On becoming published

This year I started designing knitting patterns and I'm now classified as an "Independent Designer" on Knit Picks website. It sounds cool and it is cool, and whats more - anyone can do this through developing their skills and then taking the plunge. I'm not talking about knitting patterns, I'm talking about whatever your niche is. As Edison said "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration"

I never thought of myself as a person who could write up patterns in a professional manner. Sure I could knit. But come up with pattern ideas? then write out patterns? *shudders* Nope. Not me. And it would have stayed that way if a couple of friends (Christine and Sincero) hadn't encouraged me to give it a try. So I did. And my very first pattern idea? Turned down! I was a bit bummed, but oh well I really couldn't write out patterns anyway so it was back to knitting just for me, just for fun. But my friends kept encouraging me to try again - both through their words and their success. This time around I kept it simple, photographing and writing up a proposal for a pattern idea that I had knit up 6 months before. I sent it in not hoping for much and low and behold THEY LIKED IT!!!

Over the next few months more proposal submitted, accepted and patterns written up. I am really grateful for the opportunity that has been made available to people like me and for the encouragement of my friends to go for it!

And any person can create a talent through hard work, spend time honing their skill, then find a niche market for those skills. It's not rocket science, it's just work. Got something you enjoy doing? Then spend time learning to do it well! You'll develop a skill, master it, then share it - and have a blast doing so!!