Translating your work into different languages offers you an opportunity to reach more people with your books, which will also vary your income, especially since the market in the genre you’re writing in might not be as overcrowded in that language. If your book has been published by a publishing house and a foreign publisher buys the right to translate it, then you’re all set, for they will take care of the whole process. However, if you’re self-published, whether in print or in e-book format, you can still get your books translated into other languages. Below, we have a few steps that will help you reach that goal.
1. Find a native speaker of the foreign language
It’s important to find a translator that is a native speaker of the foreign language, because only a native can translate your book in a way that will make all your new readers understand it best. The translator should also be accredited in both the original and the foreign language, though this is not strictly necessary, however, it will give you some assurance of their capability to do the job well.
2. Sign a contract with the translator
Make sure that the translator signs a NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) contract, in which it is clearly stated that you, or your publishing house remain the sole owners of the content while the translator is only allowed to use it for the translation services. After that, develop another contract in which you settle for how much you will pay the translator. Most translators get paid by the word, usually about 10-15 cents per word if the content is of scientific or technical nature, less if they are translating fiction.
3. Make sure you translate everything connected with the book
When you have your book translated into a foreign language, you will also need to translate the blurb and your bio, as well as the acknowledgments. Covering the cost of translating these parts in your initial contract with the translator will make sure that you don’t need to additionally pay to have them translated, and it will make sure that your book is ready for publishing faster.
4. Communicate with the translator
Once they’ve begun translating your work, make you sure you collaborate with them every step of the way, making sure that they know and understand what you are trying to convey to your target audience through your work. View your translator as a co-author of your translated book. Additionally, make sure that your translator has enough time to do proper research into the audience, and that they have enough time to do the actual translation. If you rush the process, you might end up with low quality, unsatisfactory results. It’s also considered good to give the translator credit in a byline. If you work well with them, you should do it again for other projects.
5. Find a proofreader for the translated work
They don’t have to be professional editors or proofreaders. They only have to read the translation and determine whether it’s understandable, and whether the translator that you hired changed anything you don’t agree with. After your proofreader has confirmed that the translation is well done, format it for the medium through which you will be publishing it. Make sure that you market the translated book as much as the original, start a new email list specific for the language and recruit reviewers for the target language.
Georgina Roy wants to live in a world filled with magic. As a 22-year-old art student, she’s moonlighting as a writer and is content to fill notebooks and sketchbooks with magical creatures and amazing new worlds. When she is not at school, or scribbling away in a notebook, you can usually find her curled up, reading a good urban fantasy novel, or writing on her laptop, trying to create her own.