Top tips for a successful translation project

Whether you're feeling confident or cautious about getting your content translated, here you will find a few tips that will ensure that the project is plain sailing for both of us. It will help you understand the nature of my work and avoid the most common pitfalls.

1. Provide suitable file formats

Translators work with text, so wherever possible provide the source file in a readable, i.e. editable, file format such as .doc/.docx, .xls/.xlsx, .ppt/.pptx, searchable .pdf or .txt.

2. Plan sufficient time for the translation

A text that took three weeks to write is not going to be translated within one week.

3. Source file format = target file format.

As a rule, you will receive your translation in the same file format as the source text. For example, it is not possible to supply an HTML file if the source file was a Word file.

4. Context is everything!

Please provide me with sufficient background information and context. Pictures are great to have and it's also helpful to know who the target group is and where the text will be used.

5. Do not attempt a DIY job!

Do not be tempted to translate your text yourself, use Google Translate or similar online tools and then ask me to proofread it. The same applies to texts written directly in English if it isn't your native language. The amount of money saved is negligible if anything and the proofreading often takes longer than a direct translation would have done.

6. Send source text with quote request

This makes it much easier for me to say how long the job will take and how much it will cost. I can also see at a glance how much research is required and how complex the text is.