5 Lesser-known Facts About Literary Translations

Leave a Comment / Translation World / SBT / 31/03/2025

5 Lesser-known Facts about Literary Translations

It is possible to find numerous facts about literary translation, some of which are more accurate than others. As a starting point, literary translation is often seen as a straightforward process, the mere act of taking a book from one language and rewriting it into another. In reality, however, it’s an art that requires a deep cultural understanding, creativity, and problem-solving skills. A craft that calls not only for mastery of two languages, but also storytelling abilities, attention to detail, broad knowledge of literature, passion, and dedication. While many authors and readers appreciate the work of translators, several aspects of the job remain hidden from the public eye. In this article, we aim to explore five lesser-known facts about literary translations.

5 Facts about Literary Translation:

1. Translators Are Co-Authors, Not Just Interpreters

A good literary translator doesn’t just convert words; they reconstruct the entire experience of a book in another language, ensuring that foreign readers have the same experience as the audience of the source text (a.k.a., the book written in its original language).

This often means that literary translators have to make creative choices, find equivalent metaphors, and even rework humour or wordplay. Some translators even influence the final style and tone of a work, becoming the author’s voice in a foreign market.

As a result, literary translators are more co-authors than mere intermediaries, their language knowledge and storytelling skills becoming a decisive factor in a book’s success in foreign markets. This is a fact widely recognised by the Berne Convention and many international copyright laws.

Need help finding the right linguist for your titles? Read 7 Tips to Find the Right Literary Translator for Your Self-oublished Books.

2. Some Words and Concepts Are Untranslatable

Every language has words and phrases that don’t have a direct equivalent in another language. For example, the Spanish word sobremesa (chatting after dinner), the German word Schadenfreude (pleasure in someone else’s misfortune), the Danish word hygge (a quality of cosiness), the Swedish word lagom (just the right amount), or the Japanese wabi-sabi (the beauty of imperfection) don’t have perfect matches in English. Consequently, translators must decide whether to explain, adapt, or replace such words without losing their essence.

3. Cultural Context Can Make or Break a Translation

A literary work is deeply rooted in its culture, and what makes sense in one society might not translate well to another. For instance, idioms, historical references, humour, historical and cultural context, and even character motivations might not resonate with foreign readers.

During the translation process, a skilled translator must find ways to bridge these cultural gaps while preserving the original’s intent and impact.

At the end of the day, cultural context isn’t just a minor detail—it’s the foundation of a great translation. A professional literary translator doesn’t just translate words; they translate meaning, emotion, and cultural relevance. By respecting these nuances, authors can truly connect with foreign readers, making their work feel as authentic and impactful as it does in the original language.

4. Translators Are Often Invisible

While authors receive all the fame, translators rarely get the recognition they deserve. Even though they play a crucial role in bringing literature to new audiences, their names are often hidden in small print. However, without their work, readers wouldn’t have access to international classics like One Hundred Years of Solitude or Crime and Punishment, nor would they be transported into the widely loved worlds of Harry Potter, Bridgerton, or A Song of Ice and Fire.

To make matters worse, in the era of AI, the erosion of readers’ trust in publishing houses is hard to miss. Recently, it has become evident that AI-generated books have left readers feeling deceived, as they fail to faithfully translate the source text into a foreign language. Sadly, a great example of this is the case of The Pumpkin Spice Café, by international best-selling author Laurie Gilmore.

Ultimately, crediting translators in the covers and credits of online vendors, such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Kobo, and reader platforms like Goodreads and StoryGraph can help authors demonstrate their commitment to foreign audiences and the quality of their books.

Find out readers’ reactions to HarperCollins’ latest approach to literary translations in the article Epic AI Fails in the Book Industry: The Pumpkin Spice Café Spanish Translation.

5. Literal Translations Can Be Disastrous

For non-professional translators, translating word for word often feels like the safest choice, but in reality, this approach can lead to confusing, awkward, or even disastrous results. Languages are deeply tied to culture, idioms, and context—elements that literal translations often fail to capture.

In Literature, translating word-for-word never works. A literal approach can strip a text of its rhythm, meaning, and emotional depth. Furthermore, a text may lose meaning (or that meaning can become distorted), readers may encounter idioms that don’t make sense, humour and emotion may fall flat, and the sentence structure may read awkwardly. The only way to avoid this is by working with skilled literary translators who know when to take creative liberties to ensure the text remains engaging and meaningful.

Discover 5 Common Mistakes All Untrained Literary Translators Make and How to Avoid Working with a Bad Linguist.

Final Thoughts

Apparent for some and yet surprising for many, literary translation is far more than just converting words from one language to another—it’s about capturing the essence, voice, and cultural depth of a story. The nuances of tone, idioms, historical and cultural background, and emotional impact make it a highly skilled art, often overlooked by those unfamiliar with the process. For the most part, it is a complex, creative, and sometimes underappreciated profession. Translators are not just language experts; they are cultural ambassadors, writers, and problem solvers.

From the unexpected challenges of preserving an author’s style to the hidden complexities of reaching international readers, literary translation requires expertise, patience, and creativity.

For authors, understanding these lesser-known facts about literary translations can make all the difference in successfully expanding into foreign markets. Choosing the right translator, allowing for cultural adaptation, and prioritising quality over speed are key to ensuring a book’s success. After all, a great translation isn’t just a mirror image of the original—it’s a new version that resonates just as deeply with a different audience. Hence, it is true for any author that investing in a skilled literary translator means giving their story the best chance to thrive across languages and cultures.

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Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

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Book Recommendation: How to Be a Writer by David Quantick

Leave a Comment / Book Recommendations / SBT / 17/03/2025

Book Recommendation: How to Be a Writer by David Quantick

How to Be a Writer – Conversations with Writers about Writing came out in 2016, as a sort of companion piece to David Quantick’s previous book How to Write Everything (2014). In his own words, David Quantick is an English “author, movie writer, television writer and radio broadcaster.” He notes that this piece is “a kind of a sequel” to its predecessor (I have not yet read that book, but it’s on my TBR, so perhaps it may find its way into this section). This book provides an insight into the lives of writers to address the question “how to be a writer?”, with several interviews with renowned writers, performers and other related professionals.

How to Be a Writer

In this compilation of conversations, Quantick sheds some light on writers’ lives, taking readers on a journey through the everyday life of different writers, the often chaotic and sometimes bittersweet world of writers and writing. Across twelve interviews, fifteen professionals give their opinions about: routines, editing and editors, (the bastardised profession of) reviewers, writer’s block, juggling professional and personal lives, creative process, admin, and more. The interviewees are as varied as one can get: fiction and non-fiction writers, columnists, scriptwriters, comedians, an accountant, and a literary agent. Nevertheless, this book is far from boring, pretentious, or preachy; it is overall a fun read, filled with dry British humour and wisdom without being a follow-along manual on how to be a writer.

Although Quantick tries to maintain a certain structure with every interview, he is not always successful in his attempt, making the final result much more interesting: the reader feels like a fly on a wall, listening to a conversation between friends or trusted colleagues. Through a mix of advice, honest thought, and anecdotes, Quantick collects different perspectives on what writing is, how to be a writer, and how writers navigate the reality they live in. For instance, many conversations revolve around the multiple facets of this vocation, including the not-so-often discussed challenges, the moments of self-doubt, and the uncertainties that come with the profession.

Across its pages, the author’s own wit and commentary are constantly present, adding even more depth to the topic in discussion. Undeniably, every writer is different, and they all have a distinct approach: there are opposing views on specific topics, which makes the whole book more enriching. It invites the reader to think critically about every opinion and allows them to take what they deem useful or to consider alternatives as a possibility.

A Personal Story

What Makes a Writer?

In the past, talking about writing and what makes a writer made me uneasy for some reason. I still recall one time in class during my first years at university when a professor asked what makes a writer and what qualifies someone as one. Back then, I remember saying something along the lines of that considering a writer anyone who claimed to be one was questionable and problematic: a publishing house needed to publish their work and writing was their profession. That discussion lingered in my mind, and I found myself coming back again to it. As time went by, I became wary of that past statement, and I deemed it incomplete, not fully developed.

Gradually, I became aware of what was amiss: I was only considering a small segment of writers. There were writers everywhere, and not all of them followed the traditional path (or, in some cases, by my younger self’s definition, they only became ‘writers’ after their demise; for example, John Kennedy Toole). How to Be a Writer reminded me of that lecture and my journey to define what a writer truly is.

Blurred Path

Curiously, back then, at the start of my university studies, I was writing a lot more; I was producing and editing a significant amount of material, mostly short stories, some poetry, and reflections. I probably had enough to create at least a couple of books. Every day, almost religiously, I wrote and edited whenever I had time. In hindsight, it is amusing that during this period, I fulfilled one of the most crucial requirements to be a writer according to several writers interviewed in Quantick’s book. However, that’s exactly when I wouldn’t acknowledge that what I was doing was what writers did (and do), and I thought that those actions were insufficient to consider someone a writer.

Almost comically and tragically in equal parts, I lost every one of my writings at the hands of a faulty external drive… I could never recover those files, and I was devastated; a part of me and my writing was gone as if it had never existed. Never again was I able to write as much as I did back then; it felt as if something within me broke, and I suppose my fear of committing to writing, in the chance of losing everything once more, was too great to face and start anew.

Lost and Found

Somehow, reading this book felt healing, and it might be healing for someone else as well. Whether you are a writer looking for inspiration or even a sense of community, or someone interested in being a writer or curious about the ins and outs of this particular profession, I think this book is a great and light-hearted option to begin with. Writing is a lonely endeavour, but it doesn’t mean that writers should feel lonely as a given. As a writer, by reading these interviews, you might find words that resonate or make you realise something you do (or don’t do, for that matter) that you share with other writers. Allow yourself to write and let your creative mind roam, and as Dennis Kelly states in his interview: “there’s no such thing as bad writing, the only bad writing is writing that you don’t do”.

Bonus

While writing this piece, I kept coming back to reread quotes I had highlighted… I cannot think of a better way to recommend and illustrate how much wisdom one can collect from this book than by a selection of those quotes:

What a Writer is

The thing that differentiates someone who isn’t a writer from someone who is, I would venture as bold as thunder, is this: a writer is someone whose life turns around writing like the Earth turns around the Sun.

Page 1 - David Quantick

A writer is someone who can’t stop thinking about the work they’re doing and the work they’re going to do.

Page 2 - David Quantick

About Editing

Most importantly of all, it’s the whittling, it’s like, ‘At what point is that sentence finished?’ Every morning you go back to it and you can see things that aren’t working and change them. But then one morning you’ll go back to it and you’ll realize that that paragraph just doesn’t need changing anymore, and that’s when you know it’s done. And when the whole things doesn’t feel like it needs changing anymore, when you’re looking at it at your most clear headed at seven o’clock in the morning and you think nothing needs changing – that’s when you know it’s finished.

Page 10 - Jon Ronson

There’s nothing that I look at and think ‘that’s a perfect thing’. But also I’m never tempted to go back. I think it’s probably true that things aren’t quite finished, but at the same time you have to walk away from them and let them be what they wanna be.

Page 121 - Dennis Kelly

I always feel a pang when I send the corrected proofs off, because they contain sentences that are no good but it’s too late to do anything about it.

Page 32 - Emma Donoghue

About (not) Knowing What One Writes

If you’re writing non-fiction, it’s best not to have any preconceived notions, because quite often the fun is when you’re the idiot, when the thing that you thought was true turns out not to be true at all.

Page 11 - Jon Ronson

Mystery and not knowing something is what fuels me. Not understanding the world is like the wind behind the sails. If you understand the world I don’t know how you’d write it.

Page 12 - Jon Ronson

Sometimes the most obvious columns are not the most interesting to write because we all know what we think. Actually, the more interesting thing to write is something where you don’t know yourself where you’re going to go with it.

Page 48 - Suzanne Moore

What’s the Point of Writing?

When it(writing)’s working it feels like a godlike power.

Page 25 - Emma Donoghue

These were just a small selection of the phrases I took from this book (this picture illustrates the ridiculous number of post-it flags I used while reading it)

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Income Streams: How Can Indie Authors Develop New Income Streams from One Book?

Leave a Comment / Writer's Life / SBT / 03/03/2025

How Can Indie Authors Develop New Icome Streams from One Book?

A popular old saying goes: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket; a proverb advising against relying entirely on a single plan, resource, or investment. It suggests that concentrating all your efforts or assets in one area is risky because if something goes wrong, you could stand to lose everything. This phrase encourages diversification to reduce potential losses and increase stability or success.

Among freelancers, more than a saying or a proverb, it is a cautionary tale. At one point or another in our careers, we all have suffered the consequences of relying solely on one source of income (or, in the case of freelancers, one customer).

Self-published authors might not be entirely freelancers in the strictest sense of the word, but they are, at the end of the day, independent workers in charge of generating their own source of income. And while the most common practice among indies is to get on the train of developing a series universe and write and release books fast enough to keep the audiences engaged, one cannot help but wonder…

In the modern era of the Internet and digitalisation, are self-published authors unaware of new income streams beyond their own books?

Chances are, authors know that a single book can be turned into so many other products, such as:

But what about other products and opportunities to generate multiple income streams from the same book? What about, say…

Audiobooks?

Self-published authors should leverage audiobooks as a powerful medium to reach a broader audience and enhance their earning potential. Audiobooks have seen rapid growth in popularity, especially among readers who prefer multitasking or may not have the time to sit and read. By creating audiobooks, authors can tap into this booming market and cater to diverse audiences, such as commuters, visually impaired individuals, and audiobook enthusiasts, thus expanding their readership and boosting sales.

Additionally, audiobooks elevate an author’s brand by diversifying their offerings. A professional narration can bring stories to life, creating a unique emotional connection between the content and the listener. Audiobooks also open opportunities for cross-promotion on platforms like Xigxag, Audible, iTunes, and Google Play, offering enhanced discoverability. For self-published authors, this format can be a game-changer, creating passive income streams and solidifying their presence across multiple media.

Or…

Translations (which can then become ebooks, paperbacks, audiobooks, and book bundles)?

Translating books into other languages is a strategic move for authors seeking to broaden their reach and impact. By offering their work in multiple languages, authors can access new markets and connect with international readers who would otherwise not have access to their stories. This not only expands an author’s audience but also fosters a more global presence, establishing the author as a versatile and inclusive voice in the literary world. For instance, translating into widely spoken languages like Spanish, French, or German opens doors to millions of potential readers across diverse cultural landscapes.

In addition, book translations contribute to an author’s brand development by increasing visibility and credibility. A multilingual portfolio signals professionalism and ambition, making authors more appealing to agents, publishers, and media outlets. Translations can also create opportunities for adaptations, collaborations, and appearances in foreign territories. Beyond commercial benefits, translations enrich the literary conversation by making diverse narratives accessible worldwide, amplifying the author’s voice across borders.

The success stories abound, not just in our blog but also in different communities across the web. For example, on Reddit, some writers share their experiences of sometimes being more successful in foreign markets than in their own. Similarly, on Facebook, author groups share tips, languages to consider translating into, mistakes to avoid, etc.

If you’d like to know more about literary translations, copyrights, how to work with the right linguists, how much it will cost, and much more, get a copy of our FREE ebook: Translating Your Books into Spanish. A Comprehensive Guide to the Spanish Market: Everything you need to know to reach an untapped audience

Or even…

An online store for signed copies and book merch (such as Shopify or Etsy)?

An online store offers authors a unique opportunity to engage directly with their readers and diversify their income streams. By selling signed copies, authors create a personal connection with their audience, adding sentimental value to the purchase. These exclusive items can be promoted through social media and newsletters, appealing to dedicated fans who cherish the tangible connection to the author. Additionally, offering personalised messages or limited-edition bundles can boost sales and make the experience even more special for readers.

Beyond signed books, merchandise such as bookmarks, tote bags, posters, and themed items tied to the book’s story or characters allows authors to expand their brand. These items not only generate additional revenue but also act as marketing tools, spreading awareness of the author’s work as fans share and use the merch. With user-friendly e-commerce platforms, authors can create a seamless shopping experience, ensuring efficient payment processing and shipping options to enhance customer satisfaction.

To maximise the potential of an online store, authors can integrate it with their social media platforms, leveraging their online presence to promote products and interact with their audience. They can also use email marketing to notify fans of new merchandise, limited-time offers, or special bundles. An online store generates revenue and builds a stronger connection between the author and their readers, reinforcing the author’s brand and encouraging word-of-mouth marketing.

Final Thoughts

For self-published authors, diversifying income streams by creating multiple products from a single book is a powerful strategy for maximising revenue and broadening audience engagement. By repurposing the core content into formats such as audiobooks, translations, special editions, or merchandise, authors can appeal to different audience segments. Audiobooks attract busy readers who prefer listening, while translations open access to international markets. Limited edition hardcovers or collector’s items provide exclusivity for dedicated fans, making them feel more connected to the author and the work.

Furthermore, creating spin-off products such as journals, workbooks, or themed merchandise enhances the reader’s experience and establishes the book as more than just a story—it becomes a brand. These products also serve as marketing tools, spreading awareness and fostering loyalty among readers. At the end of the day, this approach mitigates financial risk by reducing dependence on book sales alone, ensuring a steady income from various sources even when one avenue slows down.

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Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

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Epic AI Fails in the Book Industry: The Pumpkin Spice Café

Leave a Comment / Translation World / SBT / 17/02/2025

Epic AI Fails in the Book Industry: The Pumpkin Spice Café Spanish Translation

Epic AI fails… what’s new? Not long ago, in our article AI for Book Translations, we addressed this polemic trend in the hopes of shedding some light on the aspects that few were acknowledging.

It is no surprise that AI has taken the book industry by storm, promising faster translations, streamlined content creation, and cost-effective publishing solutions. But what happens when AI-generated books miss the mark? From disastrous translations to poorly written novels, AI has produced some spectacular failures that have left readers frustrated and publishers scrambling to fix the damage.

In this new section, we’ll explore some of the most shocking AI missteps in the book world so far—stories of botched literary translations, AI-generated books that backfired, and the unexpected consequences of relying too heavily on automation. Whether you’re an author, translator, or book lover, these cautionary tales reveal why human expertise is still essential in publishing.

And what better way to kick off this section than with one of the major epic AI fails or, shall we say, disasters of 2024?

HarperCollins’ approach to using AI for the Spanish translation of Laurie Gilmore’s The Pumpkin Spice Café: Café con aroma a calabaza

Laurie Gilmore’s small-town romance novel has gained great popularity since its release. Among other achievements, the book has:

• become TikTok Book Shop of the Year 2024

• been featured in mainstream media

• reached the #1 bestseller list on The Sunday Times and USA Today

Furthermore, both critics and readers have praised the book for its cosy atmosphere and engaging storytelling. People Magazine noted that it “gives off the same level of endorphins as taking a sip of an actual pumpkin spice latte,” highlighting its comforting and enjoyable narrative.

The novel’s blend of a picturesque small-town setting, relatable characters, and a heartwarming romance has resonated with readers, contributing to its significant popularity.

But why did the translation fall short if the novel was so successful and widely popular in its home market?

Earlier, in a September 2024 interview with Spanish Newspaper La Vanguardia, HarperCollins’ CEO, Brian Murray, admitted to using AI book translation for some books as “the market is too small to afford a translator”. Additionally, he mentioned that in some markets (like Germany), there is a scarcity of literary translators, causing long waiting times. Nevertheless, he believes they will use translators in the future, with AI doing the first draft. He defended this practice by adding that with the correspondingly lower production time and cost, HarperCollins would be able to translate a lot more books. Lastly, Murray said the publisher will always use human translators throughout for the best literary authors.

Unsurprisingly, the interview in itself sparked concern among Spanish-speaking readers, with some wondering if this would be the beginning of a succession of epic AI fails.

In light of the big publisher’s take on using AI in the production of books, readers promptly noticed the absence of a translator in Gilmore’s book credits. And it wasn’t long before they publicly denounced it on social media, tagging the publisher and demanding explanations.

After assuring that HarperCollins would never use AI technologies to translate the best literary authors, the prominent publisher used AI to expedite the release and reduce costs of the Spanish translation of the widely popular The Pumpkin Spice Café. Yet, the Spanish-speaking market doesn’t lack talented professionals nor have particularly high translation costs. Unfortunately, this strategy led to several issues:

Quality Concerns:

Many readers reported that the Spanish translation lacked the nuanced understanding of cultural references and idiomatic expressions present in the original text. The AI translation failed to capture the cosy, small-town charm and the “cosy kink” elements integral to the story’s appeal. Consequently, it resulted in a reading experience that felt disjointed and unengaging.

From a literary translator’s perspective, small-town tales especially call for the human touch of a translator: recreating the tone, describing the cosy setting that feels like home, capturing the emotional depth and chemistry, preserving the warm and comforting feeling in the narration, ensuring natural dialogue and humour, and reproducing all the small-town inhabitants’ quirks.

It would seem that the logic behind using AI to translate a small-town romance novel and expecting to conquer the hearts of a foreign audience is flawed.

Reader Backlash:

The subpar translation quality led to negative reviews and dissatisfaction among Spanish-speaking readers. Notably, many felt that the essence of the story was lacking, and the characters’ personalities did not resonate as they did in the original. Furthermore, many went on to express their feelings of being scammed and their broad discontent on the publisher’s social media.

User	Spanish comment	Translation
Xavier_Beltran	Traducido por la propia editorial. Bonita manera de referirse a una IA y a la burda estrategia de sustituir a traductores humanos por una maldita máquina.	Translated by the publisher itself. Nice way to refer to an AI and to the crude strategy of replacing human translators with a damn machine.
Mikeyfdez	Qué pena lo de “la traducción”. Lo leeré en inglés.	Such a shame about “the translation”. I will read it in English then.
Vsha.bella.books	Me sale más barato comprarlo en inglés y usar la IA yo misma para traducirlo a que vosotros me cobréis 20 pavos por hacer lo mismo,	It is cheaper to buy it in English and use AI to translate it myself than to pay you 20 bucks to do the same.
Claraalbori	Iba a comprarlo, hasta que vi quién es el “traductor”.	I was going to buy it, but then I saw who the “translator” was…
Ceciii73	Obviamente si está traducido por IA me lo descargaré en vez de comprarlo. Si no pagáis traductores, no pago libros. Así de simple.	Obviously, since it is translated with AI, I will download it for free instead of buying it. If you are not going to pay translators, then I will not pay for your books. It’s as simple as that.

A New Normal?

Not only did the backlash affect the book’s reception, but it also tarnished HarperCollins’ reputation. The reliance on AI for literary translation was perceived as a cost-cutting measure that compromised quality, losing readers and authors’ trust.

Following this, many readers started paying closer attention to the books’ credits before making a purchase, afraid of being scammed. Moreover, they took to social media to vent their frustrations and let HarperCollins know that they refused to continue reading such nonsense.

Translation of the reviewer’s message to HarperCollins Ibérica:

“I got a copy of Mister Hockey via Kindle, and when I started to read it, I noticed the translation was not too good… There were too many inconsistencies, phrasing that made no sense and literal translations that didn’t sound natural. I have checked your website and realised there is no translator acknowledged. Therefore, I understand it is an AI translation.

I have read almost 20% of the book, and it is impossible to read because nothing makes sense. I am very sorry, but I will abandon reading the book and won’t be writing a review.”

Author's Silence

As for Laurie Gilmore, she has not made any public statement regarding the matter, nor has she addressed it in any official capacity. However, readers would love to know how involved she was in the decision-making process regarding her foreign editions.

Financial Implications:

Potentially, the negative reception of a book poorly translated with AI could incur additional costs to rectify the situation. HarperCollins may now have to commission human translators to retranslate the book, manage public relations to address the controversy and implement marketing campaigns to restore the book’s and the publisher’s image in the Spanish-speaking market.

Whether something will be done to rectify the damage done, however, remains to be seen. Currently, no public information indicates that HarperCollins Ibérica has taken any specific actions to address concerns regarding the translation, nor have they responded to the many upset readers on social media. At the time of writing, the publisher lists itself as the translator on its official website.

The Irreplaceable Value of Human Translators in Literary Translation

Undoubtedly, the AI translation failure of The Pumpkin Spice Café serves as a cautionary tale for authors and publishers alike. While AI can assist in many areas, it lacks the nuance, cultural awareness, and emotional depth required for literary translation. Certainly, books are more than just words—they carry heart, voice, and storytelling essence, all of which can be lost in machine-generated translations.

Thus, for authors looking to expand into foreign markets, there is no shortcut—investing in a skilled human translator is the key to success. After all, a well-translated book respects the integrity of the original story, connects deeply with new readers, and builds credibility. Besides, it enhances an author’s international reputation.

In conclusion, by prioritising quality over shortcuts, authors can conquer new audiences, boost sales, and create lasting literary impact—ensuring that their stories are loved and appreciated across languages and cultures.

Ultimately, we can only hope we won’t be seeing more of these epic AI fails in the future…

Choosing the Right Translator and How to Work with Them

Leave a Comment / Translation Tips for Self-published Authors, Translation World / SBT / 03/02/2025

Choosing the Right Translator and How to Work with Them

Choosing the right translator is fundamental to thriving in a foreign market. This also means you need to work with your translator as a team. We really can’t stress this enough.

At the beginning of their writing career, most authors struggle to find the right editors and proofreaders. They’ll go through countless samples, stress about trusting their manuscripts to an editor, and sometimes waste a lot of money only to wind up disappointed with the results. Whereas some more experienced authors still haven’t found the appropriate professionals, others managed to create the dream team — a developmental editor, a copy editor, a proofreader, a book formatter, and a cover artist. And after all they’ve been through to find them, one thing’s for sure — they’re never, ever letting them go.

We’re not going to sugar‍-‍coat it — finding the right translator for you can occasionally prove harder and more frustrating than finding the right editor. Because you probably don’t speak the language and have no way of personally assessing their skills. And this can quickly turn into a downer. But you shouldn’t get discouraged just yet!

Many authors have achieved great success in foreign markets. One of them? Kate Bateman, an international best-selling author of historical romance novels, translated into German, Portuguese, Italian, and French. Read this interview where Kate shares her tips with fellow authors.

Another one? Mariah Stone, an international best-selling author of historical romance and time-travel romance, translated into German, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Where to find professional literary translators?

Even though finding a skilled and qualified literary translator can seem like a tremendous hurdle, we can assure you it is far from finding a needle in a haystack. And we are here to help. There are several pages where you can find professional translators in any language with proven experience and credentials:

● linkedin.com/

● translatorscafe.com/

● proz.com/

● Google — most specialised professional translators have their website!

● Amazon — find translated books in your genre and research the translator. Are the titles getting good reviews? Would it be possible to drop a line to the author asking for a reference? Does the translator have a website or contact information so you can get in touch

● Recommendations from other authors

● Check on translators’ associations — they tend to have a section in which they have a database with all of its members or a form you can complete to be contacted by a translator that suits your needs

Some things to be aware of:

Of course, there are multiple websites where freelancers offer their services, too. Bear in mind that if you use these services, the website takes a share of the fee. Moreover, you want to be extra careful because many bilingual speakers with no formal training or experience tend to offer their services on these platforms. The issue lies in the fact that the customer reviews for their services might not consider things like the actual work quality, but focus on the interaction and communication with the linguist and their ability to meet deadlines. Generally speaking, qualified linguists tend to avoid these platforms, but if they do list their services there, they are among the most expensive providers.

At this point, we’d like to stress that we’d stay clear from royalty‍-‍share platforms if you expect to generate income with your translations, keep control of your translations, and avoid many further headaches born from misinformation. Remember that professional, qualified, and in‍-‍demand literary translators will rarely be found on job‍-‍posting websites or royalty‍-‍share platforms looking for projects that are little more than unpaid volunteer work. You want to work with a language professional, a linguist, with the work ethic to handle the task and deliver a quality product in due time and manner.

How do I know if I found the right translator for my books?

Let’s say you did your research and you found a potential translator for your novels. As that other old saying goes, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” And before teaming up with your translator, you need to find out if you’re a good fit. If finding the right editors proved challenging for you, then you know what we’re on about.

But what to do when you do not know the target language? Luckily, there is plenty! And most of it is free!

● Ask in author groups and forums. Chances are, you’ll encounter a bilingual speaker who’ll be able to assist you — for instance, by reading a sample and making comments on the work. Proceed with caution, though. If you do this, make sure only to ask native speakers of the language you’ll be translating your books into.

● Consult your subscriber list! You probably have native speakers in the target language you’re considering translating into, and they’ll be thrilled to assist you!

● Join reader forums and ask for help from native speakers.

● Hire a professional editor to assess the quality of a sample — whether it’s 300 words or an entire chapter of your manuscript, we think this expense could be worth it.

But are they really the right translator?

Before asking your community of helpers, you need to determine if your selected translator is the right linguist for your titles. Here’s a list of things you can try:

● Have them read a sample chapter of your book and ask them about their thoughts — this will give you great insight into the person you’re hiring. Are they mentioning things such as tone, mood, setting, character’s voice, or possible translation challenges? A professional translator reads books with a trained eye to spot these kinds of things.

● Check their previously translated titles and go over the readers’ reviews. Isn’t that the ultimate best way to assess your translator’s skills? In the past, Carolina used to show samples of her work to authors looking to hire her services, but nowadays, she points them to her Author Central Translator profile. There they can have a look at her portfolio and assess her work based on reviews of hundreds of native‍-‍speaking readers.

● Choose a translator to match your genre (and niche, if possible). No doubt, a translator who understands the market and the audience you’re writing for will have experience with the conventions of your genre and will do a better job communicating your message.

● Request translation samples. Professional translators usually provide free samples of up to 300 words. If you can afford it, we strongly advise you to consider asking for a paid sample of the first chapter of your novel. Get your beta readers’ input before deciding.

● Ask them questions about their translation process. Do they work with proofeditors or proofreaders? If so, what are their credentials?

● Set up video calls. Don’t be shy! No matter the target language, a good translator will have questions for you after the first reading of your manuscript. Set up a call to go over all these questions and make decisions together. Discuss possible titles. Don’t forget to brainstorm important keywords that could be worked into the titles and blurbs. Research what other authors in your genre are releasing in the foreign market you’re about to enter. There is no denying that some authors don’t like to be so involved with the translation process (especially if they don’t speak the target language). Others simply don’t have so much time for this and prefer to leave all these decisions in the capable hands of their trusted translators.

Beta readers? Why not!

● Ask your newsletter list whether there are any native speakers in your target language. Get your fans involved! Have them beta‍-‍read the first chapters or the entire manuscript and provide feedback. As translators, we love this part of the process. Keep in mind that the more people you ask to beta read and the longer material you provide them with, the more you’ll postpone your launching date. We think this is truly a worthy price to pay if you don’t speak the target language. Rest assured, the translation you’re paying for is on the right track.

● Working with beta readers, though, can prove challenging at times, and it’s important to remember that they’re your target readers, but they’re not typically professional linguists. Leave all major language decisions in the hands of linguists.

To learn more about how to work with beta-readers for Book Translations, don’t miss this article: Pros and Cons of Working with Beta Readers for Translated Books

Conclusion

Finding the right translator for your book will return a good translation and, as a direct consequence, build a path into a new market with new readers. However, finding or getting the wrong one, or even worse, a bad one, can damage your author brand and reputation. It might take some time, but it is worth being patient to get a good one: Translators sometimes are booked in advance or might be dealing with another project. Just because you found your translator, it does not mean that they will be immediately available; make sure to set some realistic deadlines and plan in advance.

Whatever you do, be fair to your translator and respect them for the professional they are.

Read our success story translating Mariah’s Stone time-travel romance series into Spanish here.

Disclosure:

This article is an edited extract from our Free ebook “Translating Your Books into Spanish: A Comprehensive Guide to the Spanish Market: Everything You Need to Know to Reach an Untapped Audience.”

If you would like to learn more, grab your copy at your favourite online vendor:

https://books2read.com/translating-your-books-into-spanish

This post may contain affiliate links

Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Contact me

Ayelen Lapettina Benito

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Contact me

Choosing the Right Translator and How to Work with Them Read More »

Interview with Best-selling Author Kate Bateman

Leave a Comment / Success Story, Writer's Life / SBT / 20/01/2025

Interview with Historical Romance Best-selling Author Kate Bateman

Today we open a cycle of interviews, where we will be asking our guests all the things indies want to know regarding the world of literary translations and maybe haven’t got a chance to ask. Our first guest is Kate Bateman, a best-selling author of Regency and Renaissance historical romance novels. Kate has had her books translated both via her traditional publishers into languages such as French, Italian, Croatian, and Japanese, and she has also outsourced some of her foreign editions, such as Brazilian and German.

Hello, Kate, and welcome to Spanish Book Translations. We are thrilled to have you as our first author guest on our blog.

As you may know, a lot of authors out there are considering having their books translated into different languages; but whether it is for budgetary reasons, fear of being scammed, language barriers, etc., not many dare to do it. Today, we would like to ask you some questions regarding your translations in the hopes of shedding some light on the topic from an author’s perspective, rather than a translator’s.

Before we get started…

Would you like to introduce yourself and briefly tell us a bit about your career, how you got started, and how your author brand developed over the years?

Kate Bateman: Hello and thanks for having me! I write ‘badasses in bodices’: sexy, snarky, adventure-filled Historical Romances. My books feature feisty, intelligent heroines, wickedly inappropriate banter, and heroes you want to strangle and kiss!

Writing Historical Romance is, in fact, a second career for me. I spent 15 years in the UK as a Fine Art and antiques appraiser, running my own auction house, Batemans. It was only when I moved from the UK to the USA in 2011, with my husband’s work, that I started to write romance full-time. Since I was a huge lover of reading historical romance, that was what I wanted to write as well—especially since my background in antiques gave me a great grounding in the period. I also have a degree in English (Literature), so I was hopeful that I could string a sentence together. . .

For my publishing journey, I was extremely lucky. My first book, an Italian-Renaissance set tale called The Devil To Pay was entered into a writing contest and resulted in an editor from Random House (who was a judge of the contest) asking for the full manuscript. She loved the book, but since Regency-set stories were much easier to sell at that time, she asked if I would write a Regency. I pitched a three-book Regency series, (my Secrets & Spies series), and was thrilled when it was accepted for publication. Those first three books were actually digital-first (meaning they never ended up getting a physical print run, since that line was eventually discontinued). I wanted to be traditionally published in print, so I had my agent pitch my next books to other publishers, and we sold my next three-book series to MacMillan / St. Martin’s Press. I’ve been with them ever since, for nine further books, (Bow Street Bachelors series, Ruthless Rivals Series, and Her Majesty’s Rebels series). Road Trip With A Rogue will be coming out in July 2025!

Coincidentally, I self-published The Devil To Pay a few years after it had been rejected – and it was nominated for the 2019 RITA award, which made me very happy! I’ve also self-published several spin-off novellas from my trad-published series, as well as some for anthologies and other collaborations. So, technically, I’m a hybrid writer right now; traditionally published and also doing indie projects.

Were your first translated titles handled by your traditional publishers? How much say did you have in the decision-making process? How long did the process take, and how was the experience?

KB: Yes, Random House and then St. Martin’s Press both sold the foreign rights to my books to various countries, (through a third-party foreign rights agency). I think my first foreign translations were the Secrets & Spies series in French, with J’ai Lu.

Interview with Historical Romance Best-selling Author Kate Bateman Rivalités (Tome 1) - Secrets & Spies (Book 1) translated into French by Agnès Girard

Interview with Historical Romance Best-selling Author Kate Bateman Rivalités (Tome 2) - Secrets & Spies (Book 2) translated into French by Astrid Mougins

Interview with Historical Romance Best-selling Author Kate Bateman Rivalités (Tome 3) - Secrets & Spies (Book 3) translated into French by Astrid Mougins

For the trad-organized translations I really have no input at all. The translator and covers etc. are all chosen and designed by whichever publisher has bought your books. I love seeing the different covers each country makes. They’re all quite different, but also capture the book in their own way. Styles for covers change quite a bit depending on the country.

I’m in awe of translators. It’s such an art to take someone else’s words and accurately convey them into another language. Sometimes a literal translation is impossible—perhaps because the words for a particular thing or concept don’t really exist in the target language—and a good translator will have to be creative in conveying the sense and tone of the original without losing the style of the author or substantially changing the meaning of the work.

It’s interesting for me to read the French translations of my own books, because I studied French at university level too, and I often find that the way something’s been translated is quite different to what I’d originally written, but the essence and meaning of the sentence are still there, so it’s a successful translation, if not a word-for-word substitution. An author puts a LOT of trust into their translator, entrusting them to convey their original message as well as possible, and the translator of a work completely deserves to be credited for their hard work.

Another thing that is sometimes hard to translate is humour, especially when it’s play on words or puns. Something like that might work in one language, but not necessarily in the target language – the joke would make no sense – so it’s up to the author and translator to have a discussion about how best to deal with that situation. Do you leave out the joke completely? Try to find a similar substitute in the target language? It’s a fun part of the collaboration for me.

In terms of timing, translations can be very slow with traditionally published books: it’s often many months, sometimes even a year, from when I sign a foreign-rights translation contract to when the translated book actually hits the shelves.

How did you decide to outsource the foreign editions of your indie titles and release them in other markets, such as Germany and Brazil? What was the experience like? How long did this process take?

KB: For Germany, I’d heard from other indie authors that it was a good market for Historical Romance translations, so I decided to employ someone to translate the three books in my Secrets & Spies series (after I’d got the rights back from Random House).

I chose to pay outright for the translation, instead of doing a royalty-share of future profits with the translator. Obviously when the cost of the translations needs to be paid up front, or in stages, prior to publication, that can get very expensive. It’s definitely a big investment, one that you hope will pay off when the book gets published, but it can take time to earn back that initial investment!

For my Brazilian translations, I was contacted by Leabhar, a relatively new publisher in Brazil, and offered them the rights to translate my indie books. I negotiated the deal and contracts myself, and agreed to no advance, but a royalty split, (Leabhar pay for the cost of the covers and translations). This suited me, since each translation costs several thousand dollars, so the onus and risk are on the publisher’s part to market the books so they get the cost of the translation back, at the very least! When those initial translations went well, and the sales were good, they contacted St. Martin’s Press and actually ended up buying the rights to all of my traditionally published books as well, which was a great result.

How many indie books did you release in each foreign language? How do the sales of those books compare to the titles published traditionally?

KB: So far, I’ve only released three full-length books in German, but I plan to do several more this year! I’ve also had The Devil To Pay translated into Italian (since it’s set in Italy), which I did to coincide with the RARE book signing I attended in Florence, Italy in 2023.

For Brazilian, I think about six of my books and novellas have already been published there, with maybe another six or eight to come, so that’s early days in terms of sales figures. The first few books are already paying me royalties, though, which means they’ve earned-out their translation costs. Phew!

Right now, my indie-published translations haven’t sold as many copies as those translations which have been trad-published, but that’s probably because they haven’t been out for as long. Also, for countries like France, and Italy, the physical print copies are available in some of the big bookstores, like FNAC, and in supermarkets like Conad, which helps visibility and sales, whereas my own translations aren’t in physical stores (although print copies are available for readers to buy online.) Most of my indie-translation sales are from e-books, not print.

How did you find the right professionals to handle your foreign editions? How did you prove their skill set and experience? Did you always work with the same linguist team in each language? Would you do things differently if given the chance?

KB: I found my German translator, Dorthe, on Upwork, after posting the job description, but I got at least ten sample translations of the first few chapters from various people before choosing her. I had several German beta-readers review the sample chapters to help me decide which translation was the best.

I believe Dorthe took around three months to translate each book, which was the schedule we mutually agreed on. I found Stefanie, my German proofreader on Upwork too, and she took another few weeks to proof each book. For my German covers, I used an Italy-based cover designer I’d worked with before, Cora Graphics. The cover designs also take a few months to perfect.

For my Italian translation, I initially posted the job on Tektime, and received several sample chapters from potential translators, but I wasn’t completely happy with any of them. I finally contacted an Italian translator who had been recommended to me by some fellow indie authors, and we agreed his fee and a schedule for translation. Carmelo took around six to eight weeks to translate the book. My Italian proofreader, Maria Antonietta, was recommended by Carmelo, who’d worked with her before successfully. She took around a month to finish the proofing.

What were your main concerns when hiring a translator and an editor, and how did you handle them? What advice would you have for indies dealing with the same fears?

KB: I’d always suggest asking other authors who have worked with the translator if they’ve been happy with their services. Recommendations from people you know are always valuable.

Obviously, there’s a skill needed to translate historical novels set in the past, with different words and language needed, compared to very modern language. So I want to know if the translator can deal with that. Nobody wants very modern words in a Regency-set novel! So check to see if the translator has already dealt with other books in your particular sub-genre.

It’s also useful to check other books they’ve translated and look at the reviews to see if there are any negative comments on there about the quality of the translation!

As I mentioned before, it’s important to decide upfront the schedule of when the translations will be done, and when payments will be made, so deadlines can be met. Also, discuss things like how to translate humour and jokes that might not work in one language. And ask the translator to let you know if there’s something that might be offensive or make no sense to readers in the target language, so you can change that if necessary.

How do you deal with the marketing of foreign titles? Do you have a special Newsletter to connect with foreign readers and let them know about your releases in their language?

KB: I share new releases and sales of my foreign titles in my main monthly author newsletter, but I also have a separate mailing list for readers in each country, like Germany, and send them a second, specific email just about the translation. I’m not currently running any Facebook or AMS ads to my foreign translations, but that’s on my list to start again in 2025.

I’ve also joined several Facebook groups of authors who have been translated into other languages, and we often collaborate to do sales and promotions for our readers.

Have you received any feedback on the quality of the translations? Are there any recurrent comments that keep showing up?

KB: There are always going to be comments from people who aren’t happy with the translations, or who think the language used is too modern, but overall I think the quality of my translations is very high, and reviews are almost all positive. Even with my English books, which have been through numerous rounds of professional editing, one or two stubborn typos still manage to sneak through – after all, nobody’s perfect!

What are your best-performing foreign titles, and why do you think that is?

KB: I’m not actually sure which of my translated titles are selling the best! Reporting for my traditionally published titles is VERY slow – I usually don’t see the sales figures until at least six months after the start of the accounting period, so it’s hard to say for those ones. My German translations have all earned out the cost of producing them, although it took a little longer than I’d expected, but I think that’s mainly because I only have the three books in that series available for readers, and I’m not actively promoting them right now. I’m excited to see how my Brazilian sales are increasing – that’s something I’m looking forward to in 2025.

Would you recommend fellow authors to explore the exploitation of foreign rights? Is it worth the time and investment? If so, what markets would you recommend to other writers in your genre, and why?

KB: I’d definitely say ‘do your research’. Some genres sell much better in certain countries and marketplaces than in others, and some countries have a greater readership overall. If you have a series of books, especially one that’s over three books long, then it may be worth the investment, BUT it is exactly that – an investment, just like audiobooks and other diversifications. Be prepared (and financially able) to wait until those books earn out the cost of producing them.

If you only have one or two books published, I’d say maybe wait until you have a greater body of work before looking at getting things translated – you need readers who love your work to be able to read more than just one book from you! Better to write the next few books first.

That said, I have no regrets about having my books translated, and I’m definitely looking to have more translated in the future. It’s a long-term strategy, but once they’re done, they’re out there forever, and all future sales are very welcome to subsidise your income.

Also, there are many ways to go about translations, and several new companies that have appeared catering to this trend, including royalty shares, and other models. Look at all the options and decide which works best for you.

For markets, I’d say that Germany is probably the most easily accessible and potentially profitable market right now, although I have high hopes for Brazil!

In recent times, there has been an increasing trend for AI translation. As an author who has worked with human translators and editors, what are your thoughts on this?

KB: I’m extremely wary about using AI for anything to do with a creative process, including writing, translating, narrating audiobooks, and art design. Not merely because I’m not convinced of the ethics of using a tool that has been trained using the creative endeavours of others without giving them any payment for that use (or, indeed, often without their agreement or even knowledge!), but also because I just don’t think there’s any substitute for a real, live human in these cases. There’s something quite static and soulless about things made by AI. Just look at AI-generated art; it’s derivative from a billion different sources, but it also all looks the same, somehow, and weirdly fake. (And still rife with errors like six-fingered people!)

I personally will continue to deal with human translators and artists because I value the quality of their work. Humans have the ability to understand nuance, style, subtlety, context, and humour in a way that AI cannot. Plus, I enjoy the collaborative process of dealing with a human translator.

What is next in your writing journey? Are you considering translating into new languages? If so, which ones have crossed your mind, and why?

KB: I’m about to start a brand new 3-book series for 2025, so that will take up most of my time, but I’m also going to look into possible translations. I may get more of my novellas translated into German, and also French.

Are there any final words you would like to share?

KB: Be professional. Always sign a contract with your translator, one that clearly outlines the rights and responsibilities of each party. For copyrights, make sure you understand the rights for each country, since those can vary greatly. In Germany, for example, there exists the ‘Urheberrecht’ clause, whereby the translator has the right to be acknowledged as the ‘creator’ of the translation. According to German law, the translator holds the copyright of the translated work as an inalienable right. However, this doesn’t really have any practical implications, because the translator can contractually agree to transfer all of the exploitation/publishing rights to the author. This will have the same effect as transferring the copyright itself. The author will be able to do anything they please with the translation, as long as the translator’s name is stated (in the imprint, for instance). But this is something you need to have written in your contract, so it’s clear where everyone stands.

Also, consider whether you plan to publish your translation wide, or just in KU / Amazon. In some places, like Germany, KU is very strong, whereas in others it might pay to publish wide, on all the available platforms. Also, I personally went direct and published with Tolino, and other platforms in Germany, instead of going through an aggregator like D2D (Draft2Digital). It’s a bit more work, but you don’t give up an extra % of your royalties to the third party. Again, decide which route is best for you!

Thank you so much, Kate, for your time today and for sharing your experience with us and many other fellow authors out there, wondering whether it is worth it to translate their titles.

This post may contain affiliate links

Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Contact me

Ayelen Lapettina Benito

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Contact me

Interview with Best-selling Author Kate Bateman Read More »

SBT’s Goals for 2025

Leave a Comment / Translation World / SBT / 06/01/2025

SBT's Goals for 2025

Writing the post for the 2024 Recap was not only a lot of fun for us, but it also helped us become aware of how much we have achieved in the past 12 months. Furthermore, it got us thinking of the future… So now, as we head on into a brand-new year, it is time for us to work on SBT’s goals for 2025 and to set up some milestones and intentions for the coming year; we thought we’d share them with you.

Translate, Edit & Release

In 2025, we’ll be working on Mariah Stone’s “Fated” trilogy and on her brand-new series “Seven Dukes of Sin”, comprised of 7 books that will be launched throughout 2025 (and maybe 2026). Both these series are already in the making, and we are looking forward to seeing readers’ reactions to the Fated series — another time travel adventure which expands on the “Called by a Viking” universe but with some unexpected twists to keep readers hooked. Additionally, this is the first time we have worked on a book with a cliffhanger ending, and we are very curious about the audience’s reaction to it.

New Authors

In 2025, we would love to collaborate with new authors and explore new genres! On this topic, Ayelen would like to take a more active role in translating, while Carolina would love to edit Ayelen’s work.

Ebook

In November 2024, we launched our free ebook: “Translating Your Books into Spanish — A Comprehensive Guide to the Spanish Market: Everything You Need to Know to Reach an Untapped Audience”. This year we’ll be focusing on expanding our reach by marketing this compendium of tips, tricks, and valuable data on translating for the Spanish market. Our goal is not to get as many readers or newsletter subscribers as possible, but to get this ultimate free resource into the right hands—established, successful authors who are now ready to explore new markets and diversify their source of income.

Blog

Due to scheduling, and other projects (such as translations and the writing, editing and releasing of our Ebook), we didn’t set up a schedule for posting on our blog in 2024. However, in 2025, we are committed to posting at least two articles a month, bringing us to at least 24 articles by the end of the year.

On that note, you can expect to read other perspectives on our blog this year, such as other writers and relevant publishing professionals. We are working on some interviews and collaborations, for example with an author who is succeeding in foreign markets and a social media community manager who engages with foreign audiences on behalf of authors.

Social Media

Social Media has never been the focus of Spanish Book Translations: we were always more focused on developing our blog, creating insightful articles and sharing valuable translation tips for self-published authors, both on our website and on our free ebook.

In September 2024, though, we created a Pinterest account, with the aim of growing our reach and drawing more authors interested in exploring the world of translations to our blog.

LinkedIn can be a powerful tool for sharing reliable articles with self-published authors and establishing professional connections with other translators, editors, proofreaders, cover designers and industry experts. This means that focusing on our profiles and potentially developing a stronger presence is one of our objectives for the year. Would you like to connect with us? Connect with Ayelen and Carolina!

Additionally, we would also love to engage more with Spanish-speaking readers, through platforms like Goodreads and StoryGraph. So, one of our goals for 2025 is to develop our social media concept to create engagement with our readers and help authors promote Spanish titles.

Our Goals

Ayelen’s Personal & Professional Goals:

This year, I want to improve my Italian, a language I have been learning for a couple of years, and become more confident in my use and knowledge of Danish. Last year, I chose a recently published book to practice translation from Danish to English and Spanish. I would like to finish this personal project, and if I am happy with the result, I’d love to have the courage to send a translation proposal to a publishing house. Honestly, I’m not expecting much from it, but the simple act of just doing it might give me some sense of completion; I’ve wanted to do that for some time, and what better time than now?

On an academic front, I’m considering doing a Master’s in Literature, and maybe this is the year I apply. It’s an idea I have been analysing for several years now, and every time, I feel a bit unsure for various reasons, but I always end up coming back to it. Back in 2023, I did a postgraduate course on Specialised Translation into English, which helped me feel more confident in my English production and ignited the spark to continue studying after its completion.

Regarding my reading goals, I am always a bit ambitious, so I aim to read 50 books (I managed to do that twice, in 2021 and 2022). However, in 2023 and 2024, I only managed to read 26 books on both occasions (though I have 16 books in my current reads on StoryGraph — books I started in 2023 and 2024 but didn’t have the opportunity to finish for one reason or another). This year, in my StoryGraph Reading Goal, I set once again 50 books. I always try to read an even selection of fiction and non-fiction – I do not discriminate, my reads can be prose, graphic novels, and poetry. We shall see if this is the year I come back to achieve it.

Carolina’s Personal & Professional Goals:

Personally, one of the things I would love to do most in 2025 is to read more books: books in Spanish, books in English, fiction books, reference books, romance books, fantasy books, books by new authors… you name it. I would also like to be more active on Goodreads and engage more with Spanish readers, as I used to love doing this and discovered a lot of great authors by reading other people’s reviews, but I somehow lost the habit in the last few years.

On a professional note, I would like to focus on developing techniques for better optimising my time. In order to achieve this, I have downloaded an app with the Pomodoro method, which I will be putting to the test relentlessly in the coming weeks.

Whereas 2024 has been an incredible year for me with the blog, the ebook, and two series translated and released (Al tiempo del vikingo and Duques y secretos, with a total of nine full-length novels and one novella), I haven´t gotten enough rest. So, one of my goals for 2025 is to be more careful with my time off, to avoid unnecessary stress with tight deadlines, and to take the time I need to rest and spend quality time with my friends and family.

Last but not least, I have always been a big traveller at heart, so, for me, 2025 is a year where I need to travel more and make up for the little I travelled in 2024. Some destinations on my bucket list are Scotland, Portugal, Cyprus, Malta, the Galapagos, the Czech Republic, Canada, Greenland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Final Thoughts

We are very excited to kick off 2025! It is thrilling for us to continue working together and growing professionally, developing our collaboration and helping self-published authors reach new markets and succeed internationally. Moreover, we are also excited to explore new ventures in terms of social media, new clients and projects, and new audiences.

Even though we love taking one day at a time, we are also thrilled for when the time comes to analyse 2025 and figure out how many goals we have reached! But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves yet. For now, let’s just enjoy the exciting year spreading before us!

This post may contain affiliate links

Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Contact me

Ayelen Lapettina Benito

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Contact me

SBT’s Goals for 2025 Read More »

2024 Recap

Leave a Comment / Success Story, Translation World / SBT / 17/12/2024

The 2024 Recap of an Incredible Year for SBT

As we look back on this 2024 recap of an incredible year, we’re filled with gratitude and pride for all we’ve accomplished as book translators and editors. From diving into captivating stories to helping self-published books reach new audiences, it’s been a journey filled with growth, learning, and creativity. This year saw us working on some of the most exciting projects yet, refining our craft, pushing our productivity limits, celebrating the successes of the authors who continue to trust us with their literary dreams. Moreover, we grew our blog and launched our free ebook on literary translation for self-published authors.

Join us as we recap our highlights, the challenges we have overcome and the milestones that have defined our year—each project is a testament to our passion for bridging cultures and bringing stories to life for Spanish-speaking readers around the world.

The ebook we launched: Translating your Books into Spanish—A Comprehensive Guide to the Spanish Market

In November 2024, after years in the making, we finally launched our ultimate free resource for authors looking to translate their books into a foreign language ethically and smartly while looking after their author brand:

Would you like to reach a new, untapped audience and take your self-published books and author career to the next level? Translating Your Books into Spanish: A Comprehensive Guide to the Spanish Market is your go-to resource for expanding your readership into the Spanish-speaking world. This thorough guide provides authors with everything they need to know to succeed in one of the largest growing book markets.

Packed with meticulously researched information and reliable sources, as well as expert tips and actionable insights, this book covers essential topics like:

•Analysing the Spanish Market

•Monetising Foreign Rights

•Working with Translators

•Addressing Copyrights and Royalties

•Marketing Translated Books

This Guide is a Must-Have for Self-published Authors.

With millions of potential readers in over 20 countries, translating your book into Spanish offers unparalleled opportunities to grow your readership and increase your earnings.

Find out all you need to know to exploit your foreign rights to unlock the gateway to a large, thriving, and unsaturated literary market and multiply your sources of income while protecting your author brand and doing it the right way.

Are you ready to expand your horizons and grow your readership? Start your journey to becoming a translated author today!

You still haven’t got your copy? Get it for FREE now!

Projects we have worked on:

We are proud to have increased our productivity this year and have seen the release of ten books in two different series. Not only that, but we are thrilled that every single title made it to #1 bestseller on Amazon for their genre.

Series “Duques y secretos”

Series “Al tiempo del vikingo”

Posts we have shared (in case you missed any):

Just Finished Translating my First Series

Learn about Carolina’s journey of translating a best-selling book series, Mariah Stone’s time-travel romance series: Al tiempo del highlander. In this insightful article, she tells all about the challenges she faced and the lessons learned while bringing a hit series to an international audience. Read the article here.

What’s Behind a Professional Translator’s Fee?

Ever wonder what makes some translators’ fees seem so high in comparison to other “linguists” services? Join us as we explore the skills, training, and specialisation professional translators acquire in order to perform their jobs, as well as the equipment they require, the expenses they incur, and so much more! Read the article here.

Know Thy Author: A Translator's Guide to Working with Self-published Authors

In this article, Carolina shares her new approach to working with the right authors for her (something she learnt from working with several different authors). Find out what a literary translator might want to know about you and your author brand before embarking on any projects! Read the article here.

How to Promote a Translated Title and Conquer a Foreign Market

We put together a comprehensive guide covering everything you need to do to successfully market your foreign editions — from pre-launch to launch week and post-launch strategies to promote your translated title! Read the article here.

Help! My Translation Is Not Performing. What Should I do?

Have you already released some titles in a foreign market, and they are not performing? We invite you to read this article and figure out what might be wrong with your manuscript or marketing strategies and find possible solutions to address different issues. Read the article here.

7 Tips to Find the Right Literary Translator for Your Self-published Books

Finding the right literary translator will not only save you tons of headaches, but it is crucial for ensuring that the essence and quality of your books are preserved in the target language. So, we set you in the right direction to help you find the perfect translator for your projects, covering everything from training to experience and professionalism! Read the article here.

Thoughts on Inspiration and 10 Quotes to Inspire the Writer Within You

Have you ever found yourself lacking the inspiration to write or stuck in one of those annoying creativity blocks? We shed some light on the importance inspiration plays in our lives. The wise words of fellow writers who have experienced and faced the same struggles as you will help you feel you are not alone on your writing journey. Read the article here.

Book Recommendation: Translating Myself and Others, by Jhumpa Lahiri

Ayelen shares one of her favourite reads of 2024, a book by a fellow writer and literary translator who shares her experiences translating her own works. In an insightful analysis, Ayelen highlights Lahiri’s struggles and challenges as she self-translates and navigates the topics of identity and language. Read the article here.

AI for Book Translations & What Nobody Is Really Talking About

Being an author, you are probably up-to-date with the use of AI in the literary world. Chances are you have read long debates in author forums or groups regarding the ethical aspects of using AI for creating literary works (or translations). In this article, we explore the potential damage this approach might have on a well-established author’s brand and why you should avoid AI for literary translations at all costs. Read the article here.

Pros and Cons of Working with Beta Readers for Translated Books

One of the biggest concerns authors face when assessing the quality and readability of a foreign edition of their work is: how to trust their translated book carries the same meaning and produces the same emotions in the foreign audience as it does in their home market. Luckily, working with beta readers can help! However, in this article, we analyse not only the perks of having these fans on board but also what authors should be wary of. Read the article here.

7 Reasons Why Translators Should Receive Royalties

“Why are authors expected to pay royalties to their literary translators after paying them a fair fee for their services?” This somewhat controversial issue within publishing, especially among indie authors, is quite popular on the Internet; there are multiple stances but no consensus. Touch wood, this article contributes positively to the conversation. Read the article here.

Launching Our Free Ebook

We invite you to check our newly released ebook. Here, we explain in more detail what the contents of the ebook are and what you can expect to find on its pages. Hopefully, you take something useful from reading it! Read the article here.

Final Thoughts

The whole spanishbooktranslations.com project, including the blog and ebook, has been developing since March 2021 with the main goal of shedding light on a creative craft that no machine or AI can perform. Both with our book and blog, we wanted to equip self-published authors with the necessary tools, information, and knowledge to help them make informed decisions when it comes to exploiting their foreign rights (in any language) while protecting their author brand.

Now, as this year reaches its end, it gives us great joy and pride to see how far we have come.

And we are ever so excited for everything 2025 wants to bring our way!

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Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Contact me

Ayelen Lapettina Benito

English > Spanish Literary Translator

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2024 Recap Read More »

Launching Our Free Ebook

Leave a Comment / Translation World, Writer's Life / SBT / 28/11/2024

Launching Our Free Ebook

Launching our free ebook, Translating Your Books into Spanish, has been on our minds for a while, but now it is available for you to read. Without further ado, let us introduce it to you:

Unlock the gateway to a massive untapped literary market with Translating Your Books into Spanish: A Comprehensive Guide to the Spanish Market. Whether you’re a self-published author or a seasoned writer looking to expand your reach, this guide is a valuable resource to help you thrive in the Spanish-speaking market. With millions of potential readers in over 20 countries, translating your books into Spanish offers unparalleled opportunities to grow your readership and increase your earnings.

Discover the Power of the Spanish-Speaking Market

The Spanish-speaking literary market is vast yet surprisingly underexplored by English-language authors. With over 500 million Spanish speakers worldwide, there’s a great demand for quality translated content. But the real question is: How can you make the most of this market and ensure your book becomes a success? This guide will show you how to navigate this exciting terrain, monetise your foreign rights, and boost your book sales.

Working with Translators and Editors: The Key to Success

Translating your book is not just about converting words from one language to another — it’s about translating cultures and adapting your story to resonate with an entirely new audience. Thus, finding the right translator is crucial to retaining the essence of your work and ensuring it resonates with Spanish-speaking readers. This comprehensive guide covers:

•How to find and vet professional literary translators who understand your book’s tone, genre, and audience.

•The importance of a sample translation or background check to ensure the translator’s style matches your author-voice.

•How to collaborate effectively with your translator and build a successful, long-lasting partnership.

•Tips to avoid common pitfalls or rookie mistakes when dealing with translation projects.

Copyrights and Intellectual Property

Navigating copyright laws when translating your book into Spanish can be tricky, especially when dealing with different countries. This guide offers a clear overview of:

•How copyright laws work in the Spanish-speaking world and how they apply to your translated work.

•What you need to know about contracts to protect your intellectual property and avoid legal complications.

Thriving in an Unsaturated Market

Many authors are unaware of how much opportunity exists within the Spanish-speaking market. In this guide, you’ll explore why the market remains relatively unsaturated despite its enormous potential. More importantly, you’ll discover how to position yourself as a leading author within this space by:

•Understanding reader preferences and trends in the Spanish-speaking literary world.

•Building relationships with Spanish-language readers, reviewers, and bloggers who can help spread the word about your book.

•Learning about how other English-speaking authors have navigated this market.

This Guide is a Must-Have for Self-published Authors

If you’re a self-published author, this guide is your roadmap to taking your career to the next level by reaching a whole new audience. With more authors choosing to self-publish than ever before, the competition in the English-speaking market is fierce. However, the Spanish-speaking world offers a fresh opportunity to stand out, connect with new readers, and boost your income.

Don’t miss some expert advice from translators with broad experience working with self-published authors and comprehensive knowledge of the self-publishing business.

This guide is also packed with practical tips you can implement immediately to start building your brand and selling more books. A comprehensive approach that covers everything from translation to promotion, ensuring you leave no stone unturned in your quest for success.

Ready to expand your horizons and grow your readership? Start your journey to becoming a translated author today!

Would you like to read it?

We invite you to check our free ebook and start your translation project with a head-start!

Get the ebook

This post may contain affiliate links

Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Contact me

Ayelen Lapettina Benito

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Contact me

Launching Our Free Ebook Read More »

7 Reasons Why Literary Translators Should Receive Royalties

Leave a Comment / Translation Tips for Self-published Authors, Translation World / SBT / 22/11/2024

7 Reasons Why Literary Translators Should Receive Royalties

Not so long ago, we analysed literary translators’ fees and what is behind them. Today, we would like to discuss a rather controversial topic: Why are authors expected to pay royalties to their literary translators after paying a fair fee for their services?

However, before we discuss royalties, there is one rather complex fact to keep in mind. When it comes to literary translations, it is important for authors to understand: who owns the copyrights to the translated titles, who is entitled to exploit said rights, and what international and national laws protect their rights as an author and their translator’s rights as the author of their translated title.

More often than not, authors are misled to believe that having a translator sign a contract quitting their rights to royalties or additional payments for derivative products from their translations (such as audiobooks, ebooks, etc.) is not only fair but also legal. The truth is that this is far from being an honest or legal practice. Rather than taking advice from these self-styled mentors or experts, authors would be wise to research international treaties, such as the Berne Convention, or dig into the national laws applying to the countries where they are considering selling their foreign editions.

It is also wise to understand that good, professional, trained and skilled literary translators (a.k.a., the professionals you want to be involved in the translation of your book) are often part of translator’s associations protecting their rights and fighting for better fees, more recognition, and visibility for literary translators. A sad fact of the profession is that few literary translators make a living solely from their craft. This is mainly due to the conditions the industry tries to impose on them. Another discouraging fact? At the end of the day, many talented literary translators who would love to make a living by translating books abandon this dream to pursue other types of translation or other professions altogether in order to make ends meet.

Therefore, literary translators receive royalties as a standard industry practice – a practice which has even become enacted in law in many countries. This is simply a form of fair compensation for their significant contribution to a book’s creation and success.

Having said that, we would like to dig deeper into some of the reasons why literary translators should receive royalties:

1. Creative contribution:

Literary translators do more than just convert text from one language to another; they interpret the author’s style, as well as the tone and nuances in a text, in order to create a faithful yet culturally appropriate version in the target language. A professional literary translator translates a culture, not just words or sentences on a page. This process requires a high degree of creativity and skill, making the translator’s work an original contribution, which is precisely why translations are protected by copyright laws. With extensive research, intuition, and collaboration, a skilled translator brings the essence of a story to life, allowing readers in a new market to experience its beauty, insight, and universal appeal.

2. Work and effort:

Translating a book is a labour-intensive process that involves deep comprehension of both the source and target languages, meticulous attention to detail, and, more often than not, extensive research. Thus, the effort and time invested by the translator deserve recognition and fair compensation. In addition to a fair fee, royalties recognise that translation work has long-term value, and it’s not just a one-time service. Translators’ contributions continue to generate revenue over time and can also result in a wide variety of derivative products (such as audiobooks, book bundles, movies, TV shows, etc), especially as books gain momentum in new markets, and translators should benefit from this sustained success.

3. Enhancing marketability:

A well-translated book significantly enhances its appeal and accessibility in a new market. This may lead to increased sales and greater success in the translated language, benefiting both the author and the publisher.

This is particularly true for self-published authors working with a single translator, who becomes their voice in the foreign market. You don’t believe me? Read all about this success story.

Additionally, when translators are financially connected to the book’s success, they will engage in its promotion and share it within their networks, leading to potentially higher sales and visibility. Translators who care about the book’s performance become valuable advocates, which is especially important in niche or language-specific markets.

4. Professional standard:

In the literary world, in addition to a fair fee, it is a common professional standard to compensate translators with royalties.

Paying royalties to literary translators has become a recognised professional standard because it reflects their significant contribution to a book’s success. A literary translator’s work goes beyond mere translation or direct conversion from one language to another; they interpret an author’s voice, narrative style, and cultural nuances, making the book accessible, relatable, and enjoyable to a new audience. This depth of creative involvement warrants recognition, especially since a successful translation can expand a book’s readership and revenue in global markets.

Moreover, royalties incentivise high-quality translations, as translators become invested in the book’s ongoing success. Paying royalties acknowledges that the translator’s contribution is an integral, lasting part of the book’s value, promoting fair compensation and fostering a mutually beneficial relationship between authors, publishers, and translators.

5. Ongoing income:

Like many authors, literary translators often work freelance and may not have a stable income. Royalties provide a form of ongoing income that can support translators in the long term, especially if the book becomes a bestseller or when their translation is used for derivative works (such as audiobooks), thus multiplying their source of income.

6. Legal and ethical considerations:

A literary translator’s work is intellectual property because the translation is not just a direct transfer of words but a creative re-expression of the original work. A skilled literary translator brings personal expertise, cultural insight, and stylistic choices to ensure that the tone, nuances, and voice of the original text resonate with readers in the new language. In many jurisdictions, this creative contribution is considered co-authorship, granting the translator intellectual property rights.

In many countries, copyright law and publishing contracts guarantee translators’ rights to royalties due to this co-authorship status. Ethically, acknowledging the translator’s role through royalties is a way of respecting their intellectual property and contribution.

7. Shared success:

When a book is successful, it is often a collaborative effort. Just as authors and publishers benefit from this success, so should translators, as their work is integral to reaching and resonating with a new audience.

When a book gains popularity or achieves bestseller status abroad, the translator’s role is key to that international success. This ongoing financial recognition through royalties highlights the shared achievement between the author and translator in expanding the book’s global reach.

Final Thoughts

Paying royalties to literary translators is both ethical and essential. Doing so shows recognition for the creative process of bringing a story (along with all its complexities, emotions, and nuances) to a new audience. This endeavour requires considerable skill, intuition, and dedication, effectively making the translator a co-creator of the book. Royalties honour this co-authorship by ensuring that translators are compensated fairly as the book continues to succeed, recognising their ongoing contribution to its appeal and readership.

In addition, royalties for translators incentivise high-quality work by valuing the skill and artistry they bring to the project, which ultimately enhances the book’s reach and success in new regions. Fair royalties help create a more inclusive, respectful industry that acknowledges every creative effort behind the scenes, fostering partnerships that contribute meaningfully to literary culture on a global scale.

Lastly, in order to avoid any legal issues that might result from following misleading advice or taking shortcuts, authors who want to protect their author brand and have found the right literary translator for their projects will strike a fair deal for the translator’s contribution.

At the end of the day, respecting translators’ education, experience, and knowledge, as well as acknowledging their profession, is not only ethical but also a solid investment for self-published authors aiming to conquer new markets.

This post may contain affiliate links

Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Contact me

7 Reasons Why Literary Translators Should Receive Royalties Read More »

Pros and Cons of Working with Beta Readers for Translated Books

Leave a Comment / Translation Tips for Self-published Authors, Translation World / SBT / 21/10/2024

Pros and Cons of Working with Beta Readers for Translated Books

Working with beta readers for translated books has the potential to help self-published authors assess the quality of a translation into a language they don’t speak. Previously, we have offered different solutions to ease authors’ minds, too, like these expert tips to find the right literary translator.

However, not all literary translators might have a huge portfolio or online presence. And this does not mean they are not a good fit for you or your projects. It is true, though, that when this happens, it becomes harder for indie authors to assess quality.

Luckily, though, this is where your beta readers come in! You can find them on the subreddit r/BetaReaders on Reddit or on Beta Reader Group on Goodreads, for example. If you are an established author with a good online presence and a good number of newsletter subscribers and are translating your title to a widely spoken language (which would make sense), chances are you already have a few native speakers among your audience.

This is great, right? Well, yes… but also, no. The truth of the matter is working with beta readers is actually not that straight-forward. Are beta readers really an author’s ace up the sleeve when it comes to reading and judging a translation, or are they a double-edged sword? Are they really to be blindly trusted, or should authors proceed with caution?

In this article, we set up to analyse all the pros and cons self-published authors have when it comes to working with native speakers and relying on their (un)biased opinion about a translated book. The truth of the matter is that working with beta readers to assess the quality of translated books offers both advantages and potential challenges for indie authors.

Pros

Cultural Feedback

Beta readers can provide valuable insights into whether the translation captures cultural nuances, idioms, and local expressions accurately, ensuring the story resonates with the target audience.

They can assess whether the way certain aspects of the setting, historical references, or local customs are presented makes sense in the context of the target culture. If any details are misunderstood or irrelevant in the new cultural context, beta readers will flag them for the translator to work further on.

Language Fluency Check

Beta readers who are native speakers can identify awkward phrases, unclear language, or grammatical mistakes that may have slipped through the translation process. Additionally, they can identify if certain idiomatic expressions, slang, or colloquialisms in the translation feel unnatural or out of place. For instance, they can point out if a phrase used in the translation might be inappropriate or confusing for native speakers of the target language, thus helping the translator make a more appropriate choice.

Beta readers also tend to examine if the characters’ behaviour, dialogue, and interactions feel culturally authentic to ensure the book and its plot remain consistent.

Reader Engagement

They help gauge how well the translated book connects with the intended audience. If something feels off or doesn’t engage, beta readers can point it out early on. By focusing on clarity, flow, emotional impact, character connection, engagement with the storyline, readability, and overall engagement, they provide vital feedback on the effect the translated book has on a foreign audience while helping authors understand how the translation resonates with the intended audience.

Cost-effective Feedback

Beta readers often provide feedback voluntarily or for a low fee, making it a budget-friendly way to test the quality of the translation before going to market.

Early Buzz

Having beta readers involved can generate early buzz for your translated book, as they typically share their excitement or insights on their social media (with other native speakers sharing their interests) and by spreading the word about your work. Additionally, they can review your work on release day, provide praise blurbs for authors to use on covers or for marketing purposes, and share teasers on social media.

Cons

Inconsistent Feedback

Beta readers don’t usually have a professional background in translation or editing, leading to subjective or inconsistent feedback that could be based on personal preference rather than technical accuracy. As translators and editors, we have often received feedback about some readers preferring a specific translation for certain words in a novel because “it was more natural”. Authors should always pay attention to the subjectivity of beta readers’ feedback and discuss that feedback with their translators.

Limited Expertise

Beta readers may miss deeper linguistic or cultural issues that a professional editor or translator would catch, especially in complex literary translations. Sometimes, they tend to expect word-by-word translators, believing this is as loyal as a translation can get to the source text, unaware of all the literary devices translators resort to both to keep the text fluent and to make its narration natural and engaging for the foreign audience.

Time-consuming

Coordinating with multiple beta readers and going through rounds of feedback can delay the publishing timeline, especially if feedback conflicts or requires extensive revisions. A good way to avoid delays in the project while assessing a translator’s quality is to assess only a few chapters or a novella/reader magnet, which tends to be a shorter project.

Potential Language Barriers

If the author doesn’t speak the language of the translated version, it may be difficult to fully understand and act upon beta reader feedback without further input from a translator or editor. It is always advised to discuss all feedback provided by beta readers with translators in order to assess their skills and knowledge.

Marketing Services

Though not always the case, some beta readers will take the opportunity to bring the translation down only to offer their own linguistic services. Funnily enough, this actually happened to Carolina once, with a beta reader providing feedback with tons of grammar mistakes in the source language and providing feedback lacking any grammatical or editorial grounds.

What Should You Do Then?

Even though working with foreign beta readers can prove tricky sometimes, it is our firm opinion it is an enriching experience for all parties involved; one as translators, we welcome it warmly!

What we suggest authors do when working with beta readers is to establish a series of guidelines or questions on what exactly they are looking for. The best to do would be to provide beta readers with a short survey to assess the quality of the translation based on:

Narration

Grammar

Typos

Engagement

Authors should ask beta readers the right questions in order to help beta readers help them. Some good question examples are:

Did the story captivate you?
Did you find any issues in the translation? Were there any specific parts that were difficult to understand or confusing?
Did the translator struggle with something?
Who was your favourite character, and why?
What was your favourite part and why?
Did anything pull you out of the story?
Did you find any typos?
Is there anything specific you’d recommend being improved?
What general rating would you give the translation?

It is also a good idea to let them express their general feelings and emotions about the translated material.

You should always forward all the feedback provided by beta readers to your translator. They will certainly find numerous insightful comments and provide proper explanations for the issues wrongly pointed out, or humbly accept and correct any mistakes or typos they might have missed.

Final Thoughts

Beta readers can be a useful resource not only in assessing the quality of a translated book and a translator’s skills, but also in fine-tuning the final edition and helping you spread the word about your work among their contacts. Offering fresh perspectives and audience-driven feedback, they can contribute greatly to an author’s success in a foreign market — after all, it all begins with the right linguistic team. However, it’s important to balance beta readers’ input and trust your professional team of translator and editor in order to ensure the highest quality for international readers.

This post may contain affiliate links

Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Contact me

Pros and Cons of Working with Beta Readers for Translated Books Read More »

AI for Book Translations & What Nobody is Really Talking about

Leave a Comment / Translation Tips for Self-published Authors, Translation World / SBT / 14/10/2024

AI for Book Translations & What Nobody is Really Talking about

Undoubtedly, 2024 has seen an unprecedented rise in the use of AI for multiple purposes: writing, designing, translation, video creation… you name it.

Like everything, when used correctly, AI can help improve our lives and save tons of time on tasks that used to take us longer, such as the automatization of repetitive tasks. It also has increased notoriety for its lack of creativity and understanding of complex human emotions and nuances of language – strawberries, anyone?

So, is AI the best choice for authors when it comes to book translations? Or does its use risk an author’s brand and reputation in multiple markets?

A few days ago, we came across a post in one of our favourite Facebook Group for Writers: a romance author asked how legitimate it was to use AI to translate her books into German and hire someone to “vet” the translation for accuracy. The post gained 85 comments from other writers and generated a heated debate, leading the author community to express their thoughts on the matter. Some were in favour, and some stood strongly against this practice:

Today we won’t address thoroughly the argument that translation is, in fact, an act of creation, and hence no creative should endorse this practice. However, we would like to focus on some misinformation that is out there about AI:

Perks of AI Book Translations:

No copyrights for the translator
It is a well-known fact that under international laws, especially in Europe, the rightful owners of a translated book are, in fact, the translators. For some reason, indie authors tend to be wary of this, missing the point that a translator wishes the translation to succeed as much as the author paying for their services.

Translating into multiple languages
Translation is just the first step into a market. However, in order to succeed, authors need to ensure reviews, ads, engagement with all foreign audiences, etc are appropriately set up for the market. This is a huge time investment that, if done incorrectly, will only result in your translations failing to achieve their full potential.

Fast release
Authors can release books as fast as they can produce the translation and the book cover, and maybe hire someone to make sure the AI translation “reads smoothly”. However, readers can become wary of books that are released too quickly, especially if they have poor quality writing or plot issues, and end up favouring authors who invest more time and money in creating quality titles.

No investment
There are no upfront costs, except, of course, for the poor linguist (sometimes called editor and sometimes called proofreader) whose job is to ensure the translation is relatively okay for the market. In many instances, authors simply resort to “a native speaker”, which further compounds the issues introduced by the AI, as these amateur linguists lack the skills and experience of a professional.

What Authors Fail to See:

♦ Professional linguists will not accept editing an AI translation for the simple fact that it would practically take as much time to edit as it would translate it. It is well-known that AI tends to translate text literally, focusing on individual words or phrases rather than the overall meaning or emotion behind a sentence, resulting in technically correct translations that are often awkward, clunky, or lacking in fluidity from a literary perspective.

♦ Heavily edited translations are subject to copyright claims by the editor/translator. If a professional linguist does, in fact, take the edition or proofreading project, they would then become creators of the translation, and therefore have a claim to its copyright. This claim is based on the degree of rewriting needed for the AI-generated translation for the sake of accuracy, fluidity and emotional impact (a.k.a., for the success of the book in the foreign market). Moreover, there are very real issues with transparency regarding the most popular large language models and the data they are trained on – the AI-generated material may actually infringe on another author’s copyright, due to the way in which the model generates responses.

♦ Foreign audiences might notice authors releasing poor-quality books and feel scammed or tricked into buying a lower-quality product. This could seriously backfire against authors’ brands and reputations – nobody likes to feel like an afterthought. Your new audience deserves the same respect you show to your existing fans.

♦ While Amazon allows AI-generated content, it’s recommended to disclose the use of AI, especially if it created the majority of the book or significant parts of it. Readers may want transparency about how the content was created, and this disclosure can help manage expectations. Bear in mind that some readers may take an ethical stance on the use of AI in the content they consume.

♦ The use of AI is brand new, and the rules and laws around it are still unclear. If some country rules in favour of copyrighted AI content, then authors might be seriously affected and end up facing multiple legal headaches that could have easily been avoided by teaming up with a professional literary translator and respecting their rights.

Understandably…

Self-published authors tend to be protective of their work and business (which they built on their own from scratch). It might shock some to learn that, under international laws, translators own the copyrights to the translations and grant exploitation rights to authors.

Consequently any literary translator wants the translation to sell and succeed as much as authors do. In this partnership, a translator’s success is an author’s success and vice versa!

The aim for both parties should be the author’s brand, the translator’s brand, and audience growth.

Consequently, any literary translator wants the translation to sell and succeed as much as authors do. In this partnership, a translator’s success is an author’s success and vice versa!

The aim for both parties should be the author’s brand, the translator’s brand, and audience growth.

Please remember that hiring the right professional literary translator can be a game changer!

Hiring a professional literary translator offers numerous benefits, especially for authors looking to expand their reach into foreign markets while maintaining the quality and integrity of their work (the kind of authors we love to work with!). Here are some key advantages:

Accuracy and Faithfulness to the Original Text

Professional literary translators are skilled in ensuring the translation is accurate and stays true to the source text. They preserve the author’s voice, tone, style, and nuances, crucial in literary works where subtle meaning and wordplay are often present.

Cultural Sensitivity and Localisation

A professional literary translator understands the target culture and adapts the text accordingly, ensuring that idioms, references, and expressions relate to the new audience. This cultural sensitivity helps the book resonate with readers from different linguistic backgrounds.

Literary Quality

Literary translators know how to preserve the literary style, rhythm, and flow of the original work. Whether it’s a poetic passage, dialogue, or descriptive scene, they ensure the translation reads smoothly and maintains the artistic qualities of the original text.

Consistency across Translations

For series or complex works, consistency is key. A professional translator ensures that terminology, character voices, and narrative style remain consistent across multiple books, editions, or chapters, creating a seamless reading experience for the audience.

Professional Editing and Quality Control

Professional translators often collaborate with editors and proofreaders to refine their work. This additional layer of review ensures that the final translation is polished and error-free, enhancing the overall quality of the published text.

Broadening Audience Reach

With a professionally translated book, authors can access international markets and reach a broader audience. A quality translation helps build credibility with foreign readers, increasing the chances of gaining new fans and expanding an author’s readership globally.

Boosting Credibility and Sales

Books with high-quality translations are more likely to receive positive reviews, word-of-mouth recommendations, and boost sales. Poor translations, on the other hand, can lead to negative feedback and harm an author’s reputation.

Knowledge of the Publishing Process

Professional literary translators are often familiar with the self-publishing or traditional publishing process, which can be beneficial for authors. They may offer advice on navigating international markets, provide marketing tips that work on the foreign market, suggest the right keywords that resonate with the audience, or help handle legal aspects like copyright and contracts.

Language Expertise

Literary translators are experts in both the source and target languages, with a deep understanding of grammar, syntax, and idiomatic expressions. This expertise allows them to craft translations that sound natural and engaging to readers in the target language.

Collaborative Creative Partner

Professional translators often work closely with authors to ensure the translation aligns with their vision. This collaboration ensures that the final product is as close as possible to the author’s intent, even when adapting the text to a different language.

Final Thoughts

AI is still under development and constantly changing. It might even sound like an attractive option for authors to resort to in order to enter new markets and diversify their sources of income — regardless of the quality AI can achieve when it comes to literary texts.

Authors should be aware that this might result in foreign markets getting crowded with translations that lack the emotional depth needed to connect with audiences. This influx of potentially unsaleable titles might spam vendors, who might choose to take extra measures to ensure the quality of the products sold on their platforms. At the end of the day, a platform like Amazon will not risk losing clients over an invasion of poor-quality books. And, while Amazon does currently allow the publication of AI-generated works, authors should be mindful of quality, originality, and potential legal concerns (including plagiarism, as AI technologies “feed on” existing texts and books).

Furthermore, if the rules should change, if, all of a sudden, AI-generated material were under copyright of the model owner, or if audiences reacted badly to the translated books created with the use of AI, an author’s brand could end up suffering serious consequences — including but not limited to online shaming by entire international communities.

Teaming up with a translator and an editor, on the other hand, still continues to be the safest course of action. At the end of the day, once the clauses are clear and all the parties involved agree on terms, fees, royalties, delivery dates, etc., all there is to do is work towards creating a professional product audiences will love and want to buy.

Hiring a professional literary translator ensures that books maintain their quality and emotional impact while reaching a broader audience. It also enhances marketability, builds credibility, and preserves the artistic integrity of the original work across different languages. And it is this, and not a low-quality, fast-release approach, that will, ultimately, help authors conquer foreign audiences in the long term.

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Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

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Book Recommendation: Translating Myself and Others by Jhumpa Lahiri

Leave a Comment / Book Recommendations / SBT / 07/10/2024

Book Recommendation: Translating Myself and Others by Jhumpa Lahiri

Sometimes, a book recommendation is not straightforward and can be subjective; what resonates with one reader might bore another. However, Translating Myself and Others by Jhumpa Lahiri is a profound exploration that translators, bilingual writers, writers who work with translators, and anyone interested in literature, translation or language are going to thoroughly enjoy this read. This collection blends personal reflection, literary analysis and insights into the writing and translation processes. This read is definitely recommended!

Translating Myself and Others

Translating Myself and Others is a collection of eleven essays examining translation, self-translation, literature and language by award-winning writer and literary translator Jhumpa Lahiri. Throughout the book, Lahiri shares both her identities as a writer and as a translator. This mix of personal and more theoretical essays is as much an introspective journey through the complexities of language as it is a reflection of the relationships between the intimate act of translation and identity. Lahiri is probably best known for her Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1999 for her debut collection of short stories, Interpreter of Maladies, and her debut novel, The Namesake. But when she took up learning Italian, her career took a turn and underwent a transformative reshaping: she started writing in and translating from a language that was relatively new to her.

Translation has transformed my relationship to writing. It shows me how to work with new words, how to experiment with new styles and forms, how to take greater risks, how to structure and layer my sentences in different ways. Reading already exposes me to all these, but translating goes under the skin and shocks the system, such that these new solutions emerge in unexpected and revelatory ways. Translation establishes new rhythms and approaches that cross-pollinate the process of contemplating and crafting my own work. The attention to language that translation demands is moving my writing not only in new directions, but into an increasingly linguistically focused dimension.

Page 7 - Introduction

Identity and Language

Lahiri’s concepts of belonging and identity are deeply rooted in her life experience as the daughter of Indian immigrants. Born in the U.K. and raised in the U.S., she reflects on her personal journey with language and identity. Across the eleven essays, Lahiri shares thoughts and events in her personal life that shaped the way she deals with language as a part of her identity: When she started learning Italian at forty-five, Lahiri hadn’t expected it to be as formative as it had been. It was also a turning point in her writing career; it ignited an unknown passion for this new language, so much so that she decided from that moment on to write only in Italian. She made the conscientious decision to adopt Italian as a choice; it is impossible to choose one’s heritage or mother tongue, but she had the power to choose this language and work with it. Choosing Italian expanded her understanding of the mechanics of language and her writing, and it forced her to confront the limitations she faces when she both writes/translates in English and Italian. Alienation and otherness become evident, but she smoothly and cleverly surfs these sentiments to work with them rather than against them.

In the essay “Why Italian”, translated by Molly L. O’Brien in collaboration with Lahiri, she uses a graphic metaphor for learning and mastering a foreign language: there are two main doors and smaller ones, and opening each one of those doors has its challenges, goals, and rewards. She uses that image repeatedly to illustrate how her identity as a writer and, more importantly, as a person is shaken by this confrontation:

The more I write in Italian, the more I feel in turmoil, suspended between my old knowledge of English and the new door in front of me. I’m forced to acknowledge that there is a distance between me and both languages. Sometimes I fear that the next door will be boarded up. Writing in another language reactivates the grief of being between two worlds, of being on the outside. Of feeling alone and excluded.

Page 14 - "Why Italian"

This sense of otherness and exclusion resonates throughout the book; she is constantly confronted with the implications of writing in a language that feels both foreign and personal to her:

Italian, in my opinion, is a door more inclusive than exclusive. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been possible for me to write In Other Words. That said, even today, when I write in Italian, I feel guilty for having broken open a door I shouldn't have. This new language has turned me into a burglar. This is the strange effect of the question, Why do you know, speak, and write in our language? The use of the possessive adjective, our, underlines the fact, banal but painful, that Italian is not mine. The process of writing and publishing a book in Italian involved opening another series of doors: all the people with whom I worked, discussed, corrected, and cleaned out the text. I ask of each person, May I write this sentence, use these words, combine them like this? That is: May I cross the border between me and Italian? May I come in?

Page 15 - "Why Italian"

This idea of someone else’s language is then repeated in “Lingua/Language”:

That said, the ongoing phrase – “Lahiri scrive nella nostra lingua” (“Lahiri writes in our language”) – means that Italian remains, by definition, the language of others as opposed to my own.

Page 131 - "Lingua/Language"

Lahiri also delves into a different duality when it comes to her different roles and identities: she acknowledges that she is two different selves when translating and writing as each of them acts and reacts differently to the text.

It is imperative for me to know a text in order to translate it: I must know not only what it means, but how it comes to mean what it means. As a writer, caught up in the act of writing, I am far more ignorant, and even unconscious, of what I do. The heady self-involvement of writing can be at odds with a more distanced perspective.

Page 51 - "In Praise of Echo"

Self-translation and its Challenges

Lahiri finds the act of translating herself eye-opening and challenging, as language shapes the identity and self-translation can be a complex negotiation: sometimes she chooses to translate herself, and sometimes she chooses to work with other translators. In the essay “In the Praise of Echo”, she discusses the idea of self-translation and how the hierarchy of original and translation fades:

To self-translate is to create two originals: twins, far from identical, separately conceived by the same person, who will eventually exist side-by-side.

Page 57 - "In Praise of Echo"

Self-translating can be described as a never-ending editing process, an idea Lahiri shares in “Where I Find Myself” in an interesting snippet on her experience of self-translating Dove mi trovo/Whereabouts that illustrates effectively how that process can come to be. This process becomes a complex negotiation of identity and voice that often requires her to confront her writing through the lens of translation. While translating the book into English, she saw her work through the eyes of a translator, not as a writer; the errors, mistakes, and repetitions kept on jumping at her, and it became imperative to fix them as they could not be unseen. As a consequence, she embarked on the magnificent task of correcting the original, making notes for a revised Italian version while still translating the original into English.

A Personal Favourite

“Traduzione (stra)ordinaria/(Extra)ordinary translation – On Gramsci” is one of the most interesting reads I have encountered in a while; it awoke a sense of curiosity that felt dormant. This is the longest essay in the book and probably the most technical and thorough of the collection. In it, Lahiri shares her process and experience reading Antonio Gramasci’s letters and Prison Notebooks in preparation for a talk she was invited to give about the new edition of Gramasci’s Letters from Prison, in Italian. She studies and analyses various letters to explore this Italian writer’s venture to translate works from German and Russian. This is a man who had translation imprinted on his being, with a lifelong struggle of feeling pulled by different languages and different Italian dialects. Consequently, she finds herself as a writer and a translator reflecting on this man; she even draws a parallel between Gramasci’s life in prison and her life during the pandemic.

Personal and Professional Collision

Particularly following the pandemic, the importance of having a clear division of work and personal life has captured the shared psyche. Nevertheless, as a collective, we have come to accept that the borders can become blurred, and the final essay, “(Afterword) Translating Transformation – Ovid”, is a clear example of how our personal lives are intertwined with every aspect of our existence. Undoubtedly, this last essay is the most personal and intimate of the set; it is a personal memoir of her mother’s final stages of illness and death. This narrative is beautifully written, and it invites the reader to witness a very personal and vulnerable stage of Lahiri’s life; where she took on the challenge of translating Ovid’s Metamorphoses from Latin while her mother, her life, and her relationship with Italian were all transforming into something different. Lahiri reflects on this parallelism throughout, ultimately translating her mother’s final absence into a deeper appreciation for:

...everything that is green and rooted under the sun.

Page 155 - "Afterword"

Final Thoughts

Translating Myself and Others is more than enjoyable; it feels rewarding. Though there are some concepts that are recurrent, and for some, it might feel a bit repetitive, each time those concepts appear, they are brought up under a new lens or Lahiri eloquently adds something new to the conversation. She is definitely an inspiration both as a writer and as a translator. Her thoughts are a reminder of the power of language and the effect it has on the interpretation of life experiences. She constantly highlights the importance of translation as a bridge between languages and cultures and a means of self-expression and exploration. This magnificent book is a beautiful collection that invites to welcome the richness that language diversity can offer and all the great stories that unfold thanks to the collision of worlds.

Bonus Track

All the essays in the collection are in English; a couple of them were originally written in Italian, and their translations are included in the main body of the book. In the appendix, Lahiri has added the originals in Italian, so anyone curious about language or translation can find delight in comparing the two versions. A nice and fitting addition to a book about literary translation.

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Ayelen Lapettina Benito

English > Spanish Literary Translator

AATI and FIT member

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Thoughts on Inspiration and 10 Famous Quotes to Inspire the Writer within You

Leave a Comment / Inspiration, Writer's Life / SBT / 30/09/2024

Thoughts on Inspiration and 10 Famous Quotes to Inspire the Writer within You

Inspiration comes and goes, and reading about writing can be inspiring and eye-opening. Every so often, it feels like you are all caught up in your thoughts and writing seems almost impossible; reading about other people’s experiences can be relatable and make you feel less alone — others before you also struggled and found solace in reading about writing.

It is easy to feel demotivated and overwhelmed with so many responsibilities and external influences, and you lose sight of your goals. But dedicating time to reconnect with writing is fundamental to regaining clarity and insight. Writing is indeed just that: a way to put into words what’s happening inside your mind. By writing, you give shape to your thoughts, and you set them free in the world. It’s a transformative process that can help you create entire worlds, empower you, and help you understand the world.

As a self-published author, the journey from writing to publishing can be exhilarating and overwhelming… and everything in between. From navigating the creative process to hiring the right editors, cover artists and book formatters, to stressing about reviews, and managing the logistics of book promotion, it’s easy to feel a little lost or demotivated at times.

That’s where the power of inspirational quotes comes in. Quotes can encourage and motivate you along the way. They condense the wisdom from famous storytellers that went through similar hardships before you, and can offer perspective and challenge any preconceived notions.

Whether you’re facing writer’s block, struggling with self-doubt, or just looking for a little boost of encouragement, the right words can reignite your passion and help you push forward. For that reason, in this post, we’ve curated a collection of powerful quotes from fellow writers that will inspire, uplift, and remind you of the strength and creativity you possess as a self-published author. Let these words fuel your journey to success!

Inspirational quotes:

“You only fail if you stop writing.”

Ray Bradbury

“Good writing is rewriting.”

Truman Capote

“The worst enemy of creativity is self-doubt.”

Sylvia Plath

“If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.”

Margaret Atwood

“You can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page.”

Jodi Picoult

“The first draft is just telling yourself the story.”

Terry Pratchett

“Writing, like life itself, is a voyage of discovery.”

Henry Miller

“The most beautiful stories always start with wreckage.”

Jack London

“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts.
You need to start somewhere.”

Anne Lamott

“A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit.”

Richard Bach

Final Thoughts

Inspiration can be tricky, and it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking you are alone and no one is struggling like you are. In the often challenging and rewarding journey of self-publishing, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. The wisdom and encouragement in inspirational quotes can be a beacon of light during moments of doubt or fatigue. Whether you’re facing creative blocks, marketing struggles, or the uncertainty of success, let these quotes remind you of your resilience and passion. Keep pushing forward, believe in your work, and remember that every great author once stood where you are now—on the brink of creating something truly remarkable. Your words matter, and your story deserves to be told.

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Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

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Ayelen Lapettina Benito

English > Spanish Literary Translator

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7 Tips to Find the Right Literary Translator for Your Self-published Books

Leave a Comment / Translation Tips for Self-published Authors, Translation World / SBT / 23/09/2024

7 Tips to Find the Right Literary Translator for Your Self-published Books

Now that we have shared what a literary translator is, what background, training, and skills they possess and why they charge seemingly high fees, if you are still with us, it is time to take the next step in your journey to a new market: finding the right literary translator.

No matter what language you are considering translating your titles into, there are some things you simply need to get right from the beginning. Whether or not you hire the right professionals (at least one translator and one editor) to develop your products for a foreign market will end up playing a major role in your success. Finding the right literary translator will not only save you tons of headaches, but it is crucial for ensuring that the essence and quality of your books are preserved in the target language.

Luckily, to help you avoid disaster, here are some tips that will set you on the right path and help you determine if you’ve found the right linguists.

Tip#1: Review Their Qualifications and Experience

There are a few things to bear in mind when it comes to assessing a linguist’s qualifications and experience. Strange as it may sound, not all great literary translators have a translation degree and not all literary translators with a university degree make great professionals, and indie authors must dig deeper than simply examining the linguist’s credentials.

Fortunately, living in a globalised world where almost everyone has easy access to the Internet makes matters easier for authors. A good starting point is checking if the translator has formal education or training in translation, literature, or languages. Next comes the experience.

Yes, easier said than done. But don’t panic! We are here to walk you through the process and even provide examples.

Thanks to platforms like LinkedIn, Amazon Author Central, Goodreads, Translators Professional Associations, such as CEATL or The American Literary Translator’s Association (to name a few), and Translator’s Communities such as Proz.com or Translator’s café, translation experience can be easily verified. Try to check your translator’s profile on some of the most relevant platforms, paying especially close attention to reviews of their work from paying customers, volunteer projects they were involved in and readers.

On professional platforms like LinkedIn, customers can write recommendations for the freelancers they hire. To access these recommendations, click on the translator’s profile, scroll down and find out what other authors’ experience was working with this linguist. Here is an example of my profile (Psst! Feel free to connect with me):

Unfortunately, when it comes to literary translators and self-published authors, not many authors are on LinkedIn, so in reality these sorts of recommendations, though not impossible to find, are not that common either. Nevertheless, it is worth checking.

Other platforms such as Goodreads and Amazon allow authors to have their own profile, bio, website, blog, etc. Make sure to check your translator’s portfolio (if available on a website), their translated titles, and, above all, reader’s reviews (remember these are your potential customers, so you want to make sure they trust your translator).

As a translator, I rely a lot on Amazon.com for reviews of my own work. Like many authors out there, when a book I translated is launching, I anxiously keep track of reviews for the first couple of weeks (sometimes even months) to make sure readers are connecting with the story and are having the same feelings the readers got reading the original manuscript (or the source text), and that there are no big issues, such as typos or inconsistencies in the story. I do this even though I have an amazing translation editor who works alongside me on every project and has a keen eye for details (and you can connect with her, too).

Ultimately, my Amazon translator profile allows readers who love the books and genres I translate to follow me and get notifications whenever a new book launches. For example, as of September 13^th, 2024, I have 427 followers.

For an author, this is especially important if you have translated books for several markets; readers from one market may be put off by notifications about releases they cannot read. This may mean they are not following you, but if they follow your translator, they will be notified of the book launches they are most likely to buy.

While you check up on a translator’s experience, you should also consider their specialisation. Make sure to hire a linguist who specialises in your book’s genre, subgenre, and even your niche if possible. As a writer, you know that each genre comes with an audience of fans. Each audience has specific expectations of the books they love, and even in the same genre, books can be widely different, which is why niches are so important.

An experienced translator in your genre, subgenre and niche knows your target foreign audience as well as you know your home audience. As such, they know what words, expressions, tone, and literary devices to use in order to deliver the product your audience wants.

Tip#2: Examining Their Portfolio

Did you find someone promising? Do their credentials check out? It is time to look into their portfolio!

What previous works have they done? If you request a sample of their work and the translator cannot provide it, bear in mind that they might be complying with NDAs and other contracts they might have signed with other authors (which speaks well of their professionalism, but we will get there later on).

Most professional literary translators have a website or a professional platform (like LinkedIn) where they list some (if not all) of the projects they worked with and relevant links to online vendors or review platforms. You can check out our Portfolio page for an example.

Published translations can be a good indicator of a literary translator’s credibility and skill. Check their work with different vendors, research reviews in the target language and find out what the target audience thinks of the translated titles they have released so far.

Tip to assess translation quality: If readers are talking about the plot, the characters, the settings, the unexpected turns, the swoon-worthy hero, the tension-packed scenes, etc., chances are you found a great translator!

Readers will only mention translations if:

They are bad, poorly edited, full of typos, hard to follow, too literal or foreign-feeling to them.
They are translated to a language variant they don’t prefer (think American English vs British English; Latin-American Spanish vs Castilian Spanish). This doesn’t necessarily mean there is something wrong with the linguist or the translation, but rather that the reader prefers a different language variant. If reviews are generally good, I would keep this linguist in mind.

Tip#3: Asking for References

Some literary translators will have a Recommendation section on their LinkedIn profile or maybe a Testimonial on their website, such as this one in our Home page:

Ask your linguist for references and contact previous clients to get an idea of their working style and reliability, availability to meet deadlines, and professionalism.

Tip#4: Assessing Their Language Skills

Even though it sounds hard for an author to assess the source and target language proficiency of a translator without speaking a foreign language, you should at least make sure that:

Your translator is a native speaker of the target language.
Your translator has a high proficiency in the source language (this should be evident in the way you communicate with each other via email, chat or videocall). If your translator is not good at communicating in your mother tongue (source language), do not waste your time.
Your translator should have a deep cultural understanding of both cultures to translate idioms, humour and cultural references effectively. Additionally, your translator should understand what to translate and what not to translate.
A good example of this is my decision not to translate the word “Highlander” in the series by international best-seller author Mariah Stone “Al tiempo del highlander”. Several aspects led me to this decision (keywords and marketing reasons, for instance), but the biggest factor was my knowledge of the target audience and the fact that I didn’t want to underestimate the Spanish readers who pick up a historical romance book set in the Scottish Highlands and understand perfectly well the kind of romantic hero they are getting/craving.
After all, a Highlander is a native of the Scottish Highlands, though, in this particular context, they are a very special kind of hero or heroine—they are steadfast warriors devoted to their family. They are fair, loyal, and honourable, and they fight for a cause they believe in deeply, for their country, for independence, for love, and for their family. They are brave and stubborn.
Translating this instead as “montañés” or “montañesa” (“mountain man” or “mountain woman”) or “guerrero/a” (“warrior”), which are some typical translations for this word in Spanish, would have deprived the text, and the whole plot actually, of key meaning. It would have let down audiences – and worse, it would have talked down to them. On the other hand, translating it descriptively, “habitante de las Tierras Altas de Escocia” (inhabitant of the Scottish Highlands, or “Highlander”) would have sounded foreign, overly long and strange, and it would have kept interrupting readers’ engagement with the story, especially because of its length.

Tip#5: Testing Their Work

Let’s be honest. Starting any new relationship can be hard, and trusting a complete stranger can be difficult, too. And a professional relationship is no exception to this.

Luckily, if all the previous steps led you here, there is something else you can do before signing any contracts and spending any money on having your books translated into a foreign market.

Request a sample translation of a chapter (if short) or a few pages of your book. If you know someone bilingual, ask them to compare it to the original to see how well they capture the language nuances. If you know someone who is a native speaker of that foreign language, ask them to read the sample text and ask them relevant questions about the story so far and how they are responding to it.

Tip: A free sample translation should be 300–500 words at most. A blurb translation should suffice to assess a translator’s skill.

Tip: If you don’t consider the blurb a long enough sample, you can always consider paying for a sample translation of a longer portion of the text to assess your linguist’s skills. Do not expect a professional linguist to translate a few chapters for free (and be cautious if they agree to do it).

Tip#6: Communicating and Collaborating

Good literary translators communicate effectively and respond quickly to your questions and concerns. Additionally, experienced literary translators can provide authors with information, tips, or other services they might not have considered yet (defining SEO-keywords in the target market, assisting with marketing campaigns, or setting up a special Newsletter for the foreign audience, for instance).

Professional literary translators should be willing to collaborate and consult with you to understand your vision and expectations, and to clarify ambiguities related to the text. For instance, if you write in a series and there are some unresolved issues, cliffhangers, or plot twists that need further clarification in order for your translator to make the best translation decision for the next instalments in the series to make sense. After all, when it comes down to it, translating is a decision-making process.

Tip#7: Showing Professionalism

A literary translator’s professionalism can be measured in a variety of ways. Without any doubt, first impressions and the way they communicate with you as an author are the best way to assess their professional behaviour, but it doesn’t end there:

Deadlines: When you ask for references, you can ask other authors the linguist worked for how good they were at meeting deadlines
Contracts: As established by Article 2 of the Berne Convention, your literary translator is the copyright holder of your translation as they are the author behind the translation. As such, both parties have the responsibility to draw up a fair contract and provide clear terms regarding:

Payment.
Timelines.
Rights, exploitation rights, and any limitations on their use.
Royalty share: In addition to a flat fee, literary translators are entitled to a royalty share to be agreed upon between both parties.

Final Thoughts:

If you are still here, you might have learnt that finding a professional translator who possesses both the necessary qualifications and skills to translate your books for a foreign market is no easy task. In fact, the more research authors do when hiring a literary translator, the better chances they have to find the one they should be working with.

Literary translation is not only a matter of skill and experience, but similarly to the writing business, it is a matter of niche and specialisation. It is a matter of developing storytelling techniques to conquer foreign audiences, meet their genre-specific expectations and deliver the book your foreign readers want to read.

The process might be long and excruciating. It will definitely require a lot of patience and devotion from your side, but once you find the right literary translator for your catalogue, you will want to hold on to them: this can, in fact, be the start of a very fruitful professional relationship.

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Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Contact me

7 Tips to Find the Right Literary Translator for Your Self-published Books Read More »

SBT

5 Lesser-known Facts about Literary Translations

5 Facts about Literary Translation:

1. Translators Are Co-Authors, Not Just Interpreters

2. Some Words and Concepts Are Untranslatable

3. Cultural Context Can Make or Break a Translation

4. Translators Are Often Invisible

5. Literal Translations Can Be Disastrous

Final Thoughts

Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Book Recommendation: How to Be a Writer by David Quantick

How to Be a Writer

A Personal Story

What Makes a Writer?

Blurred Path

Lost and Found

Bonus

What a Writer is

About Editing

About (not) Knowing What One Writes

What’s the Point of Writing?

Ayelen Lapettina Benito

English > Spanish Literary Translator

How Can Indie Authors Develop New Icome Streams from One Book?

In the modern era of the Internet and digitalisation, are self-published authors unaware of new income streams beyond their own books?

Audiobooks?

Translations (which can then become ebooks, paperbacks, audiobooks, and book bundles)?

An online store for signed copies and book merch (such as Shopify or Etsy)?

Final Thoughts

Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Epic AI Fails in the Book Industry: The Pumpkin Spice Café Spanish Translation

HarperCollins’ approach to using AI for the Spanish translation of Laurie Gilmore’s The Pumpkin Spice Café: Café con aroma a calabaza

But why did the translation fall short if the novel was so successful and widely popular in its home market?

Quality Concerns:

Reader Backlash:

A New Normal?

Author's Silence

Financial Implications:

The Irreplaceable Value of Human Translators in Literary Translation

Further reading:

Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Choosing the Right Translator and How to Work with Them

Where to find professional literary translators?

Some things to be aware of:

How do I know if I found the right translator for my books?

But are they really the right translator?

Beta readers? Why not!

Conclusion

Disclosure:

Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Ayelen Lapettina Benito

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Interview with Historical Romance Best-selling Author Kate Bateman

Would you like to introduce yourself and briefly tell us a bit about your career, how you got started, and how your author brand developed over the years?

Were your first translated titles handled by your traditional publishers? How much say did you have in the decision-making process? How long did the process take, and how was the experience?

How did you decide to outsource the foreign editions of your indie titles and release them in other markets, such as Germany and Brazil? What was the experience like? How long did this process take?

How many indie books did you release in each foreign language? How do the sales of those books compare to the titles published traditionally?

How did you find the right professionals to handle your foreign editions? How did you prove their skill set and experience? Did you always work with the same linguist team in each language? Would you do things differently if given the chance?

What were your main concerns when hiring a translator and an editor, and how did you handle them? What advice would you have for indies dealing with the same fears?

How do you deal with the marketing of foreign titles? Do you have a special Newsletter to connect with foreign readers and let them know about your releases in their language?

Have you received any feedback on the quality of the translations? Are there any recurrent comments that keep showing up?

What are your best-performing foreign titles, and why do you think that is?

Would you recommend fellow authors to explore the exploitation of foreign rights? Is it worth the time and investment? If so, what markets would you recommend to other writers in your genre, and why?

In recent times, there has been an increasing trend for AI translation. As an author who has worked with human translators and editors, what are your thoughts on this?

What is next in your writing journey? Are you considering translating into new languages? If so, which ones have crossed your mind, and why?

Are there any final words you would like to share?

Carolina García Stroschein

English > Spanish Literary Translator

Ayelen Lapettina Benito

English > Spanish Literary Translator

SBT's Goals for 2025

Translate, Edit & Release

New Authors

Ebook

Blog

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