| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Literary Translation (ENG to FR) offered rates : too low ? Thread poster: Elodie Marias
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Hi everyone,
I had been contacted a few weeks ago by an American agency (literary translation).
They gave me an assessment, I dit it and they were happy with it.
They want me to translate a romance novel (75K words) but they offer $0.015 per source word.
Is that me or are their rates really low ?
Thank you forward for your help
Regards,
Elodie.
| | | | Jean Lachaud 
United States
Local time: 14:09
English to French
+ ...
| Of course, it is low. | Jan 6, 2021 |
And you are under no obligation to accept.
[Edited at 2021-01-06 15:26 GMT]
| | | | WolfgangS
France
Local time: 20:09
Member (2007)
English to German
+ ...
| Literary Translation (ENG to FR) offered rates : too low ? | Jan 6, 2021 |
Elodie Marias wrote:
Hi everyone,
I had been contacted a few weeks ago by an American agency (literary translation).
They gave me an assessment, I dit it and they were happy with it.
They want me to translate a romance novel (75K words) but they offer $0.015 per source word.
Is that me or are their rates really low ?
Thank you forward for your help
Regards,
Elodie.
It's not you... it's low, definitely.
| | | | Jo Macdonald
Spain
Local time: 20:09
Member (2005)
Italian to English
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| Multiply by 10 or thereabouts | Jan 6, 2021 |
Hi Elodie
I've translated a few books and charge my usual rate which is almost ten times that. They will be long jobs with deadlines that are easy to meet (2 – 3 chapters per month).
Books can take longer than other jobs; they can be more complicated, require more research, and contain parts that need clarifying.
75 thousand words will take about 35 working days, maybe more, in other words about 1.5 - 2 months.
One grand for two month's work = the t... See more Hi Elodie
I've translated a few books and charge my usual rate which is almost ten times that. They will be long jobs with deadlines that are easy to meet (2 – 3 chapters per month).
Books can take longer than other jobs; they can be more complicated, require more research, and contain parts that need clarifying.
75 thousand words will take about 35 working days, maybe more, in other words about 1.5 - 2 months.
One grand for two month's work = the time it takes to write "Thanks, but I’d rather be lugging boxes at Bargain City." ▲ Collapse
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it's very low.
Now it's up to you to decide if you want to take this job or not.
I read on your profile that you were interested in translating novels. If you enjoy this type of work, it could be a pleasant one-time experience, if the deadline allows you to work on other projects at the same time. Because this type of rate will probably not pay your bills.
| | | | | Ask more questions | Jan 6, 2021 |
Veronica Montserrat wrote:
it's very low.
Now it's up to you to decide if you want to take this job or not.
I read on your profile that you were interested in translating novels.
It's extremely low and will take up time you could use on better paying jobs. But if the publisher will give you translation credits, you could use that as leverage to get more novel translation projects. In theory. And there's no evidence that those would pay any better...
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 20:09
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
| You were lucky | Jan 7, 2021 |
Elodie Marias wrote:
They want me to translate a romance novel (75K words) but they offer $0.015 per source word.
Things could have been worse. That agency might have asked you to pay them in order to get this project.
In the face of such a low and actually insulting rate the only possible answer is sarcasm.
| | | | Elodie Marias
France
Local time: 20:09
English to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Thank you all ! | Jan 7, 2021 |
Thank you for your comments, which helped me making my decision (I said no unless they agree to reconsider their rates)
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Platary (X)
Local time: 20:09
German to French
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| Unusual approach | Jan 7, 2021 |
Bonjour Élodie,
It is not very usual to deal with an agency for the translation of a novel. It's usually a matter concerning publishing houses. And these don't operate as agencies counting the source word. This proposal is unprofessional, reason why the proposed tariff is absurd and why no other tariff can make you forget it. If you are really interested in literary translation, offer your talents to publishers, don't expect anything from a commercial agency.
| | | | | Get out of bed, make your bed | Jan 7, 2021 |
You need to determine a "get-out-of-bed" rate. I would not get out of bed for 1 centime/word.
An agency once offered me this rate for proofreading. I bore in mind that the person who cleaned their offices were on the SMIC and had decent social protection.
I refused the offer.
Once you get out of bed, you need to make your bed. Once you've made it, you will be the only one lying on it. Remember that.
On the matter of making your bed, this might inspire you ... See more You need to determine a "get-out-of-bed" rate. I would not get out of bed for 1 centime/word.
An agency once offered me this rate for proofreading. I bore in mind that the person who cleaned their offices were on the SMIC and had decent social protection.
I refused the offer.
Once you get out of bed, you need to make your bed. Once you've made it, you will be the only one lying on it. Remember that.
On the matter of making your bed, this might inspire you into making the right choice about the offer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxBQLFLei70&ab_channel=TexasExes
[Edited at 2021-01-07 17:22 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Elodie Marias
France
Local time: 20:09
English to French
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TOPIC STARTER
Adrien Esparron wrote:
Bonjour Élodie,
It is not very usual to deal with an agency for the translation of a novel. It's usually a matter concerning publishing houses. And these don't operate as agencies counting the source word. This proposal is unprofessional, reason why the proposed tariff is absurd and why no other tariff can make you forget it. If you are really interested in literary translation, offer your talents to publishers, don't expect anything from a commercial agency.
Bonjour Adrien,
I know it is absolutely unusual, I have already worked with French Publishing Houses in the past.
However, this agency seems to be specialized in literary works (and has good reviews on ProZ...) that's why I am really confused.
But all the answers provided on the forum help, including yours.
Thank you
| | | | Barbara Carrara
Italy
Local time: 20:09
Member (2008)
English to Italian
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| Elodie and others. | Jan 8, 2021 |
Hi
Earlier this morning, I received a bulk email from what I think is the same agency mentioned in your thread, offering a 'romantic literary translation' (EN-IT).
I checked the job post, in which they claim,
'You will be paid by source word - please include your price per word in your proposal.'
Out of curiosity, I went on to check their application form, only to discover that,
'The rate per word source word for this project is $0.015 USD.*
*... See more Hi
Earlier this morning, I received a bulk email from what I think is the same agency mentioned in your thread, offering a 'romantic literary translation' (EN-IT).
I checked the job post, in which they claim,
'You will be paid by source word - please include your price per word in your proposal.'
Out of curiosity, I went on to check their application form, only to discover that,
'The rate per word source word for this project is $0.015 USD.*
*By filling out this application, I understand that the source word rate will not be increased.'
The rate 'offered' matches yours. So, the agency's job post is misleading, to say the least.
Despite that, I too read the three (!) glowing reviews, all but one apparently coming from newbie translators with no experience whatsoever in literary translation other than that with this agency.
If you receive this or similarly worded job 'offers', please beware. Nobody in their right mind would work for such a degrading fee, let alone 'professional translators'.
[Edited at 2021-01-08 11:25 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Barbara Carrara
Italy
Local time: 20:09
Member (2008)
English to Italian
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| An update to my previous post | Jan 8, 2021 |
After I posted my comment this morning, I contacted the support center about the job post I mentioned in it.
The answer I received states that 'It would seem that only the application for Italian has an already established pre-word [sic] fee, so the job posting has been edited to reflect this.'
So, the version currently available of said English-to-Italian job post no longer contains the misleading sentence of the original one.
Needless to say, the rate offered by the US... See more After I posted my comment this morning, I contacted the support center about the job post I mentioned in it.
The answer I received states that 'It would seem that only the application for Italian has an already established pre-word [sic] fee, so the job posting has been edited to reflect this.'
So, the version currently available of said English-to-Italian job post no longer contains the misleading sentence of the original one.
Needless to say, the rate offered by the US-based agency remains unchanged in the form potential applicants are required to fill in. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | About the same job | Jan 9, 2021 |
What surprises me also about this job add (literary translation) is that they ask for a headshot. It's the first time I see this. I even thought for a moment that this word "headshot" has another meaning because it seems so strange to ask for a headshot for translation of novels...
Well, now, after reading on this forum about their word price, I will just give up. In literary translation, the pricing is usually not based on words but on pages with a certain number of characters... Anyway.... See more What surprises me also about this job add (literary translation) is that they ask for a headshot. It's the first time I see this. I even thought for a moment that this word "headshot" has another meaning because it seems so strange to ask for a headshot for translation of novels...
Well, now, after reading on this forum about their word price, I will just give up. In literary translation, the pricing is usually not based on words but on pages with a certain number of characters... Anyway. I also worked with editors before and I always find strange those agencies that have books translation projects...
Thank you anyway for all the exchanges between translators, that help a lot ! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | That is the offer they get from people providing machine translation | Feb 5, 2021 |
Elodie Marias wrote:
Hi everyone,
I had been contacted a few weeks ago by an American agency (literary translation).
They gave me an assessment, I dit it and they were happy with it.
They want me to translate a romance novel (75K words) but they offer $0.015 per source word.
Is that me or are their rates really low ?
Thank you forward for your help
Regards,
Elodie.
You find an endless supply of self-proclaimed translators on platforms like Upwork, Fiverr oder Freelancer. The offer $0.02/word and then deliver a machine translation. I know some "profession fiction translators" that made $20k and more last year by delivering DeepL or Google translations.
So, $0.015 per source word is a rate these clients are offered often enough to believe they are realistic.
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