Translating your book into a new language can be a very important step in your career because it enables you to conquer a new market. However, the translation process isn’t something to take lightly. It’s a daunting task with many challenges that requires utmost dedication.
In this post, we will share with you some of our experiences regarding book translations and give you advice on what to look out for.
Define your goals
The first question you should ask yourself is “What do I want this book translation to achieve in the foreign market?”
Are you looking to boost sales, or you have yet to develop your name as a brand?
Setting this goal will give you the focus you need to stay on your planned course.
Which market do you want to present to?
Ask yourself the following questions:
- What region of speech would I like to publish my book in?
- What is the most popular genre in that region?
- Will I publish in one single country in that region, or in several countries?
- What is my competition?
In other words, market research is required before you set off to have your book translated into another language, so that you can determine your potential. For example, books in the business genre are very popular in Indonesia. The Turkish people just burn through educational books, while South Korea is the largest book importer in the world and has over 40% of global bestsellers translated into their language.
Hire a translation agency
Hiring your translation agency is a surefire way to a quality translation for your book. A translation that will be suited for the target market and address it in a way that feels natural and personal. Bear in mind that a poorly done translation can make all the difference between failure and success. This is why you need a person with a lot of experience and a comprehensive knowledge of the target language to translate your book. They should have a deep understanding of the target country’s culture, language, idioms, mentality… A professional translator will know how to adjust the content of your book in order to culturally fit in with the target market while preserving its original context and the message you wish to relay to your readers.
Make sure you have your translated book thoroughly proof-checked
After the translation of your book is complete, you absolutely have to have it proofread and edited. This way any irregularities or spelling errors will be removed, while every point of interpunction will be well-placed.
A translation agency will naturally also take care of this step for you as an integral part of their service.
After everything is finished, the translated book will be ready to conquer the foreign market and the hearts of many new readers.
