I received a catalog the other day addressed to the "Manager of the Shipping Dept." I found that amusing, since I run a business of one and all job titles are my titles. But I could see why you might think that I run a shipping department, especially if you saw the floor of my office right now.
I'm working on some technical edits for Stringing magazine. It's work I enjoy, a bit like a crossword puzzle or a word game where you're doing a bit of decoding ("Is that was the designer meant?"). Plus, there's the added challenge of trying to say as much as you can in as few words as possible so that everything fits in the allotted space the magazine. It's one of those jobs, however, that's a bit mysterious and I find myself stumbling whenever I try to explain it to someone. What is a technical editor?
In the simplest terms, a technical editor (at least for a craft publication) is the person who makes sure that the project will work. I count beads. I measure the size of the bracelet or necklace. I also measure beads to verify that the sizes listed by the designer are correct. I make sure that everything matches the style guide for the magazine, from the order items are listed in to the way certain steps are described.
I also add missing information. Sometimes this is simple information such as the colors or shapes of beads. Sometimes it's an entire step, such as when a designer painstakingly describes how to create a pendant out of several components but then forgets to include in the instructions how to add the pendant to the necklace! Sometimes, such as when a designer omits something crucial (maybe whether a piece of metal is sterling silver or plated), I mark the item as something to double-check with the designer. Rarely, a designer will include materials that were not actually used in the final project and in that case, I'll remove them from the instructions.
Once the materials list has been fixed, I start reviewing the instructions as written by the designer, making sure I understand any tricky steps that might not be obvious by just looking at the project. Then, I either edit the instructions or completely rewrite them. This could include rearranging the steps in a more logical order, simplifying or expanding steps to make them clearer, and noting any repeated steps that could be explained a single time, rather than dozens. There are different ways to explain how to make a piece of jewelry, so this can be subjective. It's worth noting that another editor, typically more than one, will also be reviewing the instructions to make sure that it's best, most clear explanation possible.
Each issue I'm always amazed: there are new beads to see, new ways of combining materials, new designers making their first appearance in the magazine. There are familiar beads used in new ways and familiar designer names that make me smile. When I pick up the box of projects for editing, it's a little like Christmas: I keep all the projects wrapped up and only allow myself to unwrap the one I'll be working on. I hold the bracelet or necklace in my hand and admire it, flipping it over and examining the details of the beads and findings.
When I'm finished, I wrap them carefully and return them to the Interweave office. That's when the hardest part comes: I must keep what I've seen a secret for a couple of months until it's time for the readers to unwrap the projects in the form of a brand new magazine. Luckily, I don't have too much time to feel sorry for myself about having to keep so many secrets. By the time you have a new issue in your hand, I'm probably working on the next one.