If you’re an aspiring designer, or if you’ve been designing for a while and you’re ready to sell knitting patterns, one important (and often overlooked) step is writing a stand-out designer bio.
(Before we get going; I’ve written this as a knitting designer, but these tips work just as well for crochet designers).
What is a designer bio? Great question!
A designer bio is a succinct description of your design style and experience. It’s generally a required element in pattern proposals (if you’re submitting your pattern for consideration by knitting publications). The bio is also an opportunity for publishers to get to know you and determine whether your style is a good fit for their brand. Your designer bio needs to stand out as unique to you, give a strong sense of your knitting design style, and communicate your previous experience in a way that’s relevant to the publication you’re applying to (a knitting magazine, a yarn brand that publishes knitting patterns, etc.). If you’re planning to sell your patterns, a designer bio is a must.
Can I still write one, if I’m new to designing? Absolutely!
The most important role of a designer bio is communicating who you are a knitting designer. Now, if you have previous publications, by all means include this information – this is part of your designer identity and demonstrates commitment, quality of your work, and your ability to work together with publishers. If you don’t yet have published patterns, however, there are lots of other options for communicating your design experience. And yes, you do still have design experience! For example, have you self-published patterns? Have you designed for yourself? What about yarn or design collaborations with others? These experiences inform your design style and communicate your creativity.
Will there be situations where publication experience is required? Yes, there will be. But there will also be lots of opportunities to submit your patterns while you’re still working towards that first publication. It’s just a matter of framing your experience so you stand out as your unique self.
Looking for some help getting started? I have an awesome free resource on ‘Writing a Great Designer Bio (Even if You’ve Never Published a Pattern).’ Grab your copy now and start drafting that bio! I can’t wait to read it.
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Love and stitches,
Janice