With twenty authors from all over the Commonwealth participating in the Celebrate With A Book Author Book Fair on December 15, 2012 at Regency Square Mall in Richmond, Virginia, there are a lot of great books and authors coming your way.
For anyone who entertains the idea of learning to become a successful freelance indexer, April Michelle Davis’s new book, A Guide for the Freelance Indexer, is a must-have for one’s reference shelf.
Davis’s approach to presenting the information is logical and easy to follow, beginning with the obvious question, “what is an index?” and taking her reader from that point through to the conclusion where she discusses the necessary steps one must take to become a professional; and yet she details the nuances of indexing for the newbie to understand.
She shines light on some of the testier issues such as dealing with names, numerals, and footnotes/endnotes as well as going into the step-by-step process of setting up an index entry.
Each chapter flows easily from one subject to the next, and each chapter is also a stand-alone for the indexer who just needs a refresher on a topic such as main headings, cross-references, or invoicing. She spends just the right amount of time discussing indexing software to give the reader a basic understanding of each and a basis for comparison before buying.
This book is a wonderful addition to any freelancer’s library and is one that will not sit idly by gathering dust, but will quickly become dog-eared from extensive use.
April Michelle Davis is Chair-Elect, Mid-South Atlantic Chapter, American Society for Indexing and the Virginia Chapter Coordinator, Editorial Freelancers Association.