Numerous students have asked me: "I motivate myself to work on marketing by looking at my bottom-rung client, and thinking that I wouldn't have to work for them anymore if I brought in a better client to replace them. But once that happens, how do I actually fire the bottom-rung client?" Definitely … [Read more...] about How to fire a client
Clients
Working with individuals: why do so many translators avoid it?
The individual client market--working directly with people who need anything from a birth certificate to a book translated--is a legitimate segment of the direct client market. But still, lots of translators avoid it. Let's take a closer look. I do quite a bit of work for/with individual clients; … [Read more...] about Working with individuals: why do so many translators avoid it?
An atypical dilemma: "I need less work"
Here's a question I received from a colleague: "You're always writing about how to find new clients and get more work. I have the opposite problem: I have work coming out of my ears and I'm trying to cut back." OK! Thoughts on Translation is committed to addressing issues at all points on the … [Read more...] about An atypical dilemma: "I need less work"
Tips for translators in small languages
There are languages like Spanish (tons of work, lots of translators), and languages like French and German (good amount of work, not a surplus of translators), and then there are languages like Tagalog, Nepali, Bulgarian, Amharic, Icelandic, and so on. What are some pathways to a viable freelance … [Read more...] about Tips for translators in small languages
How to make more money without having a breakdown
Among the amorphous goals that many of us have for our freelance business, "I want/need to make more money" often heads the list. It's often joined by other amorphous goals such as "I want/need more work," or "I need some better clients." The problem with "I want/need to make more money" is that … [Read more...] about How to make more money without having a breakdown