Obstacles to Finding Work--Part 2
So what might be other reasons you aren't getting called by editors? Last month, we looked at several reasons, and this month we'll consider more.
1. Selecting the wrong publishers. There are three ways you may be selecting the wrong publishers while trying to get your first job. This is more esoteric, as there isn't a set of rules about determining which publishers are right for you. But, we'll try to look at a few issues in how to select publishers.
First, many new indexers seem to focus on selecting small publishers whose books do not contain indexes, in hopes they can convince the publisher to use indexes and use them. Certainly, this can work, but when you are starting out, there are faster ways to your first indexing job.
In "general" marketing, one rule is that the potential buyer, or client, should be feeling a need for what you do. Then, you are merely providing what they already want. By focusing on publishers that do not use indexes, you have to work twice as hard to convince them to feel a need they may not be feeling (the need for indexes in their books).
If you are looking for your first job, and no one is calling, check to see that you haven't focused on publishers of this nature. Make sure they already appreciate the value of indexes. Once you have gotten some calls, and jobs, you can always come back to non-index publishers if you have time.
I really think this focus on publishers who don't have indexes in their books is promoted by the USDA course. One of the exercises involves trying to convince a publisher to use indexes (hence you), and I think it encourages many new indexers to take this approach as a way to break into the market.
But, I have found marketing my services is much easier and more productive if I market to publishers who value indexes.
The second way you might be marketing to the wrong publishers is by choosing companies that are too small, or too large. This is a delicate balancing act.
When a company does 10,000 book titles a year, be assured this includes all their imprints. It would probably be better to market directly to the imprint, instead of the parent company in this case. Imprints and parent companies can be found in the Literary MarketPlace.
Small companies often do their own indexes or don't include them. I found the cutoff to be around 20 books, or less. This does not mean smaller presses don't use freelance indexers--only that if you are looking for your first job, a larger press may give you a better chance simply due to logistics of publishing more books.
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