The reality of a translator's work day is that most of it is spent at the computer. This falls into the "great" category in terms of location-independence and the ability to work from nearly anywhere with a reliable Internet connection. But it falls into the "not great" category in terms of the … [Read more...] about Taking care of your body when you work at a computer all day
Freelancing
To break out of the low-rate market, change these three things
Stop me if this sounds familiar: I really needed work, so I decided to take whatever came through the door. I decided that applying to mega-agencies/advertising on Fiverr/racing to the bottom on translation job boards was the fastest way to get full-time freelance work. But now I'm stuck; I have to … [Read more...] about To break out of the low-rate market, change these three things
A translation partner: why you need one, where to find one
OK...that's not the only reason you need a translation partner, it's just me learning how to use Canva, but worry-free vacations are a good reason to have a translation partner! I get this question a lot, so let's talk about it. Why do you need a translation partner? … [Read more...] about A translation partner: why you need one, where to find one
Some thoughts on translating books
Book translation has been on my radar screen lately; Eve Bodeux and I translated a novel together last year, and I've just finished translating another novel and a mountaineering memoir (more on these when they're published!). Then, as if there were something in the air, a couple of readers e-mailed … [Read more...] about Some thoughts on translating books
Negotiating on factors other than price
There are a lot of reasons to avoid negotiating on price: Once you take on the lower-paying project, what happens when a higher-paying project comes in? Lowering your rate shows the client that, at least some of the time, you're willing to work for less than your stated rate. Lowering your rate … [Read more...] about Negotiating on factors other than price