Get Serious!

By now, you've read about indexing. You've created some practice indexes. You've gotten your feet wet with details about starting a business by creating a business plan.

Do you still like this career? It's important to follow these steps to find out. It was reported that one-third of new indexers that join the American Society of Indexers do not return the following year. They drop out. Why? They didn't do enough research at the beginning to realize this wasn't the career choice for them.

If, by following the advice in the previous columns, you are certain that indexing is for you, what's the next step?

GET SERIOUS!

Now is when you get serious about indexing. What does that mean?

• Join the American Society of Indexers (ASI). You will receive discounts on indexing publications and their bimonthly journal KeyWords. You will find their URL listed in the links at this site.

• Register for the USDA indexing courses. Their URL is listed in the links at this site.

• Participate in your local ASI chapter or group. Find the one closest to you at ASI's web site.

• Learn the technical aspects of indexing by reading Indexing Books, Indexing from A to Z, chapter 17 of the Chicago Manual of Style, and more. Order them from Amazon.com or through ASI's publisher.

• Join the Index-L and Indexstudents mailing lists. Read the archives to both lists. Many questions you seek are already answered quite thoroughly.

• Start exploring indexing software by downloading the demos. Information about the varous vendors is available at ASI's web site. You can work with demo versions for the time being. Try entering practice indexes in each of the demos and find which one works with your personal computing style. Be sure to read the online article reviews, to see which one others use! It isn't time to buy the software - just try it out. Learn the package of your choice. Most demos are complete packages except for the number of records you can enter and spellchecking features.

• Read original content articles about freelance indexing posted at the various web sites of the ASI chapters and groups. See ASI's web site to see the URLs of the online chapters and groups. There are dozens of articles which will hone your indexing skills.

• Develop your business ethics. Are there certains types of materials that you do not want to index for personal reasons? How will you handle it?

• Finally, start observing marketing materials. Which ones appeal to you? Why? Which ones do you think are ineffective? You will be starting to market your index services soon. You will need marketing materials. Start collecting and making observations.
  The copyright of the article Get Serious! in Indexing is owned by Dawney Spencer. Permission to republish Get Serious! in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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