Nicola King
@nicolaking.bsky.social
Fellow of the Society of Indexers, ex-archaeologist, also family historian, mum, bell ringer, knitter and learning the cornet. Easily found elsewhere. https://abookindexer.com/
Reposted by Nicola King
CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN LAUNCH: ‘Rhynie, A Powerful Place of Pictland’
Please pre-order or donate before 6 December to enable us to print this book by Professor Gordon Noble FSAScot, which will have a major impact on the study of Pictish kingship and society: www.kickstarter.com/projects/soc...
Please pre-order or donate before 6 December to enable us to print this book by Professor Gordon Noble FSAScot, which will have a major impact on the study of Pictish kingship and society: www.kickstarter.com/projects/soc...
November 6, 2025 at 9:20 AM
CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN LAUNCH: ‘Rhynie, A Powerful Place of Pictland’
Please pre-order or donate before 6 December to enable us to print this book by Professor Gordon Noble FSAScot, which will have a major impact on the study of Pictish kingship and society: www.kickstarter.com/projects/soc...
Please pre-order or donate before 6 December to enable us to print this book by Professor Gordon Noble FSAScot, which will have a major impact on the study of Pictish kingship and society: www.kickstarter.com/projects/soc...
Reposted by Nicola King
You might have been asked to provide an embedded index for your book, or find an indexer who can create one. What is this thing called embedded indexing? Indexer @tanyaizzard.bsky.social explains how it works in our latest blog post:
What is embedded indexing?
While most indexes are still compiled from page proofs, some indexes are embedded, where the index entries are added as tags or codes to a manuscript file. In t
buff.ly
November 4, 2025 at 9:15 AM
You might have been asked to provide an embedded index for your book, or find an indexer who can create one. What is this thing called embedded indexing? Indexer @tanyaizzard.bsky.social explains how it works in our latest blog post:
Reposted by Nicola King
How does a book indexing project work? What should I expect as a client? How do I find the right indexer for my project? Our blog series on index commissioning takes you through the process in helpful detail buff.ly/xI8HS6z
October 30, 2025 at 1:31 PM
How does a book indexing project work? What should I expect as a client? How do I find the right indexer for my project? Our blog series on index commissioning takes you through the process in helpful detail buff.ly/xI8HS6z
@djbduncan.bsky.social @baindex.org any bets about what book that might have been?
Sounds perfect. I once had a great holiday where my holiday reading was a (really good) book about the history of book indexes.
October 28, 2025 at 9:42 AM
@djbduncan.bsky.social @baindex.org any bets about what book that might have been?
Reposted by Nicola King
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
✍️📖💡
#AmEditing #AmIndexing
October 19, 2025 at 11:04 PM
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
✍️📖💡
#AmEditing #AmIndexing
#ShowMeYourKnits Three Halloween beanies, one leftover Jamieson&Smith, blue/red for me, the other seasonal green and orange from King Cole, and made for band buddies Heidi and Hannah.
October 19, 2025 at 12:03 PM
#ShowMeYourKnits Three Halloween beanies, one leftover Jamieson&Smith, blue/red for me, the other seasonal green and orange from King Cole, and made for band buddies Heidi and Hannah.
Thanks for promoting this Michelle, the more people that know that AI isn't going to do their book index the better. The speakers in the webinar are top-notch.
"I'll just have AI index my book." Please don't.
Whether you'll be working with a professional indexer or hoping to index your own book, this looks like a great free webinar on the 101s of Indexing!
tinyurl.com/ync23enc
Whether you'll be working with a professional indexer or hoping to index your own book, this looks like a great free webinar on the 101s of Indexing!
tinyurl.com/ync23enc
Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Indexing 101 (see also Alphabetic Aces). After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
Nobody can deny that indexes bring essential value to nonfiction works; an index is a book’s detailed "roadmap", allowing the reader to locate specific information and transforming the book from a lin...
tinyurl.com
October 18, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Thanks for promoting this Michelle, the more people that know that AI isn't going to do their book index the better. The speakers in the webinar are top-notch.
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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/788iKOi
October 15, 2025 at 8:30 AM
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/788iKOi
Reposted by Nicola King
C17 commonplace book index belonging to Whitelock Bulstrode (MS 3244, container 1.1) @ransomcenter.bsky.social. Can’t help but think immediately of @djbduncan.bsky.social and his splendid work on the history of the book index
October 14, 2025 at 6:45 PM
C17 commonplace book index belonging to Whitelock Bulstrode (MS 3244, container 1.1) @ransomcenter.bsky.social. Can’t help but think immediately of @djbduncan.bsky.social and his splendid work on the history of the book index
Reposted by Nicola King
Thinking that surely book indexing is something AI could do? Think again. @asindexing.bsky.social has released its statement on indexing using LLM-based AI tools - these tools simply don't do a good job of indexing. For a quality index, use a human indexer. buff.ly/X7Vuesc
October 7, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Thinking that surely book indexing is something AI could do? Think again. @asindexing.bsky.social has released its statement on indexing using LLM-based AI tools - these tools simply don't do a good job of indexing. For a quality index, use a human indexer. buff.ly/X7Vuesc
Please recommend some history podcasts that aren't about the Tudors or kings and queens.
October 6, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Please recommend some history podcasts that aren't about the Tudors or kings and queens.
Reposted by Nicola King
Statement on AI and Book #Indexing from ASI: "AI is not currently capable of producing even adequate indexes. High-quality indexes that meet reader needs and expectations still require the fine-grained human judgment of a professional indexer." asindexing.org/ai-news/stat... #IndexSky #bookindexes
Statement on AI and Book Indexing | American Society for Indexing
asindexing.org
October 3, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Statement on AI and Book #Indexing from ASI: "AI is not currently capable of producing even adequate indexes. High-quality indexes that meet reader needs and expectations still require the fine-grained human judgment of a professional indexer." asindexing.org/ai-news/stat... #IndexSky #bookindexes
Reposted by Nicola King
I'm reviewing the index for "True Color" now, and I just want to heap laurels on the indexer who read this <checks jacket copy> "kaleidoscopic journey" and noted every. single. color. name. mentioned. In a book about defining color names. The index is 6600 words long. A marvel.
a man in a captain america costume stands in front of a rock
Alt: Captain America in...I don't know. The OG Captain America film? Winter Soldier? Not sure! Haven't seen the movies, yes I am a terrible person, I've been busy!
Anyway: Chris Evans' Captain America, in the ruins of war, turning and saluting the viewer, weary yet heartfelt.
media.tenor.com
September 30, 2025 at 12:48 AM
I'm reviewing the index for "True Color" now, and I just want to heap laurels on the indexer who read this <checks jacket copy> "kaleidoscopic journey" and noted every. single. color. name. mentioned. In a book about defining color names. The index is 6600 words long. A marvel.
Reposted by Nicola King
It makes me wonder what we did to be in the index, let alone the text of your book. But consider that a selling point: this Australian will just have to buy the book & find out by reading it.
September 30, 2025 at 1:56 AM
It makes me wonder what we did to be in the index, let alone the text of your book. But consider that a selling point: this Australian will just have to buy the book & find out by reading it.
Does anyone know anything about old Brighton motor bike registrations?
It still might or might not be TEL on the bike. The TEL bike expert says that the number on the motorbike is a Brighton registration, and and he has no records of a Brighton registered Brough, so that is a blank; in any case TEL's bikes would have been Nottingham registered.
September 22, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Does anyone know anything about old Brighton motor bike registrations?
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Another day, conference, and 9.15am presentation. 😬 Now at Kents Hill Park in Milton Keynes for @the-ciep.bsky.social’s #CIEP2025. I’m running a breakout session on ‘Another trick up your sleeve: adding book indexing to your editorial skills portfolio’, with a live indexing exercise for all.
September 22, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Another day, conference, and 9.15am presentation. 😬 Now at Kents Hill Park in Milton Keynes for @the-ciep.bsky.social’s #CIEP2025. I’m running a breakout session on ‘Another trick up your sleeve: adding book indexing to your editorial skills portfolio’, with a live indexing exercise for all.
Reposted by Nicola King
The principles of indexing Parliamentary proceedings are very similar to those for book indexing - you need to be thoughtful, neutral, precise, accurate and consistent #SIConf25
September 19, 2025 at 1:41 PM
The principles of indexing Parliamentary proceedings are very similar to those for book indexing - you need to be thoughtful, neutral, precise, accurate and consistent #SIConf25
Reposted by Nicola King
The index for the Complete Peanuts volumes is a source of joy. These entries are from the 1987–1988 volume.
September 18, 2025 at 10:53 AM
The index for the Complete Peanuts volumes is a source of joy. These entries are from the 1987–1988 volume.
We also like to put reviews that mention the index, good or bad, in The Indexer www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/journal/index
September 18, 2025 at 8:36 AM
We also like to put reviews that mention the index, good or bad, in The Indexer www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/journal/index
Reposted by Nicola King
If you are reviewing a book and you have thoughts on the index (good or bad or lack thereof) please include them in your review. Indexing is invisible so reminders of their existence helps to keep them from the chopping block of budget cuts. #BookSky #NonFiction #AcademicSky
Some food for thought: if you're reviewing a book & it has good, useful maps, say so in the review! And name the mapmaker if you can.
Often, folks writing books don't know where to go for good maps. Making mention of them in your review helps everyone.
#skystorians #midievalsky #historians
Often, folks writing books don't know where to go for good maps. Making mention of them in your review helps everyone.
#skystorians #midievalsky #historians
September 17, 2025 at 7:13 PM
If you are reviewing a book and you have thoughts on the index (good or bad or lack thereof) please include them in your review. Indexing is invisible so reminders of their existence helps to keep them from the chopping block of budget cuts. #BookSky #NonFiction #AcademicSky
Reposted by Nicola King
'Forgotten' royal castle uncovered on Scottish isle www.bbc.com/news/article...
'Forgotten' royal castle uncovered at Finlaggan on Islay
Archaeologists say the fortress was owned by ancestors of Scotland's medieval Lord of the Isles.
www.bbc.com
September 17, 2025 at 6:19 AM
'Forgotten' royal castle uncovered on Scottish isle www.bbc.com/news/article...
Well, there's always something new to learn when you're a book indexer. Today I learned about Lady Grange. OMG. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_...
Rachel Chiesley, Lady Grange - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
September 13, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Well, there's always something new to learn when you're a book indexer. Today I learned about Lady Grange. OMG. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_...
#TinyJoys - Indexing papers in a journal that cite people I follow here. Looking at you @katrinanavickas.bsky.social about political use of tokens. Unfortunately I don't get to index cited authors for this journal.
September 10, 2025 at 8:16 AM
#TinyJoys - Indexing papers in a journal that cite people I follow here. Looking at you @katrinanavickas.bsky.social about political use of tokens. Unfortunately I don't get to index cited authors for this journal.