5 reasons to hire a tech editor
Now that you know what a tech editor is (read the post HERE), you may be thinking, “Do I really need to hire a tech editor?” The short answer – YES! Here are five reason why…
Reason #1 – You are too familiar with your own patterns.
Research shows that our brains actually skim over things so we can read more quickly and still comprehend what we’re reading. To complicate things, the more familiar we are with the material we’re reading, the more skimming occurs. Think about that for a moment. You’ve made the item you designed and worked through every step. Now you’ve carefully written it out in your pattern. You’ve proofread the pattern multiple times. Guess what…there are still mistakes. It’s really not your fault; the more eyes that see the pattern, the more the errors will be caught. You really don’t want your customers to find the errors!
Reason #2 – A tech editor ensures that all of your patterns are a consistent style, language and format.
Your patterns don’t need to look like anyone else’s, and they really shouldn’t. Branding and personal style are important. But your patterns do need to be consistent. Your customers will learn to recognize your work and become familiar with the way you write your instructions, making it easier for them to adapt to your patterns. Whether your pattern is free or paid, it should be edited.
Think of it this way. Say your customers find mistakes or have difficulty understanding what you’ve written. Whose inbox and comment sections will they fill with their questions? Do you want to spend your needless time fixing things?And, if your patterns start getting mediocre or bad reviews, it won’t matter how gorgeous the design is. Future buyers will be put off and your reputation will suffer.
Reason #3 – Your reputation is EVERYTHING!
From the very first public communication and published pattern, you are making an impression and creating a reputation. Make sure it’s the kind of reputation you want by enlisting the expert help of a tech editor. While we don’t create our designs to get likes, reposts and reviews, it’s something a designer should consider because it’s a small indication of what kind of reputation you and your patterns have.
Let’s get down to brass tacks here. Let’s say your designs are beyond amazing. But, you haven’t hired a tech editor, so your written patterns have errors and the instructions might be difficult to understand. After a while, you’ll lose customers because they simply get tired of getting a sup-par product. Your customer won’t be successful at making your designs and may decide not to spend any more money on your patterns.
Reason #4 – You aren’t good at everything.
I know. We’d like to think we are. But, sadly, we need help with some of the stuff!
What if you aren’t good at math? Your stitch counts or sizing could be off. And, you know how to make your design and have written it the way you see it. But, no one else can understand what you’re trying to say. A tech editor has the training and experience to be all these things for you and more. A TE can provide objectivity where you, the designer, probably can’t, making suggestions for the most clear, concise instructions you can have.
Reason #5 – Consistency is key.
I can’t stress this enough…consistency is key. Consistency means your customers will know what to expect when they buy your patterns. They will learn your “language”. They will be assured of an error-free, easy-to-read pattern. They will know that, when they download that pdf, they are getting the highest quality item possible.
So, those are the top reasons you should hire a tech editor for your patterns.
In the next installment, I’ll talk about the services most tech editors offer to the crochet designer, along with some things they WON’T do for you.
If you missed “What is a Tech Editor”, click HERE.
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