Writing a book takes time, discipline, Inspiration and dedication to one’s Ideas. The process of writing and publishing a book gets better as you go along and in the end, there is an immense sense of achievement. However, many authors seem to forget about translations.
Writing a book and translating it can have amazing benefits for both the author and buyers.
Just take the first Harry Potter book for example, a book which was only able to make it into the Top 10 on Wikipedia’s list of best-selling books became such a worldwide sensation due to sales generated by it’s copies which were sold in other languages thus eighty to be exact! Harry Potter would have therefore been ranked a lot lower if J.K. Rowling had not authorized those translations.
While you may not need to translate your book into eighty languages up front, here are some of the reasons why you should translate your books into at least one other language apart from the original and what to do to get started:
First and foremost, why translate? Translating a book helps to;
- Generate more sales
By making your books available in other languages, they can be sold globally in a large market. This helps generate more income and improve rankings.
- Benefit from less competition
Not only will you be able to expand your readership and generate some extra income but also, your book will likely see even better performance than in the original language. Most often, selling a book can be a lot easier in a second language even if you have to adjust your marketing strategy and work through a tall language barrier with the help of a translator.
- Convey ideas better
That moment after a conversation where you finally thought about something you should have said in the heat of the moment (L’esprit d’escalier), that feeling of uneasiness you got when you travelled somewhere new and feeling out of place, like you don’t belong ‘Dépaysement’. By translating your book, you can unlock these French words and phrases along with many more in order to put how you really feel on paper.
But how?
If you’re convinced you need to translate your book, the next question is, how?
- Use a professional human translator
Machine translations may be good for helping you find your way around a foreign country but certainly won’t cut it when translating a full novel. You need to look for a human translator with experience and from a reputable firm.
- Start early if you can
If you start looking early and find a translator up front and work with them throughout the writing process, they will be able to translate your book as it forms thus saving you time in the long run.
- Claim your copyright
Don’t forget to sign a contract with your translator to confirm that you, the author, will maintain ownership of the copyright and will directly receive all the royalties from the book, some of which can be offered to your translator as additional compensation if you so wish.
- Work with your translator
To prevent any of your ideas from becoming misinterpreted due to a false assumption, it is best to actively work with your translator. So pick one that is willing to work with you in order to produce the best book in every language.
- Make the right choice
Don’t just go for any translator. Do your research well in order to get good results. Polyglot Translations services has translators who specialize in literary work. We will ensure your book is able to reach its full potential in English and in French so that you can take your book to the next level. So, what are you waiting for? Request a quote today!
