5 advantages of being a freelance indexer

This year I am celebrating 26 years in business as a freelance indexer. Over the years I have had my fair share of ups and downs, and I have survived the Global Recession and COVID-19 pandemic. Here I will concentrate on the perks of being a freelance indexer. Have you ever wondered what are the advantages of being a freelance indexer or a freelancer in the publishing industry?

Read on to find out my top five advantages of being a freelance indexer.

1. Get paid to read. It's not a gimmick or a scam, you really do get paid to read a book. Although you do have to compile an index for it. How many jobs gives you the opportunity to sit and read books all day long?

   

   
   

2. Flexible time schedule. You are not stuck working the usual nine to five, Monday to Friday routine. You can work when you feel like it and when it suits you. You are the boss of your hours. You can juggle your work to suit when you will be the most productive (early morning or late at night) or to suit if you have family commitments and need to take time off during the week and work weekends instead.

3. Work from home. You can work from home, in your kitchen, spare room, garden office. You don't have to commute long hours to get to your workplace. You save money on transport costs, save time on commuting and you don't spend time stuck in traffic jams or waiting for public transport. Working from home gives you a better quality of life and you have a potential extra ten hours a week to yourself.

4. Low overheads. You don't need too much equipment to start up and run an indexing business. You just need a WiFi connection, a PC/laptop and possibly a printer. There is no very expensive equipment needed and any expenses can be written off in your tax returns.

5. Learn something new everyday. Every day is different with new projects and challenges. Technology is always changing and nothing stays the same. There are always new topics to learn about and trends in cutting edge of research to keep up with when you are indexing books. You learn something new every day and I marvel sometimes that the more I know, the more I realise that I know nothing at all!

   

   So, there they are - my top five advantages of being a freelance indexer!

 For anyone writing a book which needs a proofread or an index, hire a professional from AFEPI (Association of Freelance Editors, Proofreaders & Indexers of Ireland) , the Society of Indexers, or CIEP (Charter Institute of Editing and Proofreading) to lighten your load!