posted 03 November 2002 21:16            

To answer your question: it all depends on how good your relationships are with your clients. If you've always done good work for them and they trust you, there's nothing to stop you saying to them "oh, by the way I'm now offering XXX in addition to my usual subjects". Maybe do them a discounted job in the field to show how good you are, or tell them you'll only take on jobs in this subject of up to - say - 1000 words initially, so if anything goes wrong the damage is limited.

But before you do, make absolutely sure you're happy translating the new subject. There's nothing worse than biting off more than you can chew. And then possibly upsetting your client as well by not doing as good a job as they've come to expect from you.

And for what it's worth, your language combinations may make switching to additional specialist fields relatively straightforward. I find I get asked to do translations in all kinds of fields - including ones I wouldn't touch with a proverbial bargepole! - in the less common languages that I translate.

Now where did I put that golf manual...

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