Rate for translating a book from Spanish into English
Thread poster: Nicholas Isard
Nicholas Isard
Nicholas Isard  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 13:06
Member (2020)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Sep 21, 2020

Hi everyone,

I was just wondering what your thoughts on this issue were. So, I was contacted last week by a university to translate a 130k-book on the legal issues surrounding Catalan independence, which is going to be published by a major UK publisher. Having thought carefully about the logistics of the whole thing, my conclusion was that I'd need a decent deadline (6 months - approx. 3 days a week, so as not to lose other clients) and a decent rate, which would factor in proofread
... See more
Hi everyone,

I was just wondering what your thoughts on this issue were. So, I was contacted last week by a university to translate a 130k-book on the legal issues surrounding Catalan independence, which is going to be published by a major UK publisher. Having thought carefully about the logistics of the whole thing, my conclusion was that I'd need a decent deadline (6 months - approx. 3 days a week, so as not to lose other clients) and a decent rate, which would factor in proofreading by a colleague who I've worked with on many occasions. So, I quoted €0.13/word (€0.08/word for the translation, €0.04/word for my colleague to proofread my translation and €0.01 for the risk involved in outsourcing the proofreading). Obviously, the result is a 16k-quote, which I doubt they'll go with!

Anyway, do you guys think the rate and/or deadline is excessive? My thing was to avoid a potential liability lasting for months and months which is simply not worth my while/not allow me to spend the time on research this book would clearly involve/result in me only being able to serve this client and lose all my other good clients. I'm sure they'll cheaper elsewhere, but as it's a book that going to be published (by a big UK publisher), obviously the quality needs to be impeccable.

Any input would be gratefully received.

Best,
Nick

[Edited at 2020-09-21 07:39 GMT]

[Edited at 2020-09-21 07:40 GMT]
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Arabic & More
Arabic & More  Identity Verified
Jordan
Arabic to English
+ ...
Reasonable, if not low Sep 21, 2020

If anything, your quote is low, as there are numerous things involved in book translation that can become very time-consuming for the translator. Big institutions should not really blink at the figure you mentioned. But you will know for sure when they respond to your quote.

 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 12:06
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
@Nicholas Sep 21, 2020

I don’t understand what you mean by “the risk involved in outsourcing the proofreading” if you have worked several times with your colleague. Would you care to explain? Personally, I would charge a similar amount, but I wonder if the deadline isn’t on the tight side considering translation + proofreading?

philgoddard
 
Platary (X)
Platary (X)
Local time: 13:06
German to French
+ ...
Clarification needed Sep 21, 2020

Hello Nicholas,

First of all, I think it would be a good idea to consider that the translation of a book (in particular of this kind) should not really be treated in the same way as an App user manual.

So, I consider that your calculation is not the right one and is really too low for the translation itself. In addition to this remark, it is usually not up to the translator to worry about proofreading, even in your calculation system.

But the most importan
... See more
Hello Nicholas,

First of all, I think it would be a good idea to consider that the translation of a book (in particular of this kind) should not really be treated in the same way as an App user manual.

So, I consider that your calculation is not the right one and is really too low for the translation itself. In addition to this remark, it is usually not up to the translator to worry about proofreading, even in your calculation system.

But the most important thing would be to know with who you are dealing, the university or the English publisher? In other words, whom did you make this quote?

Such a question, simply because in your presentation, you seem to completely forget the nature of the contract you have to establish. Who are "they'll go with"?

Since we are talking about a "major" publisher, who will be the partner for the publication of your translation? Do not forget, therefore, since we are talking about a real publishing house, that the question of copyright and intellectual property arises. Have you addressed these issues, and again, with whom?

I'm not even talking about royalties yet, but that's an important question, too.

I'm sorry to ask all these questions, but I think they are useful and helpful.

Keep us informed and I wish you all the best!



[Modifié le 2020-09-21 10:34 GMT]
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Alice Crisan
 
Edward Potter
Edward Potter  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 13:06
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Give it a shot Sep 21, 2020

Nicholas Isard wrote:
Any input would be gratefully received.


It would be a great job, if you land it.

You would have to assume they are getting at least a couple more quotes for the job (unless they absolutely want YOU, then you just name your price). Make very sure you are charging enough. The subject matter isn't likely to lead to a best seller, so any royalties would be low.

If you land this, you would probably do it with a nice, professionally prepared quote, and great public relations with the potential customer.

All in all, I would think your chances of getting this one is pretty low. My advice is to give a price that is going to make you happy once you've put forth all the effort, on the off chance you get it.





[Edited at 2020-09-22 00:48 GMT]


 
philgoddard
philgoddard
United States
German to English
+ ...
I would expect the publisher to do the proofreading. Sep 22, 2020

I've done a couple of dozen books, and I've never been asked to have them proofread. Surely the publisher should do that, to ensure it fits their own editorial guidelines.

Ester Vidal
P.L.F. Persio
 
Nicholas Isard
Nicholas Isard  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 13:06
Member (2020)
Spanish to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Didn't get it! Oct 14, 2020

Hey everyone,

Thanks for all your replies. In the end I got the typical "Su candidatura ha sido desestimada al no cumplir para los intereses del mejor criterio de relación calidad/precio ni de celeridad en los plazos de ejecución del contrato". Given that they have no idea about quality without asking for a sample, I assume it was a race to the bottom (cheapest and quickest agency/translator got it). I'm not sure if I mentioned, but I quoted €0.13/word, which included a proofrea
... See more
Hey everyone,

Thanks for all your replies. In the end I got the typical "Su candidatura ha sido desestimada al no cumplir para los intereses del mejor criterio de relación calidad/precio ni de celeridad en los plazos de ejecución del contrato". Given that they have no idea about quality without asking for a sample, I assume it was a race to the bottom (cheapest and quickest agency/translator got it). I'm not sure if I mentioned, but I quoted €0.13/word, which included a proofreading by a fantastic colleague I've been working with for years.

There were 126k words, so I also said I'd need around the 6-month mark to do all the research, etc. and apparently the agency/translator awarded the contract has quoted a quicker deadline (perhaps they'll have multiple translators working on it).

Anyway, I guess you win some, you lose some. I still think I quoted an absolutely fair price for what is a complex legal book to be published by a major publisher in the UK, and gave what I consider to be the minimum time needed to do the job properly.

Nick
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Jorge Payan
 
Adieu
Adieu  Identity Verified
Ukrainian to English
+ ...
Lots of people hungry for remote work these days Jan 7, 2021

It's a big job, so someone with no source of income and high motivation will undercut you by 40-60% and get it done in 2 months or less.

Or, if the client is naive, they'll bite on some MT scammer who promises 2 weeks and 2 cents per word...and then crawl back to you in a month asking you to MTPE. Lol.

[Edited at 2021-01-07 08:28 GMT]


 


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Rate for translating a book from Spanish into English







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