There were so many excellent comments on my last post about translation rates that I think the topic deserves another post. First, thank you to everyone who commented; I think that your insights are more valuable than what I originally wrote, because they represent the viewpoints of people in all … [Read more...] about Lowering your translation rates, continued
Money
Lowering your translation rates: why/why not
Lately it seems that many freelancers are considering lowering their rates because of the worldwide economic downturn. In most cases, I think that lowering your rates is an unwise business decision that devalues not only your own work, but the work of other translators as well. In addition, I really … [Read more...] about Lowering your translation rates: why/why not
Constructive things to do if you're afraid of a work slowdown
So far, the language services industry seems to be holding up well in the ailing economy. Although I haven't had as many inquiries from clients in the past three months, the size of my projects lately has been larger than usual; I finished 26,000 words this week and will start another large project … [Read more...] about Constructive things to do if you're afraid of a work slowdown
Secrets of six-figure translators
...with credit to Barbara Stanny, the author of Secrets of Six-Figure Women (which would be a good topic for a post too!) Lately (and this impression was solidified at the recent ATA conference), I've noticed a very positive trend in our industry, that of the freelance translator earning over US … [Read more...] about Secrets of six-figure translators
Choosing a pricing currency
For translators who work with clients outside their home base countries, choosing a pricing currency can be an important business issue. For the past year or so, pricing in euros (or if you're European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet, pricing in "euro") has seemed attractive for those of … [Read more...] about Choosing a pricing currency