How much does tech editing cost?
Tech editing is a crucial step in the knitting pattern design process, and like any editing service, it costs money.
Exactly how much money you spend is going to vary based on the individual tech editor, but hopefully this blog post can give you a general idea so that you can set expectations and a budget for tech editing.
There are a variety of different pricing structures that tech editors follow, including charging an hourly rate, charging a flat fee, or charging per word.
Based on my experience as a tech editor in this industry, I’d say that charging an hourly rate is the most common method among editors. Hourly rates vary widely, and I’ve seen ranges from $30-50/hour. Where a tech editor fits on that scale may vary based on their experience, their specialty, and their cost of living. For the most part, it seems most editors skew towards the lower part of that scale and hover around $35-40/hour.
To figure out how long an edit will take, you need to consider what type of pattern you have. Keep in mind that all editors are different and will need varying amounts of time to work on a pattern. A more experienced editor may be able to edit faster than someone just starting out, for instance.
With that said, these estimates are based on how long I typically take to edit. A simple stockinette hat might only take me 45 minutes, while a sweater or a large lace shawl may take 3 or 4 hours. I’ve had particularly complicated patterns take upwards of 8 hours to edit! This is rare, but it could happen. At $35/hour, a 45 minute pattern would cost $26.25, a 3 hour pattern would cost $105, and an 8 hour pattern would cost a whopping $280.
Factors that can affect total time include the complexity of the stitch pattern, complexity of the shape, how many charts there are, and the length of the document.
Fortunately, tech editors should send you an estimate of how long it will take before they start editing so that you know what you’re getting into.
Other methods of pricing include a flat rate based on item type or a per word rate. For flat rate pricing, they might charge a set amount based on the item type and its complexity.
Per word pricing is exactly what it sounds like: you get charged based on the word count of the document. I’ve recently transitioned to per word pricing myself after charging hourly for years. Some of my reasons for making this change are:
I’m a bit of a slow editor and I like being able to take my time without feeling bad about how much time I’m using
Designers can calculate the price before they even send me their pattern
Coming up with an estimate every time adds admin time for both of us
How to reduce tech editing costs
If these numbers have you wanting to run away, don’t worry. While tech editing is going to cost you money, there are a few things you can do in advance to reduce the total bill. It all comes down to sending your editor a pattern as error-free as possible so that they don’t spend excess time on your pattern. Writing out comments takes time, so the fewer errors, the faster it will be.
Here are some steps you can take to make your pattern as error free as possible:
Compare your pattern with my Pre Editing Checklist
Compare your pattern with your style sheet (and if you don’t have one, create one or ask your tech editor for help)
Leave a couple of days between finishing your pattern and sending it to the editor so that you can look at it with a fresh set of eyes on a different day. You may catch things you didn’t notice when writing it up after giving it some space.
Other ways you can trick your brain into better proofreading include printing out your pattern, reading it out loud, changing the font size, changing the font color, changing the font face, or using a ruler to go line-by-line
Keep a checklist of any errors your tech editor has caught you making more than once, as you’re likely to make that same mistake in the future
Ready to take your knitting patterns to the next level?
As a knitting tech editor, I can work with you to ensure your patterns are clear, accurate, and easy to follow. Visit my Tech Editing Services page to learn more and get started today!
