The Translation Rights Sale Option

Then there’s the translation rights sale method of self-publication. From the author’s perspective, this may be the best, because if you’ve got a good book, you can easily sell the translation rights. It certainly suits authors who are not interested in the production aspect of self-publishing, meaning the layout, indexing, cover, and so on, and if you’re not especially interested in marketing your book in countries where you don’t speak the language. You have the option of allowing a translator to pay in installments, but perhaps this should be on the condition that the translation is not published before the total amount has been paid. This then leaves them to do the production and marketing, and they have the option of selling the translated book in electronic form or print form, worldwide. There’s always the risk that, even though the translator has paid you, the book may never be translated - or the translation may never be published. On the other hand, the translation might be terrible, but there’s nothing you can do about that.

Today, with self-publishing becoming more common and more and more authors being aware that they can self-publish, the process is becoming quite popular in the mainstream publishing world. And if you happen to be a literary translator who’s become a little bored and frustrated, have you considered self-publishing your translations of books, or, seeking out those unknown but amazing authors who’d love to have their work translated?

General Notes for Translators on Self-Publishing

The most common self-publishing model is when a self-published author contacts a translator. There is one reservation when it comes to translations into English, and that is that when translating into English most non-native speakers have a specific knowledge of their language and could well query some decisions made by the translator: as we know, and particularly in fiction, there’s not just one possible result – there are many. Everyone, including translators, has their voice, so we strongly suggest doing a sample translation to find out if you’re a good match.

Below we’ve listed some tips for translators who are considering working in self-publishing –

• Don’t automatically jump at any opportunity to work with an author. When you’ve been approached by an author, ask yourself if it will bring in enough money and if the experience will be good for you;

• Remember that you’re not ‘just a translator’: be very confident when negotiating terms because your work is vitally important to the success of a book;

• To avoid any future misunderstandings and frustrations, clarify your working terms upfront with the author, in writing. By this, we mean terms of payment, deadlines, and so on;

• If issues should arise, communicate these problems immediately. It’s always better to deal with potential issues as quickly as possible;

• Be proactive and seek out authors who you would like to translate. It’s perfectly acceptable for you to approach them directly, and most would be thrilled to be translated, particularly into English. When a translator like a book, not only will the translation project be more enjoyable, the finished result will be much better;

• Providing the original right holder is in agreeance, you can use yourtranslation copyrights to self-publish out of print books.