This approach does take practice, however, and it helps to already have a sense for what the final index should look like. If you are new to indexing, I suggest a second approach, which is what I used in the first few years of my career.

In this second approach, mark up the text as you read but don’t worry about making the entries, yet. You can do this on hard copy or on a PDF. The goal is to highlight, underline, circle, scribble in the margins, and otherwise identify potential entries. Once you have marked up a significant chunk of text, which could be a chapter or the whole book, then go back, review the entries you have identified, and write down the entries in the index that you still agree with. This method works because by marking up the text first, you can more easily see the context that your entries exist in, which can provide clues for what is important and for how to structure the index, such as determining which terms should have subheadings.

Step 4: Edit the Index

Once you have completed the hard work of reading the book and creating the index entries, the index needs to be edited. You may realize in hindsight that some entries are missing or should be fleshed out. Conversely, you may realize that some entries are not relevant after all and should be removed. Some entries with long strings of page numbers may need subheadings to provide clarity. Or maybe cross-references need to be added to help guide the reader. At the very least, proofreading for spelling, punctuation, and grammar is always a good idea. An index is most useful if it is easy to read and navigate, and if it points to relevant information. A thorough edit should ensure that this is true.

Step 5: Solicit and Incorporate Feedback

So far writing the index has been a solitary endeavour. But you are, after all, writing the index for your readers, so you want to make sure that your index can be used and understand by others. If you are an author writing the index yourself, send the index to beta readers and get their feedback. If you are an indexer, send the index to the author or to the editor or publisher. Thoughtful feedback will likely improve the index, so don’t be afraid to ask for a second opinion. Based on the feedback you receive, revise the index as needed.

So there you go, the five steps to writing an index. This is what every indexer does, in one form or another, often behind the scenes. It is a process that requires time and, yes, work. 

So happy indexing, everyone! Here’s to excellent indexes in every nonfiction book.

This five step process is adapted from my free mini course, Indexing Decoded. If you would like to learn more about how to index, you can learn more and register by clicking on this link.

Article
March 24, 2019
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by Stephen

Why Hire an Indexer?

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash

A couple of months ago I wrote a free email course on indexing. It provides an overview for how to write an index, from start to finish, as well as pointers for what makes an excellent index. 

When I first announced this project, I got a few puzzled reactions. One friend commented, “That is either a great idea or you are completely undercutting yourself.” I understand what he is getting at. My work as a professional indexer depends on authors and publishers hiring me. Why give people the tools they need to avoid hiring me or another professional indexer?

This also raises the question of why pay? While I recognize that there will be a subset of authors and publishers who will not want to hire an indexer no matter what (these are some of the people I hope to reach with my course), I also believe that there are at least three good reasons for hiring a professional. These are not specific to indexing, as I also consider these factors if I need to hire an accountant, mechanic, or plumber, for example. But I think these are still worth being reminded of all the same. 

Expertise

The reason I most hear from other indexers and indexing societies is that the professional has the expertise. Most indexers have received specialized training, usually through a course, and have years of experience. This is certainly an important reason. I have been indexing books since 2011, for example, and have written over two hundred indexes. I believe that someone indexing for the first time can certainly learn, but they will not have this body of experience. Unless one plans on indexing several books, it might just be easier to hire someone than to struggle through the learning curve.

Interest

Another reason for hiring a professional, which I also think is important, is that of interest. There are many tasks that I could do, but I am just not that interested in them. Doing my own car repairs would fall in this category. Lack of interest can make a task seem tedious, and will probably make procrastination much more likely. If indexing feels like a chore, maybe delegate it instead and spend your time more productively on something else. 

Time

This leads us to what I think is the most compelling reason for hiring a professional, which is to buy time. I spend about twenty hours, on average, writing an index (length and complexity of the book are the main variables). If you hire me, you are not just buying my time, but you are also buying yourself time to do something else. Ideally, you will spend that time doing what you are an expert in, which will maximize the value that you present to the world. 

What Does Hiring an Indexer Enable?

Ultimately, the question is, what does hiring an indexer, or any other professional, enable? Yes, hiring an indexer can be expensive. You may have fears that the job will be poorly done. You may feel like you don’t have time to find an indexer. But if you did hire an indexer, what could you be doing instead? Answer this question, decide which of the two—writing the index yourself or doing that other thing—adds more value to your work, and you might have your answer for whether or not to hire a professional.

Article
February 24, 2019
2 comments
by Stephen

Book Review: Ten Characteristics of Quality Indexes

Ten Characteristics of Quality Indexes: Confessions of an Award-Winning Indexer, by Margie Towery (Medford, NJ: Information Today Inc., 2016)

I must confess that while I bought my copy of Margie Towery’s book shortly after it was published, and while I have dipped into it occasionally, I had not actually read it all the way through until now. That was an oversight on my part, and now that I have read the book, I will be returning to it much more frequently.

I was first introduced to Margie Towery at the first indexing conference I attended, in Toronto in 2014. Towery gave an excellent presentation, in which she covered a lot of the same topics that are in this book. That presentation had an immediate impact on how I indexed, and it was actually just after that conference that I wrote the index for Strange Visitors, which later won the Purple Pen Award for new indexers. 

In this book, Towery goes much deeper into the how and why of indexing. Throughout the book, she proves that indexes and indexing are endlessly fascinating. Her enthusiasm is infectious, and her dedication to understanding the text and creating the best index possible is inspiring. I think she has the most thorough pre-index preparation routine that I have heard of, and I readily believe that it shows through in the indexes that she writes.

One of the running themes throughout this book is that of usability and accessibility. How to make the index easy to use for the reader? That, really, underlies the whole purpose of the index, which is to serve the reader as a finding aid. I wonder sometimes how often we simply follow a convention because it is in whatever guideline we are following, and we don’t think about whether it is the right convention for this particular audience. What makes Towery’s book particularly valuable is that she does discuss the why, and how it ties back to the reader. 

I was also glad to see a discussion of the em-dash-modified format. I think I first learned this format from Thérèse Shere on an email list, but it was good to be reminded of how it works and to see so many good examples of its use. The chapter on reflexivity was also thought provoking, especially the discussion on elegant additions that Towery sometimes adds to an index. This gave me a new way to approach the text as I consider what is indexable. I also appreciated her terminology for the different types of entries, particularly supermain headings and regular main headings. Having a framework for sorting through the masses of information in a book, and how that information relates to each other, is very helpful when putting the index together. Towery’s framework definitely helped mine.

Towery was also generous and extensive in her use of examples from her own indexes, which I think really adds to the value of this book, especially in the chapter on metatopics and index structure. I know I often learn best from being able to see and do, rather than just reading and hearing, so I am glad that Towery was willing to be so transparent about her own practices. 

Margie Towery is, unfortunately for authors and publishers, retired from indexing. But her book will be a lasting legacy and will be of benefit to indexers for a long time to come. It may not be the best starting point for those who are just starting to learn about indexing, as the discussions are more advanced. But for anyone wanting to improve their indexing skills, I highly recommend it. Do buy a copy if you haven’t already.

Article
February 8, 2019
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by Stephen

Indexing as Deep Work

Photo by Nathan Ziemanski on Unsplash

Deep work, as defined by Cal Newport in his book of the same title, is “professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skill, and are hard to replicate.”

As I was reading Newport’s book on this topic, it struck me that indexing is ideally suited for deep work. Especially as I work as a full-time indexer, with often a handful of deadlines in a month, I need to spend several hours every day, sitting at my computer, indexing. I need to be able to see, understand, and hold in my mind both the overarching argument or structure of the book (as well as the overarching structure of the index) as well as the smaller details that flesh out that argument and structure. I am creating a document from scratch that to some extent is unique to me, in that other indexers would write their own variations. And the index will, I hope, add value to the book and for readers. It is not something that is easy to replicate. 

Newport identifies shallow work as being the opposite of deep work. This is work that is low value, non-cognitively demanding, and easily done by someone else. The trick, to reach professional goals or to simply stay on top of deadlines, is to focus on performing deep work—what does drive value—and to minimize or eliminate shallow work. 

I think this distinction between deep and shallow work also applies to indexing, and is highlighted by the contract nature of freelancing. Being a freelancer gives me a lot of freedom in how I use my time—which can be used poorly to read the news or watch Youtube videos. It also means that I need to be aware of and responsive to my email inbox, both for new project offers and to be responsive to existing clients. I would say this is all shallow work, because while I do need to communicate with clients and have a method for accepting new projects, I don’t get paid for checking email. While I do need some breaks throughout the day when I index, news and Youtube can serve as distractions and prove to be less effective as breaks if they are taking me away from indexing. While shallow work is not necessary bad, if we do not prioritize deep work and find ways to keep shallow work at bay during those times, then deep work is unlikely to happen.

So how to prioritize deep work?

Newport’s book has challenged me to rethink how I work. In particular, what are my distractions and how do I handle them? Distractions, even ones that seem fairly innocuous, pull you out of a state of concentration and it can take several minutes to return to the task at hand. This happening once isn’t too bad, but if it is repeated throughout the day those minutes can add up. In my experience, distractions also build upon each other. If I follow that sudden urge to check a fact on Wikipedia, I am likely to have subsequent sudden urges that will be harder to resist. I find distractions can also cause a lot of stress and anxiety, because while a part of me is enjoying the distraction, another part is aware that I am falling behind on the task I should be focused on, which creates a vicious cycle. The more anxious I become the more I seek distractions to sooth the anxiety.

As I have come to realize, the costs to the quality of the indexes I write, how quickly I can index, and the stress I inflict on myself through distractions are too high. At least, I do not want to pay them anymore. I know I can’t eliminate every single distraction, but I can do a lot to eliminate most of them, at least the ones that are self-inflicted. 

So far, I’ve come up with a few strategies to better facilitate deep work. Here are three of them:

  • I use the Freedom app to block myself from most news sites and blogs that I typically frequent. The only day I allow myself to browse these sites are Sundays. I have a different block for social media. This does not work perfectly as there are, of course, other news sites and blogs that I have not yet discovered (and which I subsequently have to block), but overall I do feel much more focused and less anxious. And to be honest, I find I don’t really miss the news. I still get a general sense of what is happening in the world from talking to other people and hearing snippets on the radio, and I have enough interesting things to focus on among my own work.
  • I have stopped checking email in the mornings, and I try to only check email twice in the afternoon. I have been surprised at the results. I have come to value my distraction-free mornings, which is when I can create my best and most important work. So far clients have not noticed or commented on slower replies.
  • I take a long break in the middle of the day. I go to the local YMCA, and depending on the day I either join a circuit training class or I swim. I also eat lunch. All of this takes about an hour and a half. What makes this work is that if I get out of bed on time, I have three hours of deep work in the morning, and then another three and a half hours of deep work in the afternoon. The exercise gives me a chance to rest my brain and recharge for the afternoon session.

These new habits do, I realize, introduce some inconveniences for myself and others. I am not likely to reply immediately to an email. There have been times my wife has forwarded me an interesting news article which I cannot read because of the internet blocks I have in place. Last Sunday, I was surprised to learn that the Super Bowl was happening, and realized I had completely missed the buildup. 

I think the trade-offs are worth it, though. If my clients are hiring me to index, and if indexing requires long periods of concentration, and if I want to produce quality indexes while also preserving time for rest in the evenings and on weekends, then I need to structure my workday and put safeguards in place to make sure that indexing happens in the scheduled hours. I wish I could say that I did not need these safeguards, but I have come to realize that I do. 

The questions are fairly simple: What are my priorities? How do I create lasting value for myself and for others? What do I need to do to make sure these happen?

Article
October 28, 2018
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by Stephen

Freelance Anniversary Reflections

Photo by picjumbo.com from Pexels

This is my sixth anniversary as a freelance indexer! It was the end of October, 2012, that I left my job at Harbour Publishing and moved back to Vancouver with the intention to work for myself. That first year I received only a few projects, which I have to admit I used as an opportunity to travel. Since I have started, though, I have worked on (or will, once I finish what is currently on my desktop) 224 projects. Work certainly picked up, especially starting my third year. I don’t have an exact count of books indexed, but including books from when I worked in-house, I think I am somewhere in the range of 210-230 indexes written. Someday it would be really neat to be in a room with all of the books I have worked on. For the most part I work on the computer with digital files, so to see the actual physical product all around me would be amazing.  

I’ve been doing some reflection on my business. When I started, part of the motivation was to see if I could start a viable business. I think I can now say, with the support of all of the publishers, editors, and authors who have entrusted their books to me, that I have. I am thankful for the relationships that I have built with clients and colleagues. It is a great little community that I had no idea existed when I started. 

Recently, I’ve been asking myself, “What’s next?” I don’t see this as a negative question, and for the time being I plan to continue in this work. I think every business changes over time, either in response to the market or due to changes in the people working in the business. I know I have definitely changed in the last few years. Some of my reasons for freelancing have either been fulfilled or are no longer applicable, which I think is worth reflecting on. I have also been feeling like the pace I have been working at over the last few months is unsustainable. Being a one-person business, I am not doing myself, or my clients, a favour if I burn out. 

I have decided to take January and maybe February (I’ll see how I feel when I get there) off as a sabbatical. I am a bit nervous as I have never done this before. This is not intended to be a holiday, and for the most part I will stay in Edmonton. I am still working on the details, but I hope to use the time for a mixture of rest; reflection and strategizing for the next few years, both in business and in life (which are very much intertwined, especially as a freelancer); and to get caught up on some projects and tasks I’ve been neglecting. I hope to emerge with a renewed sense of purpose and a more sustainable approach to work and life. I see the sabbatical as an opportunity to grow.

I am sure that I will have more to write later on the sabbatical, as I continue to prepare and then once I’ve completed it. For now, I am looking forward to it. It does feel like the right time. When indexing, it is easy to get caught up in the small details of each project and to not see the big picture of my business and life. I look forward to taking a step back and getting a sense for what the next six years might look like.