Jigsaw Indexing
 
In between indexes, I spend a lot of time marketing my book indexing services, learning about the art of indexing, learning about new trends in the publishing field, and looking at statistics.  Over the years, my list of websites grows and I find myself being more and more productive while waiting for the next index.  I also find that the time in between indexes has grown shorter and shorter, and so I have to be more productive with the time that I do have.  Anyway, here's a list of some of the sites that I have found to be most useful for Jigsaw Indexing.  Do you visit any sites that you find you can't live without?

American Society for Indexing
The ASI website is a fantastic resource for people interested in book indexing, for publishers looking to hire an indexer, and of course for professional book indexers.  ASI has numerous resources for learning more about and staying on top of the profession through publications, courses and networking. 

Twitter
I will be honest - it took me awhile to understand Twitter.  But finally it clicked.  Twitter is one of the most useful tools for staying on top of whatever it is that you are interested in.  It is news in real-time.  I use Twitter to stay in contact with publishers, to find new publishers, and to connect with other indexers.  Twitter has opened my eyes to the world of publishing and has introduced me to a myriad of resources useful to the profession.

Freelance Folder
Yes, I discovered Freelance Folder on Twitter, and I really can't say enough good things about this site.  The articles are always useful, cutting edge, and thought provoking.  The site also has a job board and forums.

Freelance Switch
Freelance Switch is similar-ish to Freelance Folder.  For awhile, they had a podcast for freelancers, but that ended recently.  You can still access the nearly 50 podcasts that they ran, and these are fantastic to listen to while working on other things.

Google Analytics
I love statistics, and I love Google Analytics.  If you have a website and you want to see who's visiting, how long they stayed and how they got there in the first place, then check this out.  There is a slight learning curve, but it's worth taking the time to figure it out.

Google AdWords
If you want your ads to appear in a Google search, sign up for Google AdWords.  This is the only site on the list that you'll have to pay for, but you can choose exactly how much you're willing to spend per month so it can be as affordable as you want it to be.

Weebly
I love Weebly.  I really, really do.  And I can't believe that it's free.  I am a walking promoter of the site and honestly love my website, thanks to the simplicity of Weebly.  Their customer service is fantastic, too.  I had one (and only one) issue with setting up my website, and within 24 hours I not only had someone tell me what was wrong, but they also fixed it for me!  Fantastic.

YouTube
YouTube has been such a grea tool for working from home.  Instead of spending hundreds of dollars to get someone to set up a website for me, I went to YouTube and learned how to set up my Weebly site.  I am currently learning how to more effectively use Google AdWords.  When I was new to Twitter, I found a fantastic tutorial to get me started. 

And for fun:

The Oatmeal
The Oatmeal has some seriously funny comics, and some relate to grammar and business.  They can be a bit crass, so please be aware!
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I just discovered this short video clip of Stephen Fry discussing his app, myFry, for his new book, The Fry Chronicles.  Quite interesting!
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When I first became interested in the art of book indexing, I wanted to gather as much information as I could find.  Many of the books written on indexing were outdated, and the library I frequented didn't have much information to give me.

I began scouring the internet for any sources I could find.  I looked up any combination of keywords I could think of:  Book Indexing, Back of the Book Indexing, Freelance Indexing, Book Indexers...the list goes on and on.

By far the most useful source of information I could find was a large set of articles written on Suite 101.  Topics range from the definition of indexing to getting started in indexing to rates.  As someone who was interested in becoming an indexer, these articles were an integral key to my knowledge and understanding of becoming a book indexer and even today I will read through some of these articles or direct new indexers to them.  And while some of these articles are over ten years old, they are still a fantastic starting point for those who are interested.  Here is the complete set of the Suite 101 Indexing Articles.

Once I decided that indexing was a career I wanted to pursue, I signed up for a course.  I was already getting my Master's Degree in Library and Information Science, and they were offering a course on Indexing and Abstracting.  The course was extremely valuable in learning the skills and intricacies of indexing as an art.  Throughout the course, we used Nancy Mulvaney's book, Indexing Books and this is still a source that I use regularly while indexing.  Her book covers a wide variety of topics and is one I recommend to anyone interested in indexing or any current indexer.

Another valuable book has been the Chicago Manual of Style.  I believe you can purcahse the chapter on indexing separately, but I tend to look at other chapters and find that the full version is well worth the extra space it takes up on the bookshelf.

Last but certainly not least, the American Society for Indexing website is an incredible tool for indexers.  The site is very well organized (imagine that!) and has useful information for both members and non-members.  You can learn more about coursework in indexing, find other useful publications, discover other indexers, learn about special interest groups and a whole lot more.

Happy Indexing!
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Recently, I discovered that the author Stephen Fry has a ''visual index'' app for his new book, ''The Fry Chronicles''.  This app, myFry, is available on iTunes and allows a user to browse tags, discover similar tags, and read through the book in a whole new way.

The app is visually stunning, innovative, and is downright fun.  It adds an entirely new spark to book indexing and I hope to see more of this kind of ingenuity in the future with book indexing.

Without further ado, here is the YouTube presentation of the myFry app. Enjoy!



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Oftentimes, I scope out Twitter, Craigslist and the web for people looking for help and guidance when writing an index for their own book. 

I enjoy speaking with the authors.  They understand the importance of having an index and I love consulting with them and guiding them with the basics.  While I truly believe that nearly anyone can write an index, I find that a well-written index requires a trained professional.

Authors are often frustrated with writing their own indexes.  Many times they have spent years working on their book and feel overwhelmed with the task of writing an index on top of all their other efforts.  Other times, they don't even know where to begin.  An author may feel that they are unable to afford a professional index. 

Professional indexers have been trained to objectively analyze a manuscript, choose key terms, ensure that cross-references are made, synonyms are used when applicable, and in short - that the reader of your book can find the subject matter s/he is looking for.

I think a key point that authors (and publishers) must understand is that an index is a very strong selling point for many customers.  Having previously worked in libraries, I would give a strong reconsideration of a book with no index.  When searching for quality non-fiction, I would oftentimes see if I could read the index on Amazon before making a purchase.  I have spoken with many librarians, professors and students, and all agree that a quality index is vital.

So if you are an author who is burned out on your book, or someone who thinks they can't afford a professional indexer, think about the fact that a quality index will help sell your book, get your message out to your customers, and make your book much more profitable in the long run.
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One of the advantages to indexing is that the start up costs are low.  In my opinion, the only necessities to getting started are a reliable computer, professional indexing software and (not entirely necessary) a printer.  Here at Jigsaw Indexing, we own a Canon Pixma ip100.  The travel size was a necessity for us.  It works great, but the ink gets costly.

Despite the low start up costs, there are many options to making the home office a much richer experience for the professional indexer.

For the first few years of my indexing life, I would print out every single page of the book I was working on.  Imagine the amount of paper I was using/wasting!  I dreamed of reusable paper.

And then I heard of a fancy little program for the iPad called iAnnotate.  I watched a few YouTube presentations and was sold.  I was convinved that the program, along with the device, would save not only countless trees, but also time and money in the long run.

While I have only had the iPad a few short months, it has made a world of difference in business.  I am more productive, as I don't have to wait for my pages to be printed, run out to buy more ink, and I am not sitting around with a big clunky printed book in my lap.  Really, it makes a difference.

The iPad is a powerful tool, and iAnnotate makes indexing a breeze.  While a computer is still needed in the process, the iPad cuts down on the time needed to be cooped up in your office.  It gives you a chance to do your work at the park, on the beach, or just about anywhere else you can imagine.  When I have a difficult time falling asleep, I can index for a few minutes while laying in bed.  While a paper copy also allows all of this, it really isn't as effective (or comfortable) sitting down with a manuscript as it is with the iPad.  They may be expensive, but they are well worth the price when used for such a task!
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Fall 2010 09/19/2010
 
We hope everyone had a great summer!  Ours was packed full of work and heat.  It was oh so hot!  We didn't have a/c in our office this summer and temps were soaring on the East Coast.  We certainly will not be making that mistake again next summer!

Will the fall weather upon us, we are busy preparing for a cozy winter ahead.  Our technology needs have been updated and upgraded.  Jenny is now happily indexing with an iPad, which in turn has allowed Jigsaw Indexing to become 100% eco-friendly.  The last book we printed out was in July, and thus far we have saved approximately 25% of a tree!  If only she could have been convinced sooner!  Also, did you know that you can follow us on Twitter?  We can be found @jigsawindexing.

We are so grateful for our customers, and would like to extend a heartfelt thanks by offering a special deal.  Please mention this offer to get the first 25 pages of your book indexed for free! (One discount per customer).  If you are able, an advance notice (even a day or two) would be quite helpful for scheduling purposes. Contact us by October 31st to receive this offer.

Thank you so much for the wonderful summer you have given us, and we look forward to indexing many, many more of your fantastic books!
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