Tech Editing Process

What does the tech editing process look like?

  1. You come up with a knitting or crochet design and write up the instructions in pattern format.
  2. You contact me to schedule time on my editing calendar.
  3. When you think it’s ready, you read through your pattern one more time and send me a copy of the pattern. If all you’re waiting for is good photos, a quick snapshot or two should be enough for me to proceed.
  4. I send you an estimate and an editing agreement. You reply with “Agreed” to my email to get the ball rolling. Here is a sample of my editing agreement.
  5. I make corrections/recommendations/comments and send the pattern back to you. I don’t actually knit/crochet the pattern; I magically work through it in my head. Well, in my head and a spreadsheet.
  6. You accept or decline those corrections, make revisions accordingly, and send the pattern back to me. We can go back and forth for as long as necessary to produce a sparkling pattern.
  7. Once we’re both satisfied with the state of the pattern, you send the revised pattern to test knitters/crocheters who make the physical item and provide feedback.
  8. You consider tester feedback and decide whether further changes need to be made to the pattern. Some changes will be minor enough for you to handle on your own. Other changes may require my input, either during or after the pattern test.
  9. You publish the pattern! Yea! You send me a courtesy copy (via Ravelry or email). You tag me on social media so I can celebrate with you.
  10. I send you an invoice, and you pay within 15 days. If you need more time to pay, please let me know.
  11. Repeat Steps 1-10!

Pattern format

Most designers send their patterns as a PDF that I mark up with a digital pen. It comes back to you looking like your high school teacher got a hold of it, but I assure you that it’s completely normal to see lots of red. If you have an aversion to my red pen, I can use a different color, so just ask. Red pens have long been the standard for grading papers because red is an easy color to spot, but I know that the color can be triggering for some people. Alternatively, I can work with a Microsoft Word document using the Track Changes feature, or a Google Doc with comments and corrections.

Generally, I would say that marking up a PDF is faster for me since you will be the one who makes any changes that I suggest. In Word or Google Docs, I can make small changes for you and comment on broader changes to make. I can also make formatting changes if you are not comfortable doing so, but please understand that this may extend the overall editing time beyond my original estimate.

Turnaround time

Whenever someone asks about my turnaround time, I liken myself to a juggler. I always have several balls up in the air, with edits in various stages at any given moment. I wait for the next pattern to fall into my lap and toss it back in the air after my next editing pass. As old edits are completed, there are new ones coming in. I can usually make room for one more.

My estimate will indicate the latest date you should expect to receive my first pass; this is usually a few days but may be longer at particularly busy times. Subsequent edits are usually faster since there is less to review. Time to complete the entire edit will depend upon the overall length and complexity of the pattern, any issues we run into along the way, turnaround time on your end, and if I need to reorient myself if a long time has passed since my last edit. (Pro tip: don’t dawdle. We’ll both thank you for that.)

Time is money

I respect your time and money, so I work with a balance of efficiency and accuracy. I carefully keep track of the time I spend working on the pattern and bill you when we’re all finished. If you need charts or schematics made, I can handle those if you’d like. If you’d like me to write the romance copy (the pattern description to entice buyers), I’m happy to add that for a flat fee. You can find my current rates here.

As a fellow designer, I understand that your budget might be tight, especially if you are new to this game. That’s why I am flexible with invoicing. Unless you tell me to send an invoice sooner, we can wait to settle up after your pattern has been tested and released. My preferred payment method is ACH bank transfer, but I can also accept payments by credit card or PayPal.

Let me know if you have any questions. I promise to make this as painless as possible. I’m excited to work with you!

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