Hey all, time for a few intros.
My name is Sarah Walworth and I am a knitting technical editor. Here's my story:
September 24, 2015. I am pacing in my kitchen and my heart is racing. It's been six days since I found the page on a website called Joeli's Kitchen that described a technical editing course for knitting patterns. I am deciding to buy. It's not an easy step.
How will I find time to do this? I am 11 years into homeschooling 3 rambunctious kids and 3 semesters into a university-level copyediting certificate. My time for anything else is so limited.
How will I find clients? I haven't even found my local yarn shop yet and I don't know many knitters, let alone designers.
Does this mean I will have to start a business? No one in my family or close friends is a successful entrepreneur.
I didn't really care. I was deep-to-the-core excited to not have a future of editing medical white papers, political analysis, or poorly-written non-fiction. I was thrilled that there actually was an opportunity to edit something related to the yarn craft I was obsessed with. And I was willing to pay (what was a lot of money for me) to get it.
11:09 AM. I hit the "buy now" button.
Exactly 3400 days ago today this action changed my life forever.
There was no way for me to know then where I would be now: editor of hundreds of patterns, multiple books and pattern collections; published author of the handbook on writing knitting patterns; pattern grader and instructor; podcaster and writer; and ultimately, owner of ...
...The Tech Editor Hub. This is the place where I hope you can find success in the way that I did by first signing up for Joeli Kelly's newsletter all those years ago. My goal for the Hub is not just to inform and instruct on how to become a tech editor (but you can absolutely do that!), but also to connect us and build us up as we each grow in our businesses. We are a community of mostly women of all ages, from all over the world, with all kinds of skill sets, converging in the one thread we all share: we love yarn, we have a lot of experience making with it, and we want patterns to be excellent.
You can connect with your fellow editors in a variety of ways in the Hub:
Newsletter: a (mostly) weekly boost from me of βYes, you can do this!β, along with strategies for better editing, ideas for conquering the administration side of your business, and interviews with colleagues. You can find past issues and send friends HERE. I know some of you have been reading my missives since the beginning. Thank you so much!
Paid Community: I found out the hard way I couldn't be a good editor working all alone and isolated, so I built the online space I wanted to be a part of. As in any specialized skill, we only improve by doing the work and being a part of a work community where we can ask questions, get help when we are stuck, and find out how other people do things. The Tech Editor Hub Community is all this and much, much more. One of the members recently described it as "a social-media unicorn" where colleagues help colleagues and no one dreads checking in. Come check it out! We just did a workshop on SEO that is up for replay.β
Free Facebook group: see below for links to recent conversations and posts! While I am not a fan of Meta, and social media is terrifically hard for me to engage with, this group remains an important place to connect, find an editor, get questions answers, and stay updated on other events in the Hub.
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My vision for the Hub is that supporting your important work will have ripple effects. Imagine:
Every yarn pattern designer prioritizes collaborating with a technical editor before publication; pattern excellence is the norm and is financially rewarded; shoddy, incorrect patterns are a thing of the past. Makers value designers and pay high dollar because they produce quality patterns they can trust.
Wouldn't that be awesome? But we need all of us to get there.
This month I am planning 2025, and I want to hear what you want from The Tech Editor Hub.
Why did you sign up for this newsletter?
What do you look for when you come here (but maybe don't find)?
What can I do for you in the next year that would help you move forward toward your goals?
Hit reply and talk to me. I read every email and reply as soon I can.
In the FB Group
βWhere did you connect with your first clients?β
βHow do you handle getting a pattern for a magazine that is not in the correct style?β
βWhat does your checklist look like, or where did you find one that can be adapted?β
Thanks for being here,
Sarah
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I am a knitting technical editor, author, and sweater nerd. I like coffee, puzzles, many books (all at once), and a good sniff of yarn fumes. This Hub is all about helping *you* find success as a technical editor from any direction that works.
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When you are ready:
- Learn to tech edit knitting patterns or crochet patterns. Get training and real pattern practice before you take on clients.
- βSchedule a strategy session with me. Go deep and get unstuck.
- Join the editor-only community for collaboration, 24-7 support and more skills, including building that business.
- Or just book a virtual cuppa with me. How can I help you?β
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