For today’s blog post, we asked our panel of indexers about projects outside their comfort zone – whether in terms of the type of book, type of indexing or subject area – and how they approached this.
Kate McIntosh, Advanced Professional Member
I have and I like to do it every so often, just because I have had some really interesting projects by swerving off the usual path.
I usually try and communicate more with the client very early on so that I have more information about their field and expectations, and I do make sure that I leave a bit more time to do the work.
Valeria Padalino, Advanced Professional Member
The first time I worked on an embedded index definitely pushed me outside my comfort zone. At that point, I had a good theoretical understanding of the process but no practical experience. When the opportunity came along, I decided to accept it because the client’s schedule allowed plenty of advance notice, giving me time to experiment and learn before the real work began.
Needless to say, once the project started, it took me at least twice as long as I had anticipated, and my hourly rate became rather comical. However, I learned an enormous amount along the way: about the software, the workflow, and the small but significant differences in how embedded indexing requires you to think. Although I have not yet had the opportunity to work on another embedded index, I took detailed notes about each decision I made and every difficulty I encountered. Those notes have become my own reference guide and will be invaluable when the next opportunity arises. Despite the steep learning curve, I do not regret taking that project on; it was challenging, but it stretched my skills and gave me confidence to handle new projects in the future.
Joanna Penning, Advanced Professional Member
I have often moved out of my ‘comfort zone’. In fact I took a leap of faith with indexing academic books, not intending initially to explore this.
When a subject is very unfamiliar I often peruse bookshops to find a similarly themed book. Allowing extra time for research can lessen the strain. But when this type of work is completed to the satisfaction of the client it can be doubly satisfying, though on occasion I have thought – I’m never taking that particular twisty path again!
Linda Haylock, Advanced Professional Member
I have taken on projects outside my subject area many times – but they have been ‘easyish’ books to handle, and lack of knowledge about the subject didn’t appear to detract from the resulting indexes as the publishers continue to contact me.
There was one book about geology I had applied to do (I had previously completed an OU module in geology and though I might know enough to handle the text). When I received the text, though, I quickly realised how little I did know, and had to (shamefacedly) return the text, explaining why. The author wasn’t too put out, thankfully.
Sometimes I receive a text that appears to be ‘up my street’ but turns out to be too woolly and abstract to be in my comfort zone. I do my best with them but I much prefer factual texts.
Samantha Clark, Advanced Professional Member
I indexed some first-hand accounts of the experiences of Kurdish people for a website. I just had to produce the index as a Word document, so I had to work out how to work through them in a way which would be useful and accessible in a different format to an index in the back of a book. I felt like I was doing something important in making their accounts accessible to people, but it was very upsetting and emotionally draining (I have been reduced to tears at news items as a result of doing this project). It did make me consider what affect different subjects have on people working on them and I turned down a book about the holocaust which I was offered shortly afterwards as I felt that I needed to protect myself.
During lockdown I started an index to a book on linguistics. I borrowed some books on the same subject but this book was very different to them and I realised quite quickly that I had no idea how to index it. I had to admit to myself and the author that I was not able to work on it. The author was not happy and I learned a very useful lesson not to just accept work because it was offered to me.
Susan Vaughan, Advanced Professional Member
I took on indexing a small newsletter for the Basketmakers’ Association. This came about through a friend who is a basketmaker and who has taught me the ways of willow! (not that I’m much good). I approached this by asking the committee who employed me to provide me with a brief explaining what to include. I ran the first index I completed past them as a draft to make sure I was picking up all the terms they wanted me to.
Christine Boylan, Advanced Professional Member
I usually only take on work in an area that I am comfortable with although I have indexed less academic texts in less familiar areas. One way I approach this is to take a look inside books on the topic on Amazon and if I am lucky I can see the index. This is not always helpful if the index is not well-organised but it gives me some idea of the headings etc.. expected.
This post is part of our Ask the Indexers series. The previous post asked about what has stayed the same and what has changed in indexing since they started
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