Putting an end to a long-ish day...

[alexpgp]

The occupational safety piece weighed in at just under 14,000 words, and it took me nearly 4 hours to review it and resolve all of the questions I'd noted while translating it. The second item, a news article about immigrants and welfare reform, took me about 3 hours to finish and about an hour to edit (I had noted more questions than usual when working at the store, since I had no references with me). All in all, it turned out to be a 4800-word day.

I got an e-mail from client U asking about my availability to do a large job for them over the next couple of months. There are pros and cons to such work: the pro side is having a steady stream of work for a couple of months; the con is that the flow can cease at any time, leaving one with a funny look on one's face owing to the fact that one has told other clients that one is not available to do other work. Too, clients expect a discount for volume work.

I have got to put my mind around developing some kind of retainer agreement that will be fair to both my clients and me, but for now, about the only thing I intend to wrap my mind around (or vice versa, actually) is the pillow in my bed upstairs.

Cheers...

Comments

[brenk.livejournal.com]

If you ever find the solution to 'retainer basis' and the fact that all good clients always send translation work at the same time, let me know?

I do have a *sort* of retainer basis with the one agency I work for (although I keep agency work to a minimum as it pays less than private stuff, obviously). They keep sending texts until I refuse things (which hasn't happened yet in the 6 years I've worked for them, but has stretched me to the limit depending on private stuff).

Sub-contracting is a 'solution' that I've tried twice in 20 years and been horrified at the results both times. Never again! Dunno about over there, but hereabouts some translators are ruthless creatures who happily steal your clients (first experience). What's more, good translators don't take sub-contracted work if they can help it either, right? And of course if they *are* good then you have to pay them accordingly yet *still* have to give their work the once-over as it's going out in your name. This takes time and means you can be out of pocket just to keep the client. Not ideal either. Not-so-good (and thus cheaper) translators are happy to get work, but despite giving them glossaries and background material, they don't come up to standards (second experience).

My only solution is to resign myself to very long days at times, while thinking of the mortgage and/or running to buy some air tickets for a well-earned break. Any type of break from the office, of course, bring problems with them too, as there are always some regular clients who don't like you being away and you don't want to lose. Which is why I end up spending evenings/nights translating in every place I visit, whether for business or pleasure. Tracking down an Internet café or modem plug in some strange and wonderful places has been... ineresting.

Makes you wonder why you do it sometimes, eh?

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

Wow. We seem to be living out parallel experiences (or thereabouts... I haven't had anyone try to steal a client).

Yet when you come down to it, really the only way to make money in this (or any) industry is to move from being the money generator to becoming the person who supervises the money generators. I'll be posting more on this whole area.

Cheers...

[brenk.livejournal.com]

Yes exactly - but finding good people to supervise is the tricky part. My problem is having the time to explain, teach, train... not to mention natural impatience born of 23 years in the profession creeping in.

Switzerland is very much a translators' country - not only because of all the international organisations here but having 4 national languages means that English is often used as 'neutral ground' by every sector from industry to academia. This also means it can be quite competitive among freelancers. Agencies worry that we'll steal their clients, and colleagues can (and do) undercut you if they find out who you work for. This is all rather a shame. The only good thing is that having plenty of competition certainly keeps you on your toes (and leads you to translate horrible things for boring clients while supposedly on holiday in case you lose them).

Looking forward to hearing more. You might be interested in a website by a local colleague - one I work with and whose business site includes a great deal of thoughts on translation and various aspects thereof: www.fxm.ch. His 'advice to clients' is very good and reflects some conversations he and I have had over the years. His prices are astronomical, however, and he pays translators peanuts.