Becoming an indexer?

[mycatunderstandsme]

Does anybody know anything about this kind of work?
I've done a bit of internet research and can train by distance learning but I'm wondering whether I'll actually be able to get any work after I've done it as I don't have any contacts in publishing.
I currently work part-time and can keep this up so I don't need an instant salary but I would like to think that I could recoup the cost of the training. I do have specialised knowledge and would hope to target this area.

I used to be in publishing and did some indexing freelance many years ago.

If I were you, this is what I would do. Look at the copyright pages of books in your specialist area. Contact the publishers and ask to speak to whoever manages the indexing - probably part of the editorial dept and there may be someone who manages freelance editors and indexers. Ask if the freelance indexing regularly, and if so, whether the training you are thinking of getting would be sufficient to be considered for work.

I would contact at least 2-3 publishers in this way and get a feel for how useful the training will be. It may be that a publisher might ask you to do a piece of work, once trained, as a sample piece.

Don't be shy about cold-calling publishers. If you're going to work freelance you will be doing a lot of that!

Thanks for the info. I am a bit shy but I guess I'll have to get over it!