Becoming a translator of literature. How to cooperate with publishing houses?

By literary translation, we mean fictional texts (novels, short stories), poetry, theatre, essays, and even human sciences (philosophy, psychology, psychoanalysis, sociology, musicology, history, anthropology, social sciences, art in general, etc.). Access to all these works in various language versions would not be possible without outstanding specialists, namely literary translators.

Does a literary translator need to possess the skill of easy writing flow?

A literary translator is a profession in itself that requires targeted and specialised training. Similarly to an author of books, the translator should have the ability to use the written language freely, having an easy flow when writing. It is extremely useful here to skilfully convey thoughts, feelings and emotions.

The most important thing when it comes to books is imagination as it is supposed to stimulate the reader to think. The writer also needs a sense of the climate, characters and their experiences. Work in this profession is recommended for people who understand what literature is, and who respect authors and readers. Their task is therefore to skilfully direct the language so that the author’s intention, using all available means of artistic expression, is consistent with the vision that the reader is to develop while delving into the content of the translated work.

Therefore, the future translator of books does not have an easy road ahead, because readers expect the best translations of literary works.

Characteristics of a literary translator

● Very good knowledge of the target language, styles and registers

● Knowledge of the language and culture of the selected country and the area covered by the text

● Awareness of literary genres, conventions and means, well-read

● Easy writing flow

● Ability to critically analyse and interpret a text

● Ability to edit one’s own translation

● Ability to read and understand publishing contracts

● Basic orientation in the book market

● Ability to search for information, also using analogy methods (libraries)

● Knowledge of the basic rules of editing (e.g. the rules of editing footnotes)

● Sense of humour

● Great general knowledge and curiosity about the world

● Willingness to learn throughout life

● Perseverance, patience, diligence

● Reliability, honesty and courtesy in cooperation

● Linguistic and musical hearing

● Independence, resistance to loneliness, self-discipline

● Empathy towards the author, respect for the editor and reader, assertiveness towards the publisher

Formal and informal requirements

Literature translation does not require any formal diplomas or certificates. There are translation specialisations in many language fields of study, but most of them are of general use, and translations of literature are rare. However, at selected universities you can find postgraduate studies dedicated to translation studies with a specialisation in literature.

Keep in mind that a full study curriculum is not enough. This is an excellent base, but it will not replace your own research and work, and simply your talent. In order to develop your translation workshop, it is worth reading as much literature as possible in the language you are interested in. Contact with a living language is an absolute minimum. It is worth following publications on the culture of a given language, reading and analysing works of good translators, and making comparisons between different translations of the same literary work. A substantive discussion among professionals, participation in workshops and forums will complete the necessary skill set.

How to make a debut on the literary translation market?

The beginnings of the literary translator’s professional path depend, among others, on the language from which he/she will translate and the type of literature he/she is interested in. Establishing a cooperation with a publishing house can be difficult, because publishers prefer to use the services of translators who have already been tried and have experience.

Be very specific about the publishers you want to work for. Submit your essays based on texts by authors they have already published or may publish. This tactic will only work if you are lucky enough to come across a point where a publisher is looking for someone as schedules are often closed a year in advance, or so.

In this environment, as in many others, nothing will replace face-to-face contact. If the publisher you are interested in has an online discussion forum, subscribe to it and post frequently to become known. If the publisher is attending a literary fair, go to their booth when it is not crowded and introduces yourself.

In order to gather at least minimum achievements and establish contacts, it is worth getting involved in a translation project while still in the process of education. It is a common practice to complete an internship in a publishing house. Good relationships based on the professional approach of both parties, namely the internship organizer and the apprentice, often end in a successful cooperation.

It is also worth trying to translate a book that seems particularly interesting. Such a skill test will also show whether this activity gives you satisfaction.

Earnings of a literary translator

There are no official or agreed translation rates. They depend on many factors: the popularity of the language, the nature and market potential of the book or the generosity of the institution that co-finances the translation, your recognition as a translator, the expected pace of work, the publisher’s brand and, of course, your negotiating skills. However, they are often lower than for non-literary translations. It is best to look for information about current rates among other translators or on internet forums.

Settlement with translators

Most often, billing is based on one sheet (40,000 characters with spaces), but the exact rate depends on the type of book.

The deadline for the translation of a given book is indicated by the translator. The most common completion time is 30 days (translation in the range of 200-300 pages), after this time it is handed over to an editor who makes comments for the translator, who then makes the necessary adjustments. Afterwards, the translators hands the translation to a proofreader at a later stage

The translator’s remuneration consists of:

● The fee – calculated according to the volume of the translation and paid in full upon acceptance of the text or divided into instalments (e.g. an advance payment after signing the contract, some amount after submitting the text and some after acceptance).

Depending on the contract, additionally:

●     Royalties, i.e. a percentage of sales (net proceeds)

●     Percentages on the use of the text other than in print (e.g. in the form of an audiobook or eBook) and derivative rights

● Remuneration for the reissue of the book (i.e. re-use of the text after the expiry of the previous contract, then of course a new contract is concluded) – depending on individual negotiations with the publisher.

In practice, royalties are a rare phenomenon, translators contractually transfer rights to all fields of use for a single fee, and not every book is reissued. The translator’s earnings usually come down to a one-time fee, often paid with a delay.

Signing a contract with a publishing house

When a translation has to meet certain criteria (e.g. adapting the style to a specific audience, respecting the editorial format, etc.), these criteria are specified in the contract. The contract also specifies the deadline for the final acceptance of the translation, which runs from the confirmation of receipt of the translation (recommended deadline is 2 months).

Any changes to the text of an approved translation must be submitted to the translator prior to the typesetting. If it turns out after publication that the publisher has made major changes, the translator has the right to claim compensation. If the author of the original text wishes to see the translation, a clause in the contract will be dedicated to it. The publisher will be the judge of any conflict between the translator and the author.

By signing a translation contract with a publisher, the translator waives his/her rights to directly receiving the money owed for his work. It is the publisher that will distribute and reproduce the book, and pay the translator. This has enormous advantages for the translator: in fact, he/she will be paid in advance, even if the book does not sell well. After delivering the translation, the publisher confirms its receipt in writing. The confirmation of receipt does not constitute acceptance of the translation.

The recommended procedure and the generally applicable principles: the translator receives his/her copyrights in three instalments: the first (one third) after signing the contract; second (second third) after submission of the manuscript, third (last third) after receipt of the translation, usually two months after submission.

If the work is a bestseller and has approximately 50,000 copies printed, the publisher sets the level at which the translator will receive a fee in addition to the advances already received. But beware: the threshold depends only on the sale price of the work and the advance paid to the translator. A large book, which has made significant progress as a result, cannot be “amortized” with fewer than 100,000 copies. In the case of a 200-page novel, the only (true) one is around 20,000 copies. The publisher provides the translator with the previously adjusted corrections.

Before signing the contract

Be sure to check the publisher’s opinion on specialised forums,

●     Ask for the entire text. On this basis you can calculate the approximate volume in standard sheets/pages and it will also allow you to assess the real translation possibilities (work pace, time, language competences). In order to be realistic it is worth considering your processing capacity as the minimum, in this case it is a sheet per week (i.e. 22 typescript pages).

●     Prepare a work schedule, taking into account both the translation and the time needed for checking, controlling or research itself. It is a good idea to leave yourself a possible margin for any unforeseen circumstances so that you don’t lose control of the agreed deadlines.

●     Do not start work without a signed contract. Take the time to carefully read its content and get to know all the requirements. Remember that each publisher has its own document template, unfortunately not always compliant with the Copyright Act and the provisions on civil law contracts. If any provision raises your doubts, do not hesitate to consult the document with your attorney. Pay particular attention to the points below

●  

○ method and time of the transfer of rights (transfer of rights or license? Duration?);

○ provisions restricting the translator’s personal copyrights (e.g. the publisher reserves the right to decide on the title or requires the translator to authorise them to exercise his/her personal copyrights);

○ remuneration for fields of use other than printing (eBooks and audiobooks);

○ royalties;

○ contractual penalties, e.g. for any delays;

○ the time limit and conditions for accepting the text and the consequences of non-acceptance;

○ time for the author’s adjustments;

○ method and date of payment of the fee (upon receipt or after issue? Is there an advance payment?)

● if you are not familiar with the publisher, check the opinions about it on industry forums or among friends.

How to prepare an offer for a publisher?

To have a better chance of success, you need to reach out to the publishers you wish to contact. Please note the following aspects when making your selection:

– Does the publisher release translations?

– Does the genre of your book match their catalogue?

– Do they accept new suggestions?

– How many books do they release per year?

– Does your project have a sold chance of being a part of the selection?

– Is your project and company publications targeted at similar audiences?

– Have you discovered a really unique/single high quality book?

To get an idea of who the potential publishers are, it’s helpful to look at who has already purchased rights from that publisher in the original language.

Make sure the rights to the book you choose are free. When a book is translated, the publisher will buy the rights to the text to be published in another language – for the geographic area specified by the contract. If so, usually the young translator can submit his/her translation project to foreign publishers independently.

If, on the other hand, the rights have already been sold, there is a good chance that a translator has already been found for the text. Perhaps it is worth contacting the publisher that acquired the rights to check the status of the intended translation. In this case, it is worth mentioning the fact of being a translator, which means a competitive translation rate compared to professionals. The publisher may temporarily authorise you to carry out a translation test, giving you more freedom to act without pressure.

Prepare encouraging information about the book and the author, with quotes from reviews and sales data, if available, and information about your own literary output and interests. If a publisher has a submission policy on their website, be sure to follow the instructions.

Responsibilities of a literary translator

The translator’s responsibilities towards the publisher are specified in the contract. In the case of large publications, it is worth agreeing with the publisher on the way of developing the text (e.g. resignation from translating graphics, illustrations). The responsibilities include:

●   Translating the entire text, along with all additions, such as introduction, afterword, dedications, mottos, bibliographic apparatus, advertising materials on the cover, picture captions, index, with due diligence and within the time limit set in the contract. All abbreviations must be agreed with the publisher and the owner of the rights, so do not make the decision yourself. The exceptions are poetry fragments included in the text that have not yet been translated. If you feel that you would be unable to translate them yourself, you can ask the publisher to find another translator specialising in poetry.

●     Following the editorial instructions provided by the publisher, which should specify, for example, how titles are to be written, the distinctions, type of bibliography, format and method of preparing the text.

●     Identification and localisation of borrowings, citations, and titles of works. Quotations from works translated from a foreign language are given after the existing translation, specifying the bibliographic address and name of the translator. For example, if the translation is very outdated or of poor quality, you may deviate from this rule. The titles of works translated into the target language are given in accordance with the target translation. In the bibliography, you also need to adapt the writing method to that adopted in a given country and usually provide bibliographic addresses of local translations of the works contained therein, if such translations exist.

●     The localisation of any foreign elements such as foreign measures (e.g. converting feet to meters and degrees Fahrenheit to Celsius), geographical names, names of institutions, if there are accepted local-language names, foreign names in non-Latin alphabets (transcribe them in accordance with the rules of transcription in the spelling dictionary, i.e. not Солжени́цын, but Solzhenitsyn). Note: this is not an absolute rule, sometimes the nature of the text requires that you keep the original measures, e.g. in the book about Sherlock Holmes, you will not need to convert miles to kilometres.

●     Signalling and correcting the noticed errors: depending on the nature of the text and the size of the error, you can correct them discreetly in the text with a comment for the editor who should verify your change, or you can add an explanatory footnote.

●     Suggesting footnotes (sometimes this role is taken over by an editor or consultant).

●     Performing the author’s adjustment, i.e. referring to the editor’s proposal in a clear and unambiguous way, introducing all necessary additions and adjustments, agreeing upon the final version with the editor, taking into account the consultant’s adjustments.

● Polite and business-like cooperation with all co-workers.

The translator’s tasks do not include whatever is not contained in the contract, in particular:

●     Approval (as part of the author’s adjustments) of illegible editing (illegible handwriting on the printout or invisible adjustments made directly on the file), that was clearly careless or incompetent. The manner of editing is not specified in the copyright law or in the contract, but in accordance with good publishing practice and in the interest of both parties, the editor’s adjustments should be legible, justified and unambiguous. If the editor’s adjustments are grossly illegible, unclear or even harmful to the text (the editor generates errors), the translator has the right to reject the editing and request it to be redone again.

●     Applying the editor’s/proofreader’s adjustments to the file, if the editing or proofreading has been made on paper. This is usually done by a technical editor or a special reviewer.

●     Catching the editor’s adjustments (e.g. by comparing files), if the review has been delivered as a “clean” file and the changes are not visible. This is against the copyright law – the translator must be able to include author’s adjustments, and thus refer to the editorial adjustments. Any changes should be visible on paper or on a file.

●     Comparison of the text, if it turned out during the translation or after submitting the translation that the author had provided a newer version in the meantime. The translator may undertake the assignment, but not for the original fee.

●     Editorial work, e.g. converting footnotes from the bottom to the end or vice versa, if the concept changed while working on the publisher’s text, creating an index from scratch, adding page numbers to the index (the translator should translate the subject index, as agreed with the publisher, but it is not his/her obligation to insert pages in accordance with the final layout of the text), search for illustrative material, correct typesetting.

●     Looking for a consultant and paying for their work. If a comprehensive substantive consultation of the book is necessary, it is up to the publisher to find a consultant and conclude a contract with them. At most, a translator can suggest a candidate.● Resolving conflicts with the editor, proofreader, consultant – professionalism, respect and courtesy are the literary transltor’s duty, but the role of the mediator belongs to the publisher.

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