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tranfree issue 4 - 26 June 1999

"Finding Translation Work on the Net"

 

Welcome to issue 4 of tranfree - the newsletter for translators.

tranfree 4 contains...

I would like to encourage people to ask questions. Your anonymity is assured, unless you specifically want to be named. Keep the questions coming - if you don't know the answer to something, the chances are someone else doesn't either.

I hope you find tranfree valuable and enjoy reading it.

Alex

Alex Eames
tranfree editor, Author -
How to Earn $80,000+ per Year as a Freelance Translator

 

 

    This tranfree's Feature Articles...

  1. Translation work on the net how and where to find it

     

  2. Senior Translation Agency Staff Column - Regarding Formats and Formatting

 

 

New Add-a-link Prize Draw

I am keen to get as many of you as possible who have your own websites to link to the translatortips.com website. So to encourage you all to add a link I am starting a monthly prize draw for everyone who links to the site. Each month all those people who have a link to the translatortips site will go into a ballot and the winner gets a FREE translatortips product of their choice from the following...

To get things started I will give a FREE copy of the book to the first 2 verified links. Do let me know as soon as you've linked! Send an email with the URL of the site and your email address to...

links@translatortips.com

Winner's names will be published every month (but not email addresses, unless I have specifically been asked to include them).

If you don't know how to create the link there are some further details at the bottom of this edition of tranfree.

 

 

tranfree Readers' Questions

Question From: Albert Gomperts, Dutch-English Translator, Belgium

Thank you for newsletter. I welcome it because it improves communications between translators, we are after all in a fairly isolated profession.

Your first issues seem to concentrate on the problems of debutante translators. After more than 20 years in this business, I am rather more concerned with the problems of the experienced translator. Over the years one tends to build up a large number of contacts and customers, which in itself is fine. What, though, does one do when they all turn up together and starting clamouring for a translation? You don't want to turn them away. They are all insistent that you do the translation, because they have over the years come to have confidence in you and your style. I have much to my regret been forced to the conclusion that the number of really competent translators working from Belgian Dutch to English is extremely limited. Indeed we are all in the same boat.

The economic response would to be push up the price. On the other hand this is quickly viewed as price gouging, and does not serve you well in times that work is slack.

It has been suggested to me that machine translation programs might be of some use, Je m'en mefie. The range of work I do is so diverse. An art catalogue one week, eye surgery another, dredging techniques, birth certificates, a newsletter: the list goes on and on.

The horrible solution has been to make 'em wait. I find this stressful, and I am sure my customers do too. Any suggestions?

Albert Gomperts, Translators extraordinaires

Answer:
I'm sure many subscribers would 'give their right arm' to be in your situation Albert. When you get 'too successful' the natural path is to turn into an agency, but there are a couple of other possibilities. Why not:

  • tell your customers "I have a 7 day backlog of work but you can jump the queue for XX% more than usual" thus you will not lose them when the lean times come because it was 'usual rates plus a surcharge'. When you aren't busy you don't charge the surcharge.
  • sub-contract the work to someone else (if you can find someone) and then check it yourself afterwards - editing to the style your customers are used to
  • take on an 'apprentice' on a casual basis - find someone who wants to get into the translation industry who will work with you when you have more work than you can take. You can help them learn the trade in exchange for a reasonable split of the money. There must be plenty of students around who would love the chance to make some extra money (better than working in McDonalds - certainly better for the brain).

Question From: Recently Started Translator, France

I would like to know if all translators, register themselves as a company? Can I simply invoice my client without actually being a "company"? What is the "standard" invoice translators use? Any info on starting out will be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance for your help.

Answer:
No, most translators don't register themselves as a company because of the additional bureaucracy and costs involved in incorporating. Most translators are unincorporated sole traders/sole proprietors or partnerships. In most countries it is not necessary to incorporate because you can call yourself anything you like as a 'trading name'.

Yes you can send out an invoice to your clients without incorporating. Use either your trading name or your own name. I don't think there is a standard invoice, as requirements differ in different countries. For example a fax has no legal value in France, whereas in the UK and the US some companies will accept faxed invoices. Be sure to include:

  • client's name, address and Job No.
  • your name
  • your address
  • invoice date
  • invoice number
  • details of what the invoice is for - including language, subject and word-count
  • the payment amount
  • payment terms
  • any applicable VAT or local tax
  • your signature

As far as info on starting out is concerned the best reference I know on the subject is...

How to Earn $80,000+ per Year as a Freelance Translator

 

***End of issue 4***