For translations I primarily work in Fantasy (and all subgenres), Romantasy and Romance. But have also worked with Thrillers and Horror before.
I generally translate from English into German, but have also translated from German into English before.
Turn-around time of a translation 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.
Rates
Long or short prose translation, i.e. short story, novel, novella…
Languages:
German -> English
English -> German
Price: 0,06€ to 0,076€ per word
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 of up to 10 pages for a flat fee of 100,- €.
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, please e-mail me at info@sophiegrossalber.com or use the contact form.
Discounts
I can offer the following discounts.
These can not be combined with other discounts or special sales.
- Series10 – series discount, applicable when booking a translation or edit for more than 3 books, must be booked in advance
- LitNet5 – applicable when booking services from 2 services providers through LitNet – a network for bookish service providers
- LitNet10 – applicable when booking services from 3 or more service providers through LitNet – a network for bookish service providers
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:
- position as translation manager for technical translations – current
- Master of Arts in Specialized Translation and Language Industry, German & English – 2021-2025
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English and Film in Edinburgh – 2016-2020, graduated with Second Class, First Division
- 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
- three internships with the Austrian Armed Forces’ Language Institute
Availability
Please check here for availability.
The next free slot is available in November 2025.
note
If you’re interested in a service, please get in touch via the contact form above or send me an 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.
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.
