It's always instructive to hear what other people think about your job, and the @ecrpodcasters.bsky.social episode on indexing was interesting to hear and to discuss. My blog post on indexing aimed at academic authors has more guidance and resources: tanyaizzard.co.uk/2025/11/26/i...

What makes a good book indexer? Our blog post explains what you need to work in this fascinating and varied job. Indexers come from all sorts of professional backgrounds and many work part-time alongside other jobs buff.ly/AEtzR1s

Index in the Joy of Cooking

This morning's session was great fun. It's perhaps not surprising that so many indexers like puzzles and games - we're creators of order, we set things right, and we try to enter into the minds of our readers (or setters or opponents). I love a cryptic crossword and I'm also very partial to patience

For indexing, I can't decide between the belittling "Can't a computer/AI do that?" or the baffling "Do you have to read the whole book?", as if having to read a whole book was some sort of dire punishment #IndexSky

Indexing is a niche but immensely satisfying role: read books, get a stimulating intellectual workout, get paid. In our blog post, indexer @tanyaizzard.bsky.social discusses the backgrounds of indexers and the attributes of good ones: buff.ly/Fe6n014 #WorkInPublishingWeek

It's #WorkInPublishingWeek 2025, so it's a good time to reintroduce ourselves. The Society of Indexers is the professional body for indexers in the UK and Ireland.

I saw this adaptation at the weekend - it's on until Saturday 15th November. Well worth seeing; Ellie Ward has made an excellent job of adapting the Diary into a playful and touching piece, and the performances are excellent. thebridgehousetheatre.co.uk/shows/the-di...

I like embedded indexing, I do a lot of it, and it was a pleasure to write this post demystifying the process for the SI blog.

🧵I've posted them before, but here's my thread of horror/kids' TV double-bill cinema posters. Happy Halloween... #halloween #cinema #graphicdesign #poster

For Halloween, here's a creepy E.M. Delafield short story, not available in her collected volumes of stories. A would-be psychic researcher spends a night in a house with a sinister reputation: emdelafield.org/blog-databas...

Recalling what a deeply human process it is to create a truly useful book index — not replicable by any automated or AI system, as it requires a theory of mind, a deep understanding of the audience & their likely needs, preferred search-terms, and points of confusion. ✍️📖💡 #AmEditing #AmIndexing

Cookbook indexing is a special skill. You must be selective - you can't index every mention of salt - but try to anticipate readers' likely search terms, which might be ingredients, methods chapter headings (which is perhaps what happened here) or recipe titles. Lots to chew on for the indexer!

Just booked my tickets for another E.M. Delafield stage production - two in one year, astonishing. A new adaptation of Diary of a Provincial Lady at Bridge House Theatre, Penge, London from 4 to 15 November. thebridgehousetheatre.co.uk/shows/the-di...

Like Alan, I'd totally recommend presenting at @indexers.bsky.social conferences - I've learned so much doing this. Next year's call for sessions will be out before we know it, so it's worth thinking about now...

For today's SI Coffee Morning 16 indexers met to debrief after last month's #SIConf25. This gave us a chance to hear about those sessions we didn't get to; some will be developed further into articles for @indexer.bsky.social, our members' newsletter SIdelights, and future Coffee Morning sessions.

What I did in September: a conference, a trip to Yorkshire, indexing a book about a Tudor scholar's rough book and more: tanyaizzard.co.uk/2025/10/01/s...

We finished up Day 1 of #SIConf25 with two breakout sessions, one for newer indexers, and one for the more experienced. It's always good to discuss with other indexers how we manage our careers, develop and maintain our skills, and solve problems.

Leaving a foggy Sussex on my way to Birmingham for @indexers.bsky.social's #SIConf25. Reading this beautiful novel which is, appropriately, mostly set on trains.

After a bit of a gap due to indexing duties, a new E.M. Delafield blog post about her uncle, Gerard de la Pasture: emdelafield.org/blog-databas...

Attended a book launch like no other at the Ironmongers' Company last night. I indexed the latest history of the Company earlier this year; last night, Penelope Hunting's book was launched by the Grenadier Guards beating the retreat at London's Guildhall, followed by supper at the Ironmongers' Hall.

Indexing biographies can bring up some particular challenges. How do you deal with the subject of the book? Indexer W. Stephen Gilbert discusses biographical indexing approaches in our blog post

Another useful session this morning with my indexing colleagues #IndexSky

Two weeks left to book for @indexers.bsky.social #SIConf25. With: @carosanderson.bsky.social @djbduncan.bsky.social @tanyaizzard.bsky.social on AI @closereadingie.bsky.social peer-review panel @annkingdom.bsky.social and me on humour plus more. Join us! #IndexSky www.indexers.org.uk/conference-2...

This was a great discussion - reassuring to hear that everyone struggles with passing mentions. I wrote about passing mentions in scholarly texts on my blog: tanyaizzard.co.uk/2024/07/18/p...

This was a really interesting session, particularly in terms of indexer neutrality and having to let go of those things in the index that you really love but you know aren't hugely relevant.

I've made a new list on @bookshop.org of books that explore nature / walking / the outdoors by disabled, neurodivergent and chronically ill writers - Nature Beyond Cure - aka our own narratives are messy and complex. Do share! #BookSky #DisabledWriters uk.bookshop.org/lists/nature...?

This article, while not specifically about indexing, reveals a lot of the problems with attempting indexing using AI tools:

I'm looking forward to presenting at this year's conference, moving on from my previous work on indexing and AI to consider how indexers can respond to it.

Very pleased to have written about the many limitations of AI for book indexing in the current open-access Catalogue & Index from @cilipmdg.bsky.social. Also contains a brief explanation of how human indexers work and the tech that we do find helpful. journals.cilip.org.uk/catalogue-an...

Bookings are now open for our 2025 Conference, The Heart and Mind of Indexing. In person, 19-21 September, at Writers’ Suite, Edgbaston Park Hotel and Conference Centre, University of Birmingham, UK. See the full programme and book your place at buff.ly/DMtUEAN

We found that AI tools - both general like #ChatGPT and research-specific like #Elicit - lack the reliability, relevancy and accuracy to summarise research for teachers. This is important because we have been sold the idea that AI will make research more accessible.

A passing mention? In MY book? On our blog, indexer Tanya Izzard discusses passing or minor mentions in indexing, and why indexers sometimes have to leave things out

This was a really enjoyable day. St Bride's is fascinating and I came home clutching my slightly smudged printing efforts with great pride.

Cats "helping" in dioramas at the Latvian Railway Museum. A thread. In the telegraph room, telling the operator she's doing it wrong. /1

Inspired suggestion of business cards in the form of bookmarks from Morgan Blue at #ASI2025. I have nearly run out and will definitely look into this!

At the @asindexing.bsky.social Spring into Action! online conference this teatime. Currently hearing from indexer Shannon Li about strategies for marketing and booking in projects #ASI2025

You can read my article about generative AI and indexing free for another day or so via this link.

I'm on the @indexers.bsky.social blog for #IndexDay, writing about how indexing gets political and what indexers do about it.

Just leaving sunny Brighton to take part in the @indexers.bsky.social workshops in London for #IndexDay. Looking forward to discussing all things indexy with publishers and my fellow indexers.

Take part in our 2025 conference! The call for submissions is out for The Heart and Mind of Indexing, 19-21 Sept in Birmingham UK. Plenary conference papers, interactive breakout sessions, panel discussions and shorter lightning talks are all welcome #IndexSky

I'm in this issue, writing up the 2024 @indexers.bsky.social conference with my colleague Ann Kingdom

Two weeks to Society of Indexers’ National Indexing Day @indexers.bsky.social 27 March. Our workshop for book publishers has @carosanderson.bsky.social, @tanyaizzard.bsky.social, Rachel Gee, @indexellis.bsky.social, then I’ll get everyone indexing. Bookings close 20 March. Do join us for #IndexDay.

Exciting news: E. M. Delafield’s play To See Ourselves is being staged from 1-10 July 2025 at the White Bear Theatre in London. It’s very funny on the page and I’m looking forward to seeing it brought to life. Tickets are already available at www.whitebeartheatre.co.uk/whatson/to-s...

I've just finished the small personal project of listening to all of the episodes of @eggpod.bsky.social, listening to the album under discussion as prep. It's been a real joy to share in others' Beatley enthusiasms. Huge thanks to host @chrisshaweditor.bsky.social and all the participants.

This was great fun to do - I found that Delafield has many existing fans among indexers, and hopefully now some new ones too.

Warming up for my presentation at today's @indexers.bsky.social Coffee Morning on indexing E. M. Delafield's Diary of a Provincial Lady. You can find my index to the book at emdelafield.org/index-to-the...

How do professional book indexers work? What skills and qualities do they bring to an indexing project? And how do they compare with automated options? Explore these questions with indexer @tanyaizzard.bsky.social at our 27 March #IndexDay workshops for publishing professionals

Are you a publishing professional who needs to know more about book indexing? Join us for our #IndexDay workshops in London @PublishersAssoc on 27 March. Learn about indexing and technology, working with indexers, and try indexing for yourself. Some places still available, book at

Meet the speakers for #IndexDay! President @carosanderson.bsky.social opens the event, with @tanyaizzard.bsky.social on the value of human indexing, Rachel Gee on working with indexers, @indexellis.bsky.social on technology, and a practical exercise with @baindex.org. Book now buff.ly/4gZhlV9