Hello guys I am kinda new to this website. I hope this website is safe and legitimate for my book
Thread poster: Bobby Adi
Bobby Adi
Bobby Adi
Italy
Jun 5, 2019

Hello guys. I have been surfing the web looking for websites or people who can translate my book and I have seen someone here with good reviews but I came to check to make sure the site is reliable.
Just need to know if anyone here has used the services here for book translation...
Any responses will be greatly appreciated thanks.

My apologies for any inconveniences


 
Nathanael Fourie
Nathanael Fourie  Identity Verified
Member (2015)
Norwegian to English
+ ...
More information Jun 6, 2019

Hi Bobby

Good thing you posted a question!
It's always good to ask when you don't know something.

The answer to your question is not as easy as 1,2,3, but I'm sure you'll get to an answer.
Hopefully others are available to offer comments as well.

First up: What is your book called/about, which language have you written it in and which languages are you thinking to translate it into?

[Edited at 2019-06-06 10:08 GMT]


 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 22:52
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
@Bobby Jun 6, 2019

Bobby Adi wrote:
I just need to know if anyone here has used the services here for book translation.


1. The web site ProZ.com is legitimate and safe, but the web site itself doesn't offer any translation services nor does it guarantee anything from any of its members. The translators on this web site are all independent from the ProZ.com web site. They use ProZ.com simply as a place to advertise their services. You have to use your own judgement when evaluating whether any translator here is likely to be reliable.

I suggest you start by posting a translation "job":
https://www.proz.com/post-translation-job/
(You are under no obligation to accept any of the quotes you receive.)

Then, you can also use the directory to search for translators that match your requirements:
https://www.proz.com/translator-directory/

2. You can also try having your book translated at Babelcube.


DZiW (X)
P.L.F. Persio
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Jorge Payan
Ivana UK
 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 22:52
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
The site is a showcase for translators Jun 6, 2019

I have been here as a translator since 2003, and agree with what Samuel says.

As you are looking for a translator, you need to search actively.
You can start with the directories
https://www.proz.com/about/overview/directories/
and perhaps choose to find a tra
... See more
I have been here as a translator since 2003, and agree with what Samuel says.

As you are looking for a translator, you need to search actively.
You can start with the directories
https://www.proz.com/about/overview/directories/
and perhaps choose to find a translator:
https://www.proz.com/translator-directory/

First of all, select the languages you are working with. Individual translators only work with one or two languages, or a handful at most.
Within their languages, they all have specialist subject areas and other subjects they avoid.

The location is not necessarily relevant, but it is probably a good idea to start with translators who live where one of the languages you are interested in is spoken. That is not an absolute rule, but there are varieties of many major languages, and South American Spanish is not the same as European Spanish, etc. etc. You have to select the right one for your target readers, but the translator may be able to help.

If you approach a translator, be prepared to show that you are serious, and willing to pay. A book will probably take several weeks to translate, and the translator is not getting paid by anyone else during that time. I have been working for a couple of months on a book for one of my good clients, and they pay me a month after I send the invoice… Just so you understand!

Apart from that, there are unfortunately scammers who try to get details from translators for fraud, and as you are not on the Blue Board on this site, they will need to know one way or another who you are, and that you are serious too. Translators frequently ask each other in chat groups: ´Do you know anything about this guy/agency? Would you work for them?´ We do reassure each other about the good guys!

There is the option of posting a job
https://www.proz.com/post-translation-job/

You could also ask an agency, but that is a more expensive option. I translate for agencies, because they do a lot of the marketing and technical work I dislike doing myself, and they coordinate projects with many different languages etc. etc. but of course, they have to earn money too!
If your book is fairly straightforward, without a lot of DTP work and graphics, it would probably save you money to work directly with a translator.

Best of luck!
Collapse


Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
 
Bobby Adi
Bobby Adi
Italy
TOPIC STARTER
I will go with the second option for now Jun 6, 2019

Samuel Murray wrote:

Bobby Adi wrote:
I just need to know if anyone here has used the services here for book translation.


1. The web site ProZ.com is legitimate and safe, but the web site itself doesn't offer any translation services nor does it guarantee anything from any of its members. The translators on this web site are all independent from the ProZ.com web site. They use ProZ.com simply as a place to advertise their services. You have to use your own judgement when evaluating whether any translator here is likely to be reliable.

I suggest you start by posting a translation "job":
https://www.proz.com/post-translation-job/
(You are under no obligation to accept any of the quotes you receive.)

Then, you can also use the directory to search for translators that match your requirements:
https://www.proz.com/translator-directory/

2. You can also try having your book translated at Babelcube.


Thank you very much.
I have already tried the second option.
I'll wait and see what the translator services are like before I head back to option one if necessary.
I want both translation and if necessary formatting for Kindle
I wouldn't go with babel as I've heard rumors that it's cheap and full of errors. Want the book translated to Spanish.
Thanks again...


 
Bobby Adi
Bobby Adi
Italy
TOPIC STARTER
What the book is about? Jun 6, 2019

Nathanael Fourie wrote:

Hi Bobby

Good thing you posted a question!
It's always good to ask when you don't know something.

The answer to your question is not as easy as 1,2,3, but I'm sure you'll get to an answer.
Hopefully others are available to offer comments as well.

First up: What is your book called/about, which language have you written it in and which languages are you thinking to translate it into?

[Edited at 2019-06-06 10:08 GMT]


It is a Christian based book written in English & titled "The Model of Revelation Knowledge: What Happens After You Die". An erudite discourse on matters concerning the fate of the human soul and our spiritual identities within the Kingdom of Christ. I'm hoping to have it translated into Spanish as I want it to reach the spanish world audience first. The book is simply written to target all age audiences.

You will find it on Amazon by the way.

Best


 
Heinrich Pesch
Heinrich Pesch  Identity Verified
Finland
Local time: 23:52
Member (2003)
Finnish to German
+ ...
Use human translator, not machine Jun 9, 2019

You are right to look for a human translator, but I hope you are prepared to pay for the service in real money, not heavenly compensation.

IrinaN
Kay Denney
Jorge Payan
 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 22:52
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
@Bobby Jun 9, 2019

Bobby Adi wrote:
Samuel Murray wrote:
2. You can also try having your book translated at Babelcube.

I wouldn't go with Babelcube as I've heard rumors that it's cheap and full of errors.


Babelcube doesn't do any translations. Babelcube introduces translators to book authors. The book author should evaluate whether the translator is good enough himself. It's the same with hiring a translator via ProZ.com, except that Babelcube also takes care of things like royalty payments for translators, and translators at Babelcube work on a royalty-basis only. Most translators that you'll find at ProZ.com will want payment per word (and may or may not wish to have royalty payments too).

You already have a Kindle version (do you own the rights to the Kindle version?). Kindle is an output format. What is the input format? I mean, what kind of a file was the Kindle version before it was converted to a Kindle book? IT may be that translators can translate that file (those files) as-is, and then it would require very little extra work to format it for Kindle. Alternatively, you can convert the Kindle book to EPUB (using Calibre) and then any translator with a normal CAT tool would be able to translate it, but the formatting may not be exactly like in the Kindle version.

Your book is 500 pages long (can we assume 300 words per page, i.e. 150 000 words?) and it is in a specialist subject field, so you should expect higher rates. If you get a cheap translator to do it for you for, say, USD 0.05 per word, well, do the math: the translation will cost you USD 7500.


Bobby Adi
Jorge Payan
 
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:52
Member (2004)
English to Italian
yes... Jun 9, 2019

Samuel Murray wrote:

If you get a cheap translator to do it for you for, say, USD 0.05 per word, well, do the math: the translation will cost you USD 7500.


And then another USD 7500 to fix it...


P.L.F. Persio
Kay Denney
 
Bobby Adi
Bobby Adi
Italy
TOPIC STARTER
still comparing prices Jun 10, 2019

Samuel Murray wrote:

Bobby Adi wrote:
Samuel Murray wrote:
2. You can also try having your book translated at Babelcube.

I wouldn't go with Babelcube as I've heard rumors that it's cheap and full of errors.


Babelcube doesn't do any translations. Babelcube introduces translators to book authors. The book author should evaluate whether the translator is good enough himself. It's the same with hiring a translator via ProZ.com, except that Babelcube also takes care of things like royalty payments for translators, and translators at Babelcube work on a royalty-basis only. Most translators that you'll find at ProZ.com will want payment per word (and may or may not wish to have royalty payments too).

You already have a Kindle version (do you own the rights to the Kindle version?). Kindle is an output format. What is the input format? I mean, what kind of a file was the Kindle version before it was converted to a Kindle book? IT may be that translators can translate that file (those files) as-is, and then it would require very little extra work to format it for Kindle. Alternatively, you can convert the Kindle book to EPUB (using Calibre) and then any translator with a normal CAT tool would be able to translate it, but the formatting may not be exactly like in the Kindle version.

Your book is 500 pages long (can we assume 300 words per page, i.e. 150 000 words?) and it is in a specialist subject field, so you should expect higher rates. If you get a cheap translator to do it for you for, say, USD 0.05 per word, well, do the math: the translation will cost you USD 7500.



Yes I already did the maths and I know it will be expensive. However I'm still trying to weigh in the different price options from different translators to get the most favorable. Still trying to make up my mind about it. Thx



[Edited at 2019-06-10 03:10 GMT]


 


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