Professional Book Translation: A Complete Guide

Books translation services help authors and subject experts to connect with more readers all over the world. When we read a book, whether fiction or non-fiction, we’re taking a journey. Translating books into a selection of languages allows more people to take that journey with your book. Some people read books that aren’t in their first language, but this is still a limited number of readers. With this in mind, hiring a professional book translator for your book translation may be on your to-do list.

Translating books is one way to increase your readership and help your books transcend borders. Book translation is an art form in itself, striking a balance between accuracy and voice. So, to make sure the tone and voice of the author are not lost in translation, we recommend working with a talented book translator via a specialised book translation company. In other words, translating books is the best way to capture the message of the original text whilst striking a cord with native speakers in other languages.

Benefits of Book Translations

Book translation is a wonderful way for authors and publishers to increase their readership internationally. An exceptional translation by a skilled book translator opens doors to new markets. For example, digital book readership via online book-selling platforms continues to grow at pace, in countries like India, Brazil, Mexico and Italy. Translating books into suitable languages for these markets can unlock increased sales.

However, the last thing any author wants is for their message to get lost in translation. Therefore, we advise against using a machine translation tool or an amateur book translator for your translation. Furthermore, an excellent translation makes sense linguistically while maintaining the unique character of the original copy. To keep continuity in the translation, you should rely on a trusted translation company. It’s important to keep in mind that to avail of book translators, you must first ensure you have the rights to have to translate and sell the book in other markets.

Professional Translation Company

Translating books does not need to be stressful. A professional book translator will make the process as easy as possible for you. It is also important that the translator has a good understanding of the subject matter of the book. Additionally, a skilled translator will employ a mixture of direct translation and localisation, in order to retain the meaning of the text and the quality of the writing.

Preparing a translation glossary, which is a list of important names and terminology from your book, will help the translator produce high-quality text. For example, consider whether you want character names translated into a local equivalent or not, such as choosing between ‘John’ and ‘Johannes’. Fantasy names and places could also be documented in a translation glossary.

With a native speaker translating books into their first language, appropriate localisation can also be incorporated into the translation of the text. A native book translator has a natural “feel” for what will resonate with readers in their mother tongue. A reputable book translation company will also ensure high standards of translation by enforcing quality control. This assures accuracy in the translation process.

Book Translation Cost

The cost of translating books can vary hugely, depending upon several different factors. Possibly the biggest factor affecting book translation cost is the length of the book. A book translator will charge less to translate a 30,000-word novella than a 180,000-word epic fantasy. The language pair will also affect the cost of translation. The more uncommon a language pair is, the higher the translation cost will be.

The need for an industry specialist book translator can push up the cost of a book translation, but, depending on the book’s genre, it may be a necessary expense. For example, a legal or medical translation would require an industry specialist book translator, whereas a fictional novel would not require industry specialism. The turnaround time of a project can also affect the cost. Translating books can be time intensive; requesting a very short turnaround time may increase the cost of the translation. We recommend planning ahead and allowing plenty of time for the translation process before your planned publication date. 

Professional Book Translations from Renaissance Translations

Our pool of over 5,000 linguists is highly skilled and experienced across a range of languages and specialisms, including translating books in a range of genres. Whether you have a novel, a legal text or an academic book, we have the right book translator for you. If you’d like to translate your book, you can get a quote online on our website. Alternatively, one of our project managers would be happy to discuss your book translation requirements.