Training for Translators

Classes for translators and interpreters

online translation courses


Corinne McKay

January classes start this week!

Happy 2021 to the entire Training for Translators community! Our 2021 class lineup starts this week. Translating for the international development sector is sold out (e-mail classes@trainingfortranslators.com to be added to the wait list), but all other classes still have space:

  • Complete what you started, a four-week challenge and coaching group led by Dorothee Racette, starts on Thursday, January 7. If you’ve been struggling to finish a freelance website, target a new specialization, prepare for a certification exam, or assemble the branded writing you need to position yourself in your niche, this challenge intensive is for you. In this 4-week course, you will look behind the scenes of procrastination and work in a small peer group to finally take your big business projects to the next level. $299 with various discounts available.
  • Direct client marketing…for people who think they can’t, a three-hour master class, runs from 12 noon to 3 PM New York time on Thursday, January 7 (recording provided after the session). If you’ve proclaimed 2021 your year to break into the direct client market, join instructor Corinne McKay for three hours of practical instruction on how to get started! $75, no discounts.
  • Into-English patent translation, a four-week course with expert patent translator Martin Cross, starts on Monday, January 11. Patent translation is a well-paid specialization and a growing market segment, but even experienced technical translators can find patents hard to understand and can be unsure of the legal considerations involved. This course is intended for translators working from any language into English who have an interest in science and technology and want to start translating patents or improve their patent translation skills. $365 with various discounts available.


Corinne McKay

Medical translation course: early bird rate ends today

Today is the last day to sign up for the September/October session of Medical concepts and terminology for translators and interpreters, a four-week “mini med school” class taught by expert medical translator Michèle Hansen. A participant in the last session of this class comments:

“Michèle Hansen’s Mini Med School for Translators and Interpreters is terrific, even if you already have experience in translating in the medical field. The course is tailored to translators, with a focus on terminology. Michėle is extremely knowledgeable and she shares her expertise in a very clear and approachable way. There is no doubt that a lot of thought and preparation has gone into creating this course, and all the materials and recommendations given are helpful and valuable. I feel I have definitely improved as a medical translator and would be delighted to take part in another installment.”

Registration ($365 with various discounts available) includes four live slide presentations, four live question and answer sessions (recordings provided if you can’t attend live), and individual feedback on four homework assignments. Prices go up by $15 tomorrow; more information/registration here.

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Corinne McKay

Winter class discounts end December 31

I’m offering four online courses for translators this winter, and discounted registration rates for them end on December 31. After that, registration for my full-length courses increases from $380 to $410, so it’s a good time to sign up and put the expense on your 2017 accounting! ATA members can use coupon code ATA for $15 off these prices, and past students can use coupon code ALUM for $15 off as well (those can be combined: just apply both of them).

A student in my Marketing to Direct Clients class recently left this comment on the end-of-course survey:

“If you are a translator looking to take your business to the next level, I cannot recommend Corinne’s courses more highly! I was impressed by how generously Corinne shared her knowledge and expertise with her students and I truly appreciated her positive and down-to-earth approach. The pace of both courses was just right, and the assignments were relevant and interesting. Corinne’s individual feedback on my homework was priceless! I also appreciated being able to ask her anything and everything during the class calls.”

Here’s the lineup for January-April, and note that the quick-start session of Getting Started is open only through December 31.

Special: quick-start session of Getting Started as a Freelance Translator, my flagship course for beginners. For beginning and aspiring translators who want to learn the basics in a quick-start format. Includes self-paced video lessons and a one-hour individual consulting session with me. $195 ($180 for ATA members), registration open through December 31, 2017.

Breaking Into the Book Translation Market, for translators who want to translate fiction or non-fiction books, for traditional publishers or for self-published authors. Next session begins January 15, 2018. $380 ($365 for ATA members) through December 31, 2017; $410/$395 after that. Note that this session is already filling up; sign up soon if you want to participate.

Beyond the Basics of Freelancing, for mid-career freelance translators who want to enjoy their work more, earn more money, and avoid career stagnation. Next session begins February 19, 2018. $380 ($365 for ATA members) through December 31, 2017; $410/$395 after that.

Marketing to Direct Clients, for translators who want to identify, contact, and work with direct clients. Next session begins April 2, 2018. $380 ($365 for ATA members) through December 31, 2017; $410/$395 after that.

Thank you for another year of great discussions about the language professions (believe it or not, Thoughts on Translation will turn ten in February!), and I wish all of you a wonderful 2018.


Corinne McKay

Survey: online translation technique classes

Based upon requests from readers and students, I’m in the early stages of developing some language-specific translation technique classes (i.e. “Become a better translator: German to English”) to be offered in 2018. If you are interested in this type of course, please take a short survey that I’ve prepared. This will help me assess the demand for these types of classes, and understand what people would like to get out of them. The survey is just five multiple choice questions and then a comment box, and doesn’t require any personal information from you. Thank you!


Corinne McKay

Advanced coaching group: starts April 3

The next session of my five-week advanced coaching group for experienced freelance translators starts April 3; the inaugural (January) session of this group filled up, and I’m anticipating that this one will as well. Participants in the January session commented:

“The class definitely gave me a strong incentive to work on marketing every day because of the built-in accountability. I miss the calls now! I’m very glad I did it, and I don’t think I would ever have done this much work on my own!”

“This course was interactive and it offered tailored advice. Even if my business is going quite well, I needed this course to consider other revenue streams. I greatly enjoyed the Q&A sessions as well as the tips. Your courses always give me an extra energy and motivation boost. Many thanks for your courses and for being such a joy to work with, Corinne!”

This course is designed for experienced translators who have clear marketing goals, but need one-on-one consulting and daily accountability in order to reach those goals. Everyone in the group (limited to 10 people) gets two hours of individual consulting with me, daily tips for motivation, eight live question and answer sessions (during which you also report on your progress), and e-mail contact with me during the course.

Registration is $530 (ATA members, use code ATA for $15 off; anyone who’s taken a previous class with me, use code ALUM for $15 off, and you can combine those two codes). Click on over to the course web page if you’d like to join us!