Reviews
What our clients say about our academic editing and indexing services"Working with Ideas on Fire was an oasis, an opportunity to receive affirming, consistent, and constructive academic editing feedback on my writing. I have more confidence with my capacity as a writer and thinker from their edits."
"I recommend Ideas on Fire to all of my colleagues who do critical cultural work. Working with IoF gives me comfort knowing my work won’t be misunderstood because of a lack of understanding of my intersectional fields."
"I am so very grateful to Ideas on Fire for their expertise, professionalism, and prompt assistance. They get right to the heart of a chapter’s workings. I feel I have a smart, subtle reader in my corner; it’s like a superpower."
"When I came to IoF, I was feeling stuck and not sure what I needed to do to my book manuscript and proposal to make them suitable to send to presses. IoF made excellent suggestions to help me strengthen and clarify my argument and also gave me confidence with positive feedback on the things I did well. My book was accepted by Duke University Press thanks to Ideas on Fire’s editing."
"Through working with Ideas on Fire, my manuscript has a consistent feel across chapters; it is cleaner and ready to be sent to the publisher. IoF fixed grammar and narrative flow issues; edited my citations/bibliography; renumbered the figures; pointed out gaps in argumentation; and allowed me to see my own writing in a new light. IoF was precisely what I needed."
"I began working with Ideas on Fire after receiving reviewer and editor comments on my first book. Cathy and her team helped me to more clearly articulate the argument of the book through its narrative arc while identifying how best to incorporate the reviewers' suggestions. From developmental and copyediting to indexing, IoF editors were sensitive to critical perspectives and to the use of multiple languages throughout the writing. While working with IoF, I felt much less alone and more confident as a first-time book author on the tenure track. I am looking forward to working with Cathy and the IoF team on all future book projects.”
"I felt confident working with Ideas on Fire because of recommendations from friends and colleagues. I appreciated the quick turn-around and prompt communication throughout the process. The index was completely in a timely manner, and it looks great."
"It was such a good experience to have someone edit my work with the amount of detail and care Ideas on Fire provided. I’d recommend IoF to all fellow junior scholars."
"My chapter and book proposal have now been transformed, thanks to the very helpful editing by the IoF team. I have a clear idea of what to keep, what to cut, and how to move things around to maximize impact and reduce repetition. I recommend Ideas on Fire to anyone looking to write a book but specifically those at the early stages."
"Ideas on Fire has been a vital partner in launching and sustaining Feminist Anthropology. The thoughtfulness and deep intent that go into the copyediting process are reflected in the content expertise of the team and the clear communication with our editorial team and authors. Transparency has been a steady component of this relationship: journal style is revisited and articulated as necessary, and timelines are always honored. Working with IoF gives us confidence in the quality of our journal."
"Catalyst’s editorial board members were very excited to work with Ideas on Fire, which was recommended by a board member. Working with the group on copyediting our journal was straightforward and hassle-free. We are extremely happy with the results of our joint effort."
"Cathy Hannabach at Ideas on Fire is an outrageously talented researcher, editor, and indexer. She takes meticulous care with every detail; no aspect of a project escapes her laser-like focus, yet her sights are always trained on the big picture. It is truly a gift to be able to lean into Cathy’s wide-ranging expertise, and my work has benefited enormously from her help at all stages. She is thorough, quick, and always knows how to make things on the page better."
"This was my first book and everything was new and confusing! I realized that I really benefit from having outside eyes on my work; the work itself gets better and I feel more confident with it. I recommended Ideas on Fire to all colleagues seeking developmental editing and indexing services."
"Ideas on Fire’s excellent skills and impeccable professionalism made the experience a complete delight. They delivered a thorough and pithy index on time and within the space constraints of our book design. I’d recommend IoF to anyone!"
"Ideas on Fire’s indexing exceeded my expectations. I was thoroughly impressed with their understanding of the concepts that I was working with, and they even realized some more concepts that I didn’t know that I was working with. Ideas on Fire is meticulous in their work because of their genuine passion for the material at hand."
"After working with the IoF editors, I have a clearer sense organizationally of how to restructure sections and methodologically revise particular chapters. I recommend Ideas on Fire to all other academics looking to publish manuscripts, whether first-time or experienced authors."
"My mentors were very encouraging about working with IoF, and based on their work I have received a book contract from University of Michigan Press. I recommend IoF to those looking to transform their dissertation into a book project through developmental editing, peers who need assistance with copyediting, and colleagues looking for help in sharpening the cohesiveness of an article."
"Writing, for me, is a practice of the head, heart, and spirit, and I felt supported by Ideas on Fire in each aspect throughout my time working with them. They are thorough, kind, and true experts in the art of editing. I recommend any writer looking for an editing professional to journey with you as you complete a project to choose Ideas on Fire. It was the best decision I made for my creative life."
"Their valuable suggestions that Ideas on Fire gave me informed my arguments and gave me more nuanced and critical ways of thinking about my writing. IoF is very professional, bringing fresh and critical ideas to the project, but also knows a lot about publishing—so they are able to hold the shaky hands of someone like me through the whole process."
"Our project was a bit out of control when my co-author Lisa Cartwright and I started working with Ideas on Fire. We were worried about it being too long, too repetitive, and too wordy. Now our book is trimmer, more concise, and clearer."
"Ideas on Fire’s comments have been incredibly generative, and their development editing has enabled me to start rethinking the framing of the project as a whole. It’s led to great insights that I wouldn’t have had without some fresh eyes to fill in the gaps between fits and starts of writing the project."
"Handing the index over to Ideas on Fire allowed me to concentrate fully on my final proofs. It was such a relief. This made the last stage of production, which can be nerve-wracking, so much more pleasurable!"
"Like many academics, I struggled with conceptualizing my second book project. Working with Ideas on Fire, I gained a pragmatic game plan for completing my proposal and project, and academic writing feels fun again."
"Worlds apart from a standard book index, IoF’s index was creative, conceptually-oriented, and drew the reader’s attentions to key ideas that animated my manuscript, including those I couldn’t see myself. I especially appreciate their commitment to deadlines, professionalism, transparent pricing, and communication throughout the process."
"Working with Ideas on Fire was an incredible experience. I have new expectations for copyeditors and indexers now, thanks to their work. I recommend IoF to all the academics and writers I know."
"This was my first book, so the very idea of an index was overwhelming. But IoF made the entire experience feel seamless. I have an index that feels true to my book. I’m not sure that anyone except an incisive interdisciplinary scholar could produce that."
"After receiving IoF’s substantive and thoughtful feedback, I understand my own argument better and am able to communicate it to others. I recommend IoF to all first-time authors, those with imposter syndrome, and anyone who feels stuck."
"Ideas on Fire was a dream to work with. They are smart, organized, responsible, and extremely detail-oriented. I was extremely pleased with the final result and I have recommended them to all my friends."
"I was very glad to work with Ideas on Fire. I recommend them to anyone, from recent PhD grads and early academics to veteran scholars. The opportunity to have a fresh set of eyes on a project—particularly if those eyes are well-versed in academic culture and theory—is a gift."
"Ideas on Fire cleaned up the formatting, specified specific areas for improvement, and indexed the book—making my life a whole lot easier. Their services have improved my productivity immensely. I recommend Ideas on Fire to any colleague on tenure-track looking for more productivity and manuscript editing."
"I felt like I was just spinning my wheels on an article when I sought Ideas on Fire’s help. Afterwards, have a brand new perspective on the piece and very clear suggestions for discrete steps I can take. I recommend IoF to all, particularly junior colleagues."
"After receiving IoF’s edits, I have been able to revise the manuscript based on the targeted feedback and detailed editorial report, all of which fully addressed my issues. My new version is much more cohesive and clear thanks to this process. I recommend the team to any colleagues preparing a book or other important manuscript."
"Working with Ideas on Fire was a dream. From providing detailed and accurate information about services to timely and thorough attention to detail and final delivery of the product, I was so delighted to know that the work was in capable hands."
"I specifically sought out IoF because of their interdisciplinary expertise and they came highly recommended. I recommend Ideas on Fire to all colleagues and friends who are working on book projects, especially if they are interdisciplinary."
"I really like Ideas on Fire’s editing services, as well as being able to get help with my writing developmentally in the early stages. I recommend Ideas on Fire to other colleagues looking to get help with their writing."
"IoF works well with interdisciplinary scholarship that pushes the boundary on conventional thinking. The work of indexing is a reflective experience and the developmental editing service was also excellent. IoF helps scholars that are trying to strike that balance between the objective demands of disciplinary thinking and the subjective demands of editorial review."
"I have always been amazed at the broad range of interdisciplinary scholarship that Ideas on Fire has worked on. Working with the team was one of the most beneficial decisions I made to ensure that my book and its index would be useful and accessible to readers in diverse fields."
"IoF was very responsive and clear, and both their indexing and proofreading were done so well! The index captures concepts and nuance as well as attention to detail in naming conventions in Khmer. I’m very grateful."
"Ideas on Fire has always provided timely copyediting for our journal’s manuscripts, saving us precious time for editorial work. I highly recommend their services!"
"I’d heard great things so I was already excited to work with Ideas on Fire. But the index their team produced exceeded my expectations. It was smart, thorough, and made connections that I had not articulated myself but understood intuitively. The index was so good that I plan on working with them in the future on writing drafts and development. I recommend IoF to colleagues of all sorts—graduate students, professors, and writers in general."
"IoF’s developmental editing for our co-written article was very helpful. Now, I’m more willing to ask for help and developmental editing has made such a difference. I recommend IoF to all my colleagues, but particularly other assistant professors."
"I recommend Ideas on Fire to literally anyone writing a book. They were quick, efficient, easy to work with, and, most importantly, really understood my project and its audience."
"I was looking for assistance on how to turn a dissertation into a book proposal. As a result of working with IoF, I now have a better understanding of what is needed for a book proposal, with specific action items. I recommend IoF to other first-time authors in the arts and humanities, especially if working interdisciplinarily."
"I’ve received excellent feedback that I can use to continue to improve my work. Ideas on Fire gets to see a lot of academic writing in the ‘before stages,’ which gives them a wealth of information regarding academics’ writing foibles. They leverage that to help academics not only strengthen their writing but also to approach the writing process with greater confidence and equanimity."
"I recommend Ideas on Fire to everyone working on critical studies of culture or on social justice. Having someone who was not only excellent at editing tasks but knew the intellectual traditions of my work resulted in a really wonderful experience and a top-notch index."
"IoF is especially skilled at working with interdisciplinary scholars. They were able to engage my book with an attentiveness to and care for the methods, sources, and theories I use. They were incredibly communicative with me about what I could expect and set a clear timeline that kept everything on track."
"I had never had to index a book before, and I didn’t know what the process was or what it really involved, so I was a bit unsure how it would go. I was very relieved when my colleague recommended Ideas on Fire and said they were great. It was so great to have an expert to do this."
"Ideas on Fire has a superb team of editors who handle interdisciplinary scholarship with rigor and care. It was a pleasure working with them on a special issue on visual evidence for First Monday. The scope of the issue was ambitious. Ideas on Fire helped me bring this ambitious vision to fruition."
"I had the greatest of confidence that IoF would do a brilliant job on my index—and they exceeded my expectations! Their magnificent index was delivered on time and in perfect condition: thorough, rich, and incredibly helpful to readers."
"Working with IoF helped to revise my work substantively. The IoF team’s deep developmental work in the first phase and then careful copyediting in the next helped immensely to sharpen and clarify my writing. I recommend them to any academic looking to bring clarity and shine to their written work."
"Working with IoF was a smooth and easy process. I appreciate the guidelines offered, and I felt confident that the work would be done effectively and in a timely manner, which it was."
"After getting developmental editing by Ideas on Fire, I feel much more confident about my project. The questions, suggestions, and probes are so helpful that I feel a sense of buoyancy about my project. I have more direction and clarity."
"Working with Ideas on Fire was terrific. They were incisive and clear, and they could identify strengths and weaknesses in my manuscript. The book got much better because of their editing and very helpful comments."
"Ideas on Fire’s editing was even better than I expected, which is why I’ve used their services repeatedly. I particularly like how timely they are, how clear and detailed they are with feedback, and the various types of editing they provide."
"I am very grateful for Ideas on Fire’s quick and efficient work on my index. They zeroed in on the essential concepts of the book and produced an index that is thorough, comprehensive, and detailed. It was a huge relief to turn over this part of the interminable book completion process to such capable hands, and not have to worry about it at all."
"Ideas on Fire’s advice to maintain rather than resolve the tensions embodied by the fraught position of my research subjects helped to draw out my book’s critical framework and gave me important direction for revising and reorganizing chapters. They are wonderful readers who offer exactly the right amount of critical feedback and positive nudging forward."
"Before we started, I was anxious, overwhelmed, and nervous. IoF’s attention to detail calmed my fears and reassured me of the merit of my work. I recommend Ideas on Fire to all scholars, academics, and socially conscious writers."
"Ideas on Fire was highly recommended, and their index made me understand my book in a new way. I love the range of services, advice, and dialogues they offer and I recommend IoF to all other scholars and non-academic writers as well, especially those working on their first book."
"I was concerned about being able to hire an experienced and skilled indexer who could create an index within my publisher’s production schedule. IoF created a thoughtful and insightful index. I recommend their services to faculty and students in humanities, social sciences, and interdisciplinary studies."
"I have never seen such an impressive index before. Moving forward, I am going to now have much higher standards for an index. I recommend Ideas on Fire’s services to all my colleagues and fellow academics."
"It was reassuring to have someone else, who was not familiar with my project, read my book proposal and offer feedback. I am now able to more concretely envision what the book should look like. I recommend IoF to all researchers, academics, and recent graduates needing guidance on turning dissertation projects into books."
"Ideas on Fire made me a fabulous index! It is thorough, and it shows the thoughtfulness and nuance of a team that really understands the nature and goals of the content. It is an index with personality. I would recommend IoF’s indexing services in a heartbeat."
"Ideas on Fire constructed the indexes for three of my recent books, and I’d be delighted to hire them again. They’re prompt, efficient, effective, and very good at what they do. They did an excellent job working under a tight deadline. Their work is thorough and precise, and collaborating with them is a pleasure."
"I’m so grateful that I chose Ideas on Fire; they are organized, have a keen eye for detail, and are well acquainted with the particularities of publishing an academic book. They created a comprehensive, consistent, and clearly organized index well ahead of schedule—and even caught errors the press overlooked!"
"I was looking for a good indexer and I knew that Cathy is super intelligent, pays attention to detail, and is familiar with my research areas. Ideas on Fire even gave me some additional proofreading revisions to improve the manuscript. Ideas on Fire is thorough, efficient, and professional, and did an excellent job with my index."
"As a first-time academic author, it can be overwhelming to figure out who to hire for help with your book, whether for copyediting, indexing, or anything else. I feel confident that hiring a team of experts—and feminist experts, at that—was the right choice, and I recommend IoF to any friends and colleagues."
"The index created by the Ideas on Fire team is a work of art. I was particularly impressed by some of the broader, big-picture entries they crafted. From the smallest details to the largest conceptual frameworks, this index will make my book easier for anyone to use. I’d recommend these indexing services to anyone but especially to interdisciplinary scholars."
"Ideas on Fire carefully matches your project with indexers fully capable of grasping the nuances of your research to produce a precise and illuminating index that offers readers a useful tool for navigating your book. I have worked with them twice and found them to be eagle-eyed, insightful, punctual, and professional. They make clear that indexing is an art."
"I highly recommend Ideas on Fire to all interdisciplinary scholars. I trusted they would do a great job on my book's index and proofreading given their understanding of critical conversations happening across multiple fields—and they did. They were also incredibly clear, generous, and organized."
"Ideas on Fire was instrumental in turning two multi-authored articles into pieces polished enough for journal submission. They were very flexible to work with, generous with their support, and prompt in turning around both a developmental and copyedit of the articles. Thanks to their thorough and insightful notes our submissions had a cohesive voice and argument—no mean feat with 5 contributing authors!”
"Ideas on Fire has been wonderful to work with. I especially appreciate how knowledgeable and sensitive the team is to interdisciplinary, theoretical, and socially/politically engaged scholarship."
"Ideas on Fire came highly recommended and I needed a quick turn-around on my book’s index. For this book I needed conceptual smartness and I got it with IoF."
"Ideas on Fire was an exceptional partner on a very large edited collection. Their work was thorough, and they were supportive at every step. I highly recommend them!"
"A thoughtful and sensitive approach to indexing, Ideas on Fire are deeply knowledgeable about a range of subjects. They expertly handle interdisciplinary and even experimental work. I will work with them on my future projects."
"I have worked with Ideas on Fire three times and each time they have helped enormously with my organization and revisions. They deliver incisive and constructive reviews and they are always on time."
"Working with Ideas on Fire was critical to completing a draft of my first book. For years on the tenure track, I felt like I was writing in circles. The Ideas on Fire team met with me and provided clear, written feedback in the developmental editing stage. Based on their support, I have completed a draft of my book and grown as a writer. I recommend them highly to colleagues."
"Working with the awesome team at Ideas of Fire was a great experience! This was my first solo book, and I received amazing support, tips, and guidance. My index was delivered on time, and the editors brought important details to my attention that I had not noticed! I will be contacting Ideas on Fire for my next project!"
"When I came to Ideas on Fire for editing help, I was feeling insecure about my writing as I am not a native English speaker. Working with the Ideas on Fire team, I felt understood and appreciated. Getting professional help makes my research have a bigger impact."
"I was originally nervous to have my work read, but from Ideas on Fire I got clear, implementable help with structuring the chapters. I recommend them to all academic colleagues and graduate students."
"I was overwhelmed about how to face my dissertation to book manuscript. So I appreciated how revision recommendations were concisely presented in such a clear report. It's super helpful as I think about how to prioritize the revision process."
"I was very anxious about writing my first article. I now have a much stronger sense of structure, which has given me the confidence to form a clearer argument. I have consistently struggled with structure in my writing and IoF helped clarify this for me. I am very grateful for IoF's editing!"
"Working with Ideas on Fire on the index for a co-edited academic book was a genuine pleasure. They understood the nuances of academic indexing and created a comprehensive, precisely organized index that will enhance the book's usability for students and teachers. What impressed me most was their commitment to getting every entry right—no detail was too small for their consideration. I would work with them again without hesitation and recommend them wholeheartedly to authors and publishers across the world!"
"Ideas on Fire helped to provide reliable and insightful feedback on my project that undoubtedly strengthened my work. The developmental editing and indexing work on my first book project was invaluable. I recommend Ideas on Fire to any and all academics who need timely, reliable, and responsive support on their manuscripts and projects."
"Working with IoF has cut the time I will have to spend preparing my book for production in half. I recommend Ideas on Fire to everyone, especially junior colleagues with manuscripts to prepare for submission before tenure."
"I started working with Ideas on Fire when my manuscript was still just a jumble of ideas. With careful notes and suggestions, and clear indications of where to aim next, I was able to slowly organize my thoughts into a manuscript I am very proud of."
"You can trust the professionals at Ideas on Fire to be kind, attentive, responsive, and detail-oriented with your project. I would definitely work with them again."
"Ideas on Fire helped me finish my manuscript in the final stages. Their comments were detailed and incisive, and working with them helped turn an overwhelming task into something doable."
"I've worked with Ideas on Fire on two book projects and both times have been deeply impressed by the professionalism and quality of their work. Crafting the index for a book is a work of art, and Ideas on Fire have mastered it."
"Working with Ideas on Fire was an absolute pleasure from our very first exchange through to the final submission of the index for The Trembling City. They were thoughtful, responsive, and exceptionally professional throughout the entire process. What impressed me most was the evident care with which they read the manuscript: the index demonstrated a thorough understanding of the book's arguments, concepts, and nuances, as well as great sensitivity in engaging with complex and challenging subject matter. Their work was meticulous throughout, and I recommend them without hesitation."
"For indexers who get your wildest anti-disciplinary ideas *and* the tedious stuff you don’t want to deal with, Ideas on Fire is the place to go. Bread and roses; formatting and dialectics too."
"I have worked with Ideas on Fire on two different publications, both for indexing. The team did such a phenomenal job on my first book, I was adamant that my co-authors and I hire them again for our second book. They truly understand how to build an index that is reader-friendly and interdisciplinary. They take their time focusing on finding keywords and making the index representative of the vastness of the work. I would also add that Cathy is a pleasure to communicate with. Incredibly professional, timely, and transparent."
"The folks at Ideas on Fire prepared an outstanding index for my interdisciplinary book, on time and with no mistakes. They had clearly read the book carefully and created an easy-to-use index that made the main themes and concepts visible, as well as all the actors. They were great at working with a text that included multiple foreign languages, too. I have already recommended them to colleagues and would use them again."
"I was impressed by their professionalism, timelines, and attention to detail! Would absolutely use again."
"Ideas on Fire's indexing service allowed me to understand my book from a different vantage point; the team picked up on themes and named them in ways that highlighted my interdisciplinary contributions. I could not have done the work they did, even without the time pressures of submitting book proofs. They also integrated feedback promptly and thoughtfully."
"The process was quick, easy, and thorough. I had my specific manuscript questions answered as well as new ones raised that have improved my work."
"Ideas on Fire has been pivotal to my scholarly production. I have used Ideas on Fire for various projects (from journal articles to my book manuscript) and in various capacities (from developmental editing, copyediting, and indexing). Every time, they have delivered engaged and detailed feedback that has strengthened my writing. Ideas on Fire is part of my writerly ecosystem."