Nicola King

That's a fabulous article.

Do you ever mention the index (or lack of) in your published reviews?

For something like the book discussed here, aimed at a big market, it shouldn't be an issue. Smaller popular market books, yes it could be a barrier, but it needn't be expensive and it improves the reader's experience. Yes I have skin in the game and AI isn't the answer.

Yup, even popular non-fiction needs an index. Readers notice and want better.

And I got distracted too.

🎄Beck, Bull, Legge, Stevens, Cowan, Ryner, Mitchell, James & Truscott Puzzle families🧩 🧩Thank you so much to everyone for joining in, I have a few more days of Photo Puzzles to come🧩

lynnswaffles.com/2022/12/27/%...

National Indexing Day 2026 The Society of Indexers is celebrating National Indexing Day for the tenth successive year on Tuesday 31 March 2026. This year we will be celebrating with a hal

Are you a publishing professional who needs to know more about book indexing? Join us for our #IndexDay workshops in London @publishersassoc.bsky.social on 31 March. Learn about indexing and technology, what makes a quality index, and try indexing for yourself. Book at

The supermarket is now open and the mosaic safe under the tarmac.

And even someone whose name I cannot type said if it did happen, it didn't affect the outcome!

#tinyjoys

National Indexing Day 2026 The Society of Indexers is celebrating National Indexing Day for the tenth successive year on Tuesday 31 March 2026. This year we will be celebrating with a hal

The full programme for our #IndexDay workshop for publishing professionals on 31 March @publishersassoc.bsky.social is out. Join experienced professional indexers to discuss a range of indexing topics. See the programme and book your place here - places are limited, so book soon!

POTHOLES: It seems a pity that road surveyors have annexed the word pothole to denote the small dints made in our roads by motor-cars, for the word has long been in use in a far more classic way. All round the base of Ingleborough there are mighty pits, apparently bottomless, that have been worn out of the rock by the action of the water extending over hundreds of years. These, and these alone, are potholes, many of them known by some distinguishing name in addition. The greatest of all is the huge chasm of Gaping Ghyll, situated on the southern slope of Ingleborough. Why not call the holes in our roads "motor holes," for to the motor alone is their evil presence due.

Don’t call them “potholes,” call them “motor holes,” says @cyclinguk.bsky.social editorial in CTC Gazette, Feb 1917.

Top 10 Blog Posts in 2025. #4 - A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: So you want to add an index to your book? News about MSI Press authors; Excerpts from MSI Press authors' books; Carl's Cancer Compendium information; tips for authors

Top 10 blog posts of 2025: #4. A #Publisher's Conversation with #Authors: So, You Want to Add an #Index to Your #Book

msipressblog.blogspot.com/2026/02/top-...

#referencebooks #selfhelpbooks #indexing

He shouldn't have to ask. No brainer. This book needs an index. Less than a week for a professional. Will make it infinitely more useful.

Why a set of gold coins have divided British archaeologists In 2024 a detectorist found some gold coins in Suffolk. The discovery was declared legally treasure. If a museum wanted the coins, the finder would have been rewarded with a sum equivalent to their ma...

Here’s my take on that Suffolk coin hoard, thanks to all the commenters here on BlueSky!
spectator.com/article/why-...

We'd actually just like some half decent public transport.

Just Eat step-friendly robots tested in Milton Keynes and Bristol Restaurants in Milton Keynes and Bristol are piloting the delivery robots.

We are getting stair climbing robots in MK www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... and driverless buses www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... but not yet the flying cars

Starship Technologies - Wikipedia

We certainly do have them in MK - we have Starship ones en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starshi...

Excellent point here - bad indexes disappoint readers and make them a bit cross.

Good thread about how readers use book indexes and why ctrl+f isn't at all the same. Thanks @hbflyte.bsky.social

A chance for @cilip.bsky.social members to have a chat with indexers at @indexers.bsky.social coffee morning this week. I get to talk about poo!

Opportunity for publishing professionals to learn more about indexing - #IndexDay

Looks fab, but no index :-( Take it from me, indexing excavation reports, even those underwater and with lots of finds, does not take long or cost an unreasonable amount. Ctrl+f is not the same, neither is a long table of contents.

If you'd like some training then @indexers.bsky.social has a professional course - start here and follow the links www.indexers.org.uk/about-indexi...

Have a look at @asindexing.bsky.social index evaluation checklist to see if yours makes the grade asindexing.org/about-indexi... .

Yes! I do! It can be a quick way to assess if the book will touch on a specific topic you need. Vital for those with restricted research reading time!
However, many indexes are not as good as they should be

Indexing a book is also an art, involving deep understanding of the contents of the book and the likely interest of likely readers, yet unfortunately most indexes nowadays... for the last many decades, actually... are machine-generated crap.

Indexing is an underrated skill. It's what's in the book, keywords, but also what people will use to look up something, which may not be identical. And taking you to info, not merely a passing reference.

Some publishers really should know better than to outsource like this.

My great aunt blued a lot.