No matter how meticulous you are about a) your translations and b) your business practices, you can't work as a freelancer without dealing with disgruntled clients from time to time. First, let's say this: unless you love interpersonal conflict, dealing with unhappy clients is awful. Running your … [Read more...] about When a client is dissatisfied
Translation quality
Happy 2011: Are bad habits a form of self-protection?
Happy 2011 to everyone out there in the translation blogosphere! To start the year off, here's a very interesting interview I came across: sports writer Bill Simmons interviewing New Yorker writer Malcolm Gladwell. Both Simmons and Gladwell draw some interesting parallels between sports and the … [Read more...] about Happy 2011: Are bad habits a form of self-protection?
ATA conference wrapup
I know that this post will show my local bias, but this year's ATA conference in Denver was just fantastic. I didn't actually take any photos, but you can see a few on Jill Sommer's blog and look at the daily conference slide show on the ATA website. Thanks to Jeff Sanfacon of ATA for the great … [Read more...] about ATA conference wrapup
Spicing up your translations with little-used expressions
At last summer's Translate in the Catskills conference (I know, I talk about this conference all the time...it was great!), instructor Grant Hamilton commented that he had never seen a translator use the expressions "giving short shrift" or "paying little heed." Grant's point was that most … [Read more...] about Spicing up your translations with little-used expressions
How to be a better proofreader
If you're looking to move up in the translation market, more effective proofreading is critical. If you're the type of person who cringes at the sight of an error in print, make sure that your translations aren't contributing to the problem, and give your clients that extra quality step that marks … [Read more...] about How to be a better proofreader