Dear all,

I´ve been asked to translate a historic novel from Spanish into English, which has about 500 pages. It has a rather large font though, and I expect in a normal font it could be about 300 pages. I´ve dealt directly with the author and he has not given me the number of words´.

I would like to know how other translators would charge for this. I am in Peru, and charging even 0.03$ per word would work out way too expensive, so I am thinking to charge him according to the time I would spend, and what would be a good hourly rate.

Any tips very very much appreciated!

Elise

Elise: A mi me parece razonable la cotización de 0.03 usd. Te cuento mi experiencia: hasta el 2001, traduje para una editorial varios libros técnicos (de cómputo) de 500 y más páginas (letra pequeña). Por cada uno cobré en promedio alrededor de $3 mil USD. Quizá esto te dé una idea de cuanto cobrar hoy en día. Por otra parte considero que traducir una novela es un trabajo literario que tiene un mayor valor, ya que además de trasladar los conceptos a otra lengua, debes transmitir con fidelidad la intención, el estilo, el sentimiento del autor. Si has intentado traducir poesía sabrás de qué hablo.

Además los derechos de autor de la traducción son tuyos y eso tiene un precio. En  mi caso el contrato con la editorial incluía una cláusula en la que yo les cedía los derechos por la traducción. Platica con el autor, ya que es muy importante que haya una buena comunicación para el trabajo. Suerte.

Chon

Thank you all very much for your replies. It has given me a much better idea of what I should charge. Since this is the first time I´m translating a book, it is also good to know that the rights of the translation are mine, I wasn´t sure about this.

Very interesting to hear what they pay in Ecuador. This is why I found it very hard to establish a price, because all of the translation sites are based in western countries, and pay western rates. Life is simply much cheaper here, so if I try and charge the same as a translator in Germany, I don´t think I would get a lot of work, especially since I am not in Lima. I am in Cusco and am focusing on working in the provincias, especially since there aren´t many translators here. Just to illustrate how they are not used to paying for translations here (hence the many many awful translations you see around); I gave a quote for a website translation for a very successful drinks company in Arequipa, at the laughable price of $0.02 per word, coming to a total of $25, and the marketing manager has come back to me saying that the manager has a US cousin who they are now asking to do the job, and if he can´t do it, they´ll contract me.

I was so stunned I had to laugh! I ·know· they have the laughable $25 to spare, but it just seems that paying for translations is not that common, they don´t consider it as the important investment that it is.

I know I could be focusing on more high-end companies that do realise the important of a good translation, but since I am recently starting out, I want to build up a decent portfolio before approaching the fat cats.

Many thanks again for your replies, it has really helped me put my pricing policy together.

Elise