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Understanding Literary Translation Pricing: Per Page or Per Book?
Thread poster: Rebecca Heathen
Rebecca Heathen
Rebecca Heathen
United Kingdom
Apr 21

Hello fellow translators,

I am currently in the process of negotiating a literary translation project from English to Arabic with a publishing house. I am seeking advice on how to appropriately price my services for this task.

The main question I have is whether it is more common or advisable to charge per page or for the entire book? I understand that there are various factors to consider such as the complexity of the text, the deadline, and my own expertise and experi... See more
Hello fellow translators,

I am currently in the process of negotiating a literary translation project from English to Arabic with a publishing house. I am seeking advice on how to appropriately price my services for this task.

The main question I have is whether it is more common or advisable to charge per page or for the entire book? I understand that there are various factors to consider such as the complexity of the text, the deadline, and my own expertise and experience. However, I would appreciate any insights or experiences you could share about the standard practices in our industry.

In addition to this, I am also curious about the actual rates that are considered reasonable in our field. While I understand that this can vary greatly, any guidance or benchmark figures would be extremely helpful in ensuring that I price my services fairly and competitively.

Furthermore, I am interested in understanding how to approach the publisher with my proposed rates. Any tips on negotiation strategies or key points to highlight would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your time and assistance. ▲ Collapse
 
Blandina Broesicke
Blandina Broesicke  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 20:55
Member (2006)
Chinese to German
+ ...
Former experiences Apr 24

Hello Rebecca,

there has been a discussion several years ago, which still might be interesting. https://www.proz.com/forum/money_matters/308711-translating_a_novel_price_range.html

But perhaps you should start looking for information in your language pair? Is there any association for literary translators in your country?
... See more
Hello Rebecca,

there has been a discussion several years ago, which still might be interesting. https://www.proz.com/forum/money_matters/308711-translating_a_novel_price_range.html

But perhaps you should start looking for information in your language pair? Is there any association for literary translators in your country?

Best wishes,
Blandina ▲ Collapse


Jorge Payan
 
philgoddard
philgoddard
United States
German to English
+ ...
Don't quote per page Apr 24

The customer just wants a price for the whole book. You should ask them how many words it is, estimate how long it will take, and decide how much your time is worth.

That said, should you even be doing this job? Your profile says your native language is English.

[Edited at 2024-04-24 15:40 GMT]

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
 


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Understanding Literary Translation Pricing: Per Page or Per Book?







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