Proofreading and editing
What will the final product look like?
I’ll deliver a Microsoft Word document, using the Track Changes feature to document any changes made, as well as comments in the margin for further suggestions or queries. If you prefer, I can work in Google Docs.
Will you only edit Canadian English?
No! I’ve worked on British, Canadian, and American English projects.
Can you edit my academic writing?
I am happy to proofread and edit any academic work intended for publication. However, I will not work with undergraduate writing that will be submitted for a grade. If you’re a graduate student looking for dissertation editing, I’m happy to work with you, but I will need the permission of your supervisor. Please see Editors Canada's guidelines for more details.
Indexing
How do you create an index?
As your indexer, I will read every word of your manuscript, marking key names and concepts that will help your reader find information in your book. I’ll use professional indexing software to record these entries, producing a polished, clean index. At the end of the project, I’ll carefully edit the index, reading every entry to make sure that each one is useful, relevant, and accurate. I'll make sure that your readers can find their way into the text, even if they don’t have your precise wording in mind.
Can you make an embedded index?
Yes! I have experience creating embedded indexes, and I'm familiar with the professional software that is used to create them. If your publisher is asking for an embedded index, I'd be happy to work with you.
I wrote my book—shouldn’t I write the index, too?
You might think that as the author, you’re the best person to write the index for your own book. There are, however, many reasons to outsource this work to a trained professional. Here are a few main ones:
Can’t I use AI to index my book for me?
This is a common question! The quick answer is no, it’s not possible. The longer answer is no, and indexers have tested this idea extensively. Generative AI does a really bad job of indexing the back of a book—but if you don’t know much about indexing, it may be hard to tell.
Tanya Izzard, an indexer who studies the indexing abilities of generative AI, found: "At the time of writing, generative AI tools are not able to produce a functioning index for a text. However, their ability to accurately summarise a text and extract keywords and checklists of proper names, and the development of semantic search, show how these tools can give the appearance of creating something that might look quite a lot like an index" (Izzard 2024).
This is exactly what you don’t want for your book: something that looks like an index, but won’t help your reader find what they need. You don’t want to leave this important job to an AI that will miss out on major topics, ignore whole chapters of your book, or—worst of all!—hallucinate whole pages of text.
For more about indexing and AI, you can read the statement on the American Society for Indexing website.
What will the final product look like?
I’ll deliver a Microsoft Word document, using the Track Changes feature to document any changes made, as well as comments in the margin for further suggestions or queries. If you prefer, I can work in Google Docs.
Will you only edit Canadian English?
No! I’ve worked on British, Canadian, and American English projects.
Can you edit my academic writing?
I am happy to proofread and edit any academic work intended for publication. However, I will not work with undergraduate writing that will be submitted for a grade. If you’re a graduate student looking for dissertation editing, I’m happy to work with you, but I will need the permission of your supervisor. Please see Editors Canada's guidelines for more details.
Indexing
How do you create an index?
As your indexer, I will read every word of your manuscript, marking key names and concepts that will help your reader find information in your book. I’ll use professional indexing software to record these entries, producing a polished, clean index. At the end of the project, I’ll carefully edit the index, reading every entry to make sure that each one is useful, relevant, and accurate. I'll make sure that your readers can find their way into the text, even if they don’t have your precise wording in mind.
Can you make an embedded index?
Yes! I have experience creating embedded indexes, and I'm familiar with the professional software that is used to create them. If your publisher is asking for an embedded index, I'd be happy to work with you.
I wrote my book—shouldn’t I write the index, too?
You might think that as the author, you’re the best person to write the index for your own book. There are, however, many reasons to outsource this work to a trained professional. Here are a few main ones:
- Distance. You might be too close to your own writing to know how to approach the index. You’ve been working with your manuscript for so long that the ideas in it may seem simple and intuitive to you; you may not be able to step back from the text and think about your topic as if you’re a first-time reader.
- Expertise. Indexers go through rigorous training and practice that teaches us how to approach the text from a reader’s perspective. We know how to offer terms that are used in the text as well as synonyms to help readers who haven’t yet read the book, and how to break up headings into manageable sections for easy access. We are also trained in using professional indexing software, and we have a whole network of other professionals ready to discuss tricky indexing quandaries.
- Time. You’ve done enough! You’re reaching the very end of your publishing journey, and—if you’re like most authors—you’re tired. This is a great time to hand your manuscript over to a professional for the finishing touches.
Can’t I use AI to index my book for me?
This is a common question! The quick answer is no, it’s not possible. The longer answer is no, and indexers have tested this idea extensively. Generative AI does a really bad job of indexing the back of a book—but if you don’t know much about indexing, it may be hard to tell.
Tanya Izzard, an indexer who studies the indexing abilities of generative AI, found: "At the time of writing, generative AI tools are not able to produce a functioning index for a text. However, their ability to accurately summarise a text and extract keywords and checklists of proper names, and the development of semantic search, show how these tools can give the appearance of creating something that might look quite a lot like an index" (Izzard 2024).
This is exactly what you don’t want for your book: something that looks like an index, but won’t help your reader find what they need. You don’t want to leave this important job to an AI that will miss out on major topics, ignore whole chapters of your book, or—worst of all!—hallucinate whole pages of text.
For more about indexing and AI, you can read the statement on the American Society for Indexing website.
