Freelance Indexing
by Glenda Browne
Presented at the August Indexer conference, Hobart, 1999.
Introduction
This paper is a practical approach to starting and developing an indexing career.
There is no direct career path into indexing, and most of us discover it through a
chance stroke of luck. Indexing is very often done freelance, and getting started is hard
as clients are often reluctant to employ someone with no track record of successful work.
Once the work starts coming, you have to develop skills in satisfying clients, which
depends largely on listening to their requirements, and making sure you fulfil them.
Promoting your indexing service then ensures that you have an adequate supply of work,
and, eventually, that you are able to chose the work you prefer at the rates you deserve.
Another benefit of experience is that you have the chance to try a variety of indexing
work, dealing with different subjects, clients, and formats.
Get started
It is crucial that indexers have an aptitude for the work. You will discover this early
on as you attempt your first projects. Personal characteristics include a reasonable
general knowledge, the ability to learn, curiosity, attention to detail, interest in
linguistic issues, and the ability to see things from somebody elses point of view.
Training
The next step is to get training. The best way to do this is probably through a formal
course run by AusSI or one of the other indexing societies, or as part of training in
another field such as Librarianship. Failing this there are distance courses available (eg
from the Society of Indexers, UK). A number of fine indexers learnt from their parents or
spouses. Indexers working in specialised fields (eg law) and formats (eg databases) might
learn on the job.
This training should be supplemented with learning from books, online discussion
groups, and personal discussions.
Build on strengths
Most people will not choose to employ a novice indexer unless they have another selling
point. This is most likely to be your special subject skills, but could also be your
availability, software knowledge or some other skill. Your first marketing effort should
be done in the area you are most competent in. If you do not have any special subject
knowledge consider your knowledge of users, contacts you have, or anything else that will
make you stand out.
I was fortunate that I got my first job as an apprentice; my second came
from personal contacts (from an author who was going to do the index herself, until she
tried it); my third came in response to an ad for an indexer with a scientific background.
From there, it became much easier (although never straightforward).
Indexing contacts
You need contact with other indexers (at least, I do) to have someone to ask questions
of, and to share gripes with. Fellow indexers also refer work when they know you. If you
are very lucky you might find a mentor when you are starting out. AusSI branches and
groups have regular meetings. If you cant make it to these you can have virtual
contact with indexers from around the world through Index-L, the Internet discussion group
and aliaINDEXERS.
Client contacts
The more potential clients you meet, the more work you will get, and the more you will
understand the environment in which you are working. Try attending meetings of the local
Society of Editors, or other groups such as Technical Communicators if they work on
documents of interest to you.
Try some courses run by these groups for the same reasons you meet people for a
whole day, and you get to learn about things that are important to them. I have been to
meetings and a course run by the NSW Society of Editors. I enjoy them, and better still, I
have finally met some of the editors for whom I have worked.
Respond to advertisements, even if they dont specifically request an indexer. For
example, if a publisher advertises for freelance editorial staff, let them know that you
are available for freelance indexing.
Advertise
Advertise your services in documents read by potential clients. This could include
periodicals for authors and editors. We have advertised once in the Thorpe Weekly
Newsletter (the blue newsletter). An $18 advertisement brought one new client, for whom we
have done 3 jobs. The ad has easily paid for itself. More importantly for me, it has
broadened my range of clients to include authors employing me directly.
Join AusSI, become a registered member, and put your name in Indexers Available. Many
of my new contacts now come from my listing in Indexers Available.
Satisfy your clients
Find out what they want
When asked to index a document by a client find out what their requirements are. If you
have further queries during the indexing process phone or email them and ask for
clarification. Do not assume that there is always a correct answer. Sometimes a decision
can be based on a personal preference, and it helps if you know the editors
preferences.
Find out when they need the index. You can also ask for a preferred deadline and an
absolute deadline, so you know if there is any leeway (for example if you get sick during
the project). Find out if they want you to quote, or if they have a set budget they wish
you to fit into.
When you know what they expect, tell it back to them for confirmation. I usually write
a letter or email including details of the style and depth of index required, the money
agreed to be paid, the number of pages to be indexed, and the deadline.
Tell them if you cant provide it
If you cant do a job within the deadline or budget available, say No.
There might be some leeway to give you more time or money. If there isnt, someone
else is better off doing the job. If you dont have the skills to do the job, say
No. Far better to wait until you can do a good job, and then keep the client.
Keep records of time and cost
Keep lists of all the indexes you have created so you can provide details of successful
projects if required. Keep records of the time taken and the money paid so you can compare
new projects to previous ones. This can also give a useful comparison of indexing speed if
you change your approach in some way.
Explore communication options
Email is a handy way of communicating with clients. We keep an email message open while
indexing and type a list of typos and queries as we go. We also send nearly all of our
completed indexes by email. If you will be doing this, send a dummy email first to ensure
that there are no problems with the transfer.
Warning: Often the bigger the company, the greater the problems.
If you buy a fast printer you will also be able to print page proofs instead of having
them couriered to you. I know one indexer who routinely does this. We have been asked once
to quote for printing at our site, but perhaps the cost of inkjet printing startled them,
as they decided to post us the pages instead.
Shopping list: One fast printer.
Australia Post Express Post gives cheap overnight delivery to major postal centres.
Find out if you supplied them with what they want.
Indexing must be almost unique among the professions (or aspiring professions) as it
can be done totally alone. It would be possible to index for a lifetime and never meet a
person you have worked for. (This, of course, is one of the benefits, although it also has
its downside).
Because we have so little contact with our clients, it is crucial that we establish
communication channels to give and get as much feedback as possible. We have started
sending a feedback form (half A4 size) with the completed index or invoice, asking clients
if they were happy with the time, cost, and quality of indexing.
Most of the feedback has been positive; all of it has been useful. The most significant
finding for me is that what I think is important, and what my client thinks is important,
is not necessarily the same thing. Some of the feedback was on areas where there was no
right answer, but different approaches. It is crucial to confirm that our approach to a
text as the indexer (which we might even assume is the only possible approach) is, in
fact, the approach the client wants or expects.
I, and I think most indexers, focus on analysis of the text, choice of appropriate
indexing terms, and editing the index to show these terms in the best way. While I am sure
clients would say these are important, I dont think they assess them much. Editors
focus very much on consistency, and this is also something very easy to check in an index.
So an easy way to provide a better product is to ensure that the index is as consistent as
possible.
Other feedback has discussed the emphasis given to different areas of a book. It is
important to clarify this at the beginning of a job. If a textbook on technology contains
text and activities, it is important to check whether they should be indexed equally, or
if one part is considered more important than the other.
Promote your indexing service
Provide a quality service
The best way to keep getting work is to do good work. Editors might remember your name
for years even if they havent needed an indexer.
Remind people what you do
On the other hand, editors might forget you even if you did a great job for them just
last year. Remind past clients that you are still available. (I must admit that I
dont do this, but I should. I dont like the idea of losing a good client just
because they misplaced my phone number. If I lost them for another reason I would like to
hear it).
Keep current clients up-to-date with your availability.
Tell new people what you do
It is amazing how many people write books, or know people who write books. So let your
friends and acquaintances know what you do. If you are in a literary or academic
environment, this would work even better.
Network with indexers and clients
Network with other indexers as much as you can. Try and pass work on to colleagues if
you cant do it. Take your business card to meetings of editors and other potential
clients, and gently promote your services.
Provide promotional packages
Brochures, samples, resumes, websites
Create a simple brochure or handout with details of yourself and your indexing service.
Photocopy the first page or pages of published indexes so you can provide samples. If
required by clients, tailor a resume for indexing work. (However, most clients are more
interested in specific indexing experience than a general resume).
Consider setting up a website with information about your indexing service. The
advantage of this is that you dont have to print and post details; clients can
choose to look at as much or little information as they require; and you might even get
extra work from people who find your website by chance.
Suggest indexes for unindexed materials
Dont just look for work that exists: create some opportunities yourself. Two
people I know indexed periodicals as exercises when learning indexing, and then went on to
sell them to the magazine publisher.
Identify documents within your field of interest that should have an index. Prepare a
proposal with a brief sample index and a rough quote for the job and send it with a
covering letter to the publisher of the document. Try not to spend too long, as it is very
likely that the project wont go ahead, but make a decent sample and write a
convincing letter.
I have tried this with a university newsletter. I thought it had a chance as they were
funding projects for a 50th anniversary celebration, but there were far too many
applications and my one failed. I am also planning to try it with a journal in my
undergraduate specialty.
Vary your work
Vary subjects, formats, clients
While I think an indexer should certainly start with their strengths, I would get bored
if I only ever indexed in my specialty. The thing I like best about indexing is the
variety. I like to dip into the fields of history, pharmacology, management and gardening.
I now go past the Northern Beaches, the flour mill on the Lane Cove River, and the Opera
House with a special knowledge I gained from indexing books on these places.
My indexing career started entirely with books, usually for commercial publishers. I
now have a much broader client base including authors, universities, government
departments, corporations, and still (fondly), commercial publishers. I have also, after
ten years, had opportunities to index books, databases, periodicals, and websites.
Keep open to new opportunities
I have found that the opportunity for variety in indexing comes with time. There are
not a lot of database or pictorial indexing jobs around (in NSW, in my experience), so you
just have to wait for the opportunities to arise. Similarly with web indexing. Im
sure it will increase, but it needs vigilance to identify and catch the jobs which are
available.
When you sniff a new opportunity check whether you have the basic skills and then grab
the opportunity and give it all youve got. Remember that in a new field such as
website indexing you might not have a lot of experience, but then, neither does anyone
else.
Indexers might also branch out into editing, bibliography, and thesaurus construction,
just as editors and technical writers branch out into indexing.
Create new opportunities
Occasionally indexers create after-the-fact indexes to published works and
try to sell them.
One innovative indexer created an index to an inadequate computer book, unfortunately
just before a new version of the computer was brought out.
People on Index-L thought that there would be potential to sell an index to a work of
cult fiction such as a book by Ayn Rand or Ann Rice, but that there would be problems
caused by different issues having different pagination. As more texts move into electronic
formats this problem may disappear.
In genealogy there are opportunities for innovative indexing projects, although many of
these are done on a voluntary basis.
Develop your career
Increasing experience enables you to command better rates for indexing, to choose
varied and interesting jobs, to create new opportunities where you see a need, and to
expand the definition of indexing beyond traditional boundaries. Good luck!