I've been translating the book Mi Stelojn Jungis al Revado for my monthly writing club, and it has been such a blast. My Esperanto is pretty good, but translating is another thing altogether. Trying to remain "invisible" as the translator isn't easy. And trying to render in English the creative ways Mikaelo Bronstejn uses Esperanto? Quite the challenge!
So I thought I should read some books. I've read other books on translation and have tried to take lessons from them, but this particular one is about one possible future. Could I make it, even part-time, as a freelance translator?
This book is primarily not about literary translations. Doubtful I'd ever be contracted to translate birth certificates, deeds, or the like from Esperanto to English. But the information was still beneficial. Lots on setting up your day, your office, billing. Also networking, which I'm sure measures heavily in how these freelancers earn money.
The author, Corinne McKay, hosts a wonderful website, Training for Translators, with many nice-looking courses at affordable prices. It was from this website that I got this book.
Yes, it's really hard to make a living as a translator.
ReplyDeleteI have done both, basic stuff for companies and novels - but unless you translate a major author or for a big publishing company, you can't really live from that only.
It was taking so much of my time and energy that I'm back to just teaching French (online, one on one, through skype or the like)
Thankfully, when and if I ever do this, I won't have to live on this. Translating would be seriously a part-time hobby that might bring in some money, although that's doubtful. Mostly, my post-retirement part-time job plan is copyediting. I'm fairly good at it (at work) so I think I can bring in enough $$ in retirement doing that to keep me in books, swimming pools, and beer.
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