I offer services in translation, editing and proofreading. Prices are in Euros and calculated by standardised page. I mainly work on long and short prose in fiction, mostly SFF (Fantasy, SciFi). But I’ve also translated and edited Thrillers, Horror and Romance.
For more detailed information on the different services, please see the sections below.
Turn-around time of a translation or a copy edit depends on the time I have at hand, please refer to the availability section and make sure to send inquiries regarding a service at least three months in advance. I will inform you in advance of any issues – if possible. For particularly tight deadlines (i.e. you need the edited or translated work back in under a month (with longer works) or under a week (with shorter works)), I reserve to charge an additional 10 – 30,- € on top.
Payment is also possible in instalments for selfpublishers and indie publishers. Just ask, I’m sure, we can work something out.
Note
You’re not sure whether we would be a good fit?
I also offer introductory translations and edits of up to 10 pages for a flat fee of 50,- €.
This way I can get a first look at the text and what awaits me and you will get a look at how I work. If you then decide that we’re a good fit and would like to move forward with a project, I will take the introductory pages into account for the final price calculcation.
If you’re interested in an introductory translation or edit, please e-mail me at info@sophiegrossalber.com.
Qualifications
Language qualifications and references:
According to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
- German – C2 (native)
- English – C1 (CAE), 4 years in Scotland during BA (incl. one trimester abroad in Canada)
Other qualifications:
- Matura – Austrian High School diploma (focus on languages with English (8 years), Spanish (6 years), Latin (4 years), French (2 years))
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English – C1
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English and Film in Edinburgh – 2016-2020, graduated with Second Class, First Division
- Master of Arts in Specialized Translation and Language Industry, German & English – ongoing
- Two internships with the Austrian Armed Forces’ Language Institute
Free slots
Please check here for availability.
The next free slot is available in July 2024.
note
If you’re interested in a service, please e-mail me at info@sophiegrossalber.com and include the following in your e-mail:
- length (in words or pages)
- Genre
- language(s)
- which service
- deadlines (if possible)
FAQ
What’s a standardized page and why do you use it?
The standardized page (German, “Normseite”) is a remnant from the time when manuscripts were typed on typewriters and is still used by publishers and freelancers in the DACH region as a measurement of work length for novels. The fixed layout settings ensure that the result is a page with 1500 characters, incl. spaces, 30 lines with up to 60 characters each (max. 250 words per page). Because it’s helpful for calculating fees, the prices you’ll see on this page are all calculated with this layout.
However, I’ve also put up the per word price for translations.
How many passes are included in a developmental edit?
The price for a developmental edit includes two passes. After the first pass, you’ll have time to implement changes and then I will look at your changes in the second passes. For more passes, I charge an additional 1,-€ per page on top.
Do you use machine translation for translation projects?
No, I do not use machine translation for translation projects. I do, however, use Translation Memories, if the client agrees, to ensure consistent translations of special terms and phrases like a fictional organization’s motto.
A Translation Memory is a kind of storage for previous translations. If a segment meets certain parameters, the software I use can make suggestions on how to translate it, based on what’s stored in the Translation Memory.
Why should I hire different people for edits and translations?
The reason why I recommend hiring different people for edits and translations is because all the people working on your book are human. It is easy to miss a mistake, especially if the manuscript is very long or very dense. By hiring different people, you can ensure most errors have been found.
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