Training for Translators

Classes for translators and interpreters

Announcements


Corinne McKay

ATA55: I Submitted!

I love it when fun things go viral. Earlier today, I submitted a proposal for the 2014 ATA conference, then commented on Twitter that we need an “I Submitted” badge for the ATA conference, like the “I Voted” stickers that polling places in the U.S. give out. French/Hungarian>English translator Carolyn Yohn ran with the idea, and soon changed her Twitter profile picture to:
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Cute, don’t you think? And there’s still time to earn your own badge, since the proposal submission deadline is March 10! If you’re looking for tips on how to write your session proposal, you can view the free webinar that I presented for ATA, “How to write a winning session proposal.” Thanks, Carolyn, for this fun meme!


Corinne McKay

Podcasts, present and future

If you’re not yet listening to English>Swedish translator Tess Whitty’s new podcast Marketing tips for translators, I highly recommend it! Last night while cooking dinner, I listened to Tess interviewing Karen Tkaczyk about the pros, cons and best practices of working in a highly specialized field (for Karen, French to English chemistry translation). Definitely check it out!

Eve Bodeux and I just scheduled our next Speaking of Translation conference call/podcast. On the topic of “Speaking of Interpreting,” we’ll be interviewing Katharine Allen and Barry Slaughter Olsen, Co-Presidents of InterpretAmerica. We’re really excited to “cross the aisle” for this (free) call, with a podcast recording available afterward. Barry and Katharine will fill us in on the current state of interpreting in the US, what they see in the near future, what interpreters and translators can learn from each other, and what a new interpreter needs to do to succeed. All of the access information is on our website, and we’ll post a recording afterward.


Corinne McKay

New course: Beyond the Basics of Freelancing

I’m excited to announce that my new course, Beyond the Basics of Freelancing, is now open for registration! For a while, I’ve been wanting to offer a more advanced course as a sequel to Getting Started as a Freelance Translator (running since 2006!), and I’ve finally forced myself to work on the course materials. The first session of Beyond the Basics will start on February 26, and then I’ll probably offer another session in May.

Every student will receive copies of my books How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator and Thoughts on Translation, a one-hour individual consultation call with me, and individualized feedback on: your current and potential marketing materials; a profile of your ideal client, and a list of direct clients you’d like to market to; a plan for raising your profile in the translation industry and meeting your potential direct clients on their turf; a financial plan for your translation business, and a plan of action for the next six months so that you can reach these goals. In addition, we’ll do a one-hour question and answer conference call every week (one of the most popular features of Getting Started as a Freelance Translator!). The cost is the same as for my Getting Started course, US $305 with a $50 discount for members of the American Translators Association. You can read the details about both courses on my website. Hope to see some of you there!


Corinne McKay

New podcast: Marketing tips for translators

Congratulations to English-Swedish translator Tess Whitty on the launch of her new podcast, Marketing tips for translators! Tess has a degree in marketing, and in each episode of her podcast she’ll be interviewing a guest about a niche aspect of marketing for translators. Tess has four episodes currently available:

Right this minute, I’m sitting in the New Orleans airport, listening to Tess’ interview with Anne about LinkedIn tips, and it’s really great material. I’m looking forward to listening to Marta’s interview on the plane! Tess’ hosting style is very natural and conversational, and she’s targeted guests who are very passionate about their topics. You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes (I just did this, so I can attest that it works). Thanks Tess for this great initiative, and here’s to a long and happy life for this new podcast!


Corinne McKay

How to write a winning ATA conference proposal: free webinar tomorrow!

UPDATE: the live webinar is now full, but a free recording will be available afterward! Thank you to everyone who registered.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, 1/22/2013), I’ll be presenting a free webinar for the American Translators Association, entitled How to write a winning ATA conference proposal. If you’re considering submitting a proposal for the 2014 ATA conference (November 5-8 in Chicago), this webinar will provide an overview of the submission process, some tips on how to increase your chances of success, and some advice on what types of sessions are the best fit for the conference. Plus, did I mention it’s free? The live webinar is at 12 noon New York time, and a free recording will be available afterward. Hop on over to ATA’s website to register!