I am an experienced, award-winning indexer, specializing in Asian studies (especially Taiwan, China, and Japan) and religious studies (especially Eastern Orthodoxy, Evangelicalism, and Protestantism). I am also interested in Slavic studies, popular culture, and history and biography/memoir of all sorts. I also have experience with and enjoy the challenge of indexing large, complicated projects.

I work with both authors and publishers, and index both scholarly and trade books. I love to problem-solve and find ways to write comprehensive, detailed, and cohesive indexes that clearly reflect the text and are easy to navigate.

I first encountered indexing in 2011 while working in-house for UBC Press and Harbour Publishing. I was captivated by the intellectual puzzle that each index presents.

In 2014, I won the Purple Pen Award, from the Institute of Certified Indexers, for my index for Strange Visitors: Documents in the History of Indigenous and Settler Relations in Canada from 1876, edited by Keith D. Smith (University of Toronto Press, 2014). In 2021, I won the Ewart-Daveluy Award, from the Indexing Society of Canada/Société canadienne d’indexation, for my index for The Shield of Psalmic Prayer: Translating, Interpreting, and Praying the Psalter, by Donald Sheehan (Ancient Faith Publishing, 2020).

I have also written and published Book Indexing: A Step-by-Step Guide (2023), a practical and accessible introduction to the art and craft of indexing. You can learn more information about the book here. I also write about indexing and freelancing for my blog and newsletter.

I grew up in Taiwan and speak conversational Mandarin Chinese. I also studied political science and creative writing at the University of British Columbia, and lived and worked for several years in and around Vancouver, BC. I currently make my home in Edmonton, Alberta.

Please visit my website to learn more about me and my work. You can also contact me directly through the contact form on the right.

I look forward to working with you. 

 

“I am absolutely delighted with the indexing work Stephen did for my book. He produced an exceptionally comprehensive and thoughtful index which will greatly enhance the usefulness of the book for researchers. I can strongly recommend Stephen as a truly outstanding indexer.”

— Simon Avenell, Australian National University, author of Transnational Japan in the Global Environmental Movement (University of Hawai’i Press)

 

“If I were coming to the book for the first time and needed to unpack it in short order, using your index would be the way to do it. Nicely done.”

— Brian Clarke, Emmanuel College, co-author of Leaving Christianity: Changing Allegiances in Canada since 1945 (McGill-Queen’s University Press)

 

“I went through [the index] yesterday and think you did a terrific job. The authors agreed. The conceptual entries are just right.”

—Lesley Erickson, former production editor at UBC Press

• Listing ID: 1679
• Arts and Humanities: History, Literature, Religion and spirituality
• Economy, politics and law: Business, Government and politics, Military and defense
• International studies: Africa, Asia, Canadian studies, Europe, Developing countries, Australia and Oceania, Latin America and the Caribbean, United States, International relations
• Lifestyle and Leisure: Sports, fitness, and recreation, Travel and tourism, Personal development
• Society: Anthropology, Indigenous peoples, Culture, Urban studies
• Materials - Books: Scholarly books, Trade monographs, Biographies and memoirs, Art and photography, Children and young adult, Guidebooks, Textbooks, Manuals and how-to books, Encyclopedias, dictionaries, and glossaries
• Materials - Other: Academic papers and essays, Government materials
• Other Skills: Writing