AVAILABLE SERVICES

WHAT IS TECH EDITING?

Technical editing, or tech editing, is the process of reviewing a document (in this case, a knitting or crochet pattern) to ensure it is clear, concise, consistent, and correct. Once your pattern has gone through this process, you can be confident that your testers (and eventually your customers) will receive a high quality and professional product. This includes editing for spelling and grammar, consistent formatting, clarity of instructions, and correct stitch counts.

WHAT IS THE PROCESS TO HAVE A PATTERN EDITED?

Every tech editor works differently. My process is as follows:

• After we make an agreement to work together, you will send me all of your pattern files. I can work with PDFs, Word documents, or Google Docs.

• I will go through your entire document. I will make two types of markups: the first is correcting errors, and the second is making suggestions that I feel might improve your pattern's readability or flow. 

• I will send the documents back to you with my markup, as well as letting you know how much time I have worked thus far, so that you have an idea of current costs.

• You will review my edits, and make a decision on what changes you want to make - it is your pattern, and you have the final say in how you want it to look!

• Often times there will be some back and forth emails regarding changes that need to be made - I am committed to working with you until you are happy with the final product. 

• Once the pattern is finalized, I will send you an invoice that reflects my total time spent working on your pattern.

• I will also provide support during the testing process if needed, to help you with any issues your testers may have - if these questions take less than 15 minutes to answer, I will not charge you for that time.

HOW MUCH DOES TECH EDITING COST?

I charge an hourly rate of $30 CAD per hour, with a minimum charge of one hour per project. It is very difficult to estimate the amount of time required to edit a pattern, as it is dependent on so many factors (a simple hat versus a complex lace shawl, how many errors there are, etc.). Rather than providing an estimate upfront, I will keep you updated with my current hours with each email I send to you, so that you will have an idea of the total costs. I don't charge for work that takes less than 15 minutes, so if you have quick question that I can answer via email, then it won't be on your invoice. Keep in mind, taking time to polish your pattern before sending it to me will save you money.

WHY SHOULD I HAVE MY PATTERN EDITED?

Everyone needs an editor, even if you edit patterns for others. It is very difficult to catch our own mistakes, and having a second set of eyes is incredibly helpful. Editing doesn't just catch errors in spelling or math - sometimes an explanation or description makes perfect sense to us, but is difficult to understand for someone who conceptualizes differently. Having a different perspective is invaluable for improving the quality of your pattern. If you are charging for a pattern, it makes sense to offer the best possible product. If you develop a reputation as a designer who puts out clear and easy to follow patterns, you will have happy customers who will recommend you to others. Plus, having an error free, high quality pattern will reduce the amount of time you spend on pattern support.

DO I REALLY NEED A TECH EDITOR IF I HAVE TESTERS?

Testing is an invaluable part of the pattern design process, but it does not replace tech editing. Testing is done on a volunteer basis (generally), and it is unfair to expect your testers to work with a pattern that may still have issues. Technical editing will produce a clear, concise, and correct pattern, that your testers will then check for fit, etc. Testing can not replace tech editing, and vice versa!

I AM JUST STARTING OUT, AND I DON'T THINK I CAN AFFORD TECH EDITING

There are many overhead expenses to consider when starting up a business, and tech editing is one of them. If you want to develop a reputation for producing high quality patterns, and to reduce the amount of time you are spending on pattern support, you will need to account for the expense of having your patterns edited. There are a lot of tech editors out there, so you should shop around to find one who fits your budget and who you enjoy working with. Keep in mind, the more work you put into polishing your pattern before sending it out for editing, the less work the tech editor will need to do, which keeps your costs lower.

Have any more questions? Feel free to send me an email or message me through this site!