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Should You Have Your Books Translated?

Having your books translated into other languages can open up a whole new realm of marketing possibilities. If this is your first foray into pursuing foreign translations of your books, then you probably have a lot of questions. Even if you've tried this in the past, regardless of your level of success, read on because some of this may be new information for you.

Benefits of Translating Your Books into Other Languages

There are a wide range of benefits of having your books translated into other languages. Here are a few of the most significant ones.

• Increased Authenticy – When readers see that your book is available in multiple languages, then it tells them that you are serious about your craft. Having your books available in multiple languages also appeals to readers who place a greater value on diversity and inclusion.

• New Audiences – Keeping your books in one language an inadvertently alienate readers who do not speak that language. Translations open you up to international audiences who may otherwise not have been able to enjoy your books. And what author doesn't want their books read by readers around the globe?

• More Sales Opportunities – The more ways your books are available to readers, the more opportunity readers have to buy them. Many authors put their e-books into paperback, audiobook, and even hardback formats to help generate more sales. Foreign translations are one more way you can do that.

Things to Consider Before Diving Into Translations

Unfortunately, you can't press a button and translate your book into another language. You could try using a service like Google Translate and then hiring a translator to clean up the text. This is a quick way to annoy translators—and possibly incur a higher fee for the extra work of re-editing the mechanically translated version.

So where do you find a translator? And what should authors expect to do after their books are translated into other languages? Read on!

1. Finding a translator can be as seamless as hiring an editor or book cover designer. Some popular options other authors have used are BabelCube and Reedsy.
   
   You could save on your budget by using an outsourcing company like Upwork or Fiverr, but it's not recommended. Regardless of which route you take, your mileage may vary compared to how it worked out for other authors.
   
2. Book covers for foreign translations will need an appropriate title to reflect the new language. You should also research the Top 100 bestselling books in your genre on the appropriate Amazon site.
   
   If you're having a cozy mystery book written in English translated into Italian, for example, then you'll want to take a look at Amazon Italy's bestselling books in that genre.
   
3. Social media is another thing to consider. Will you keep everything on your English page, or will you create a new page for each language in which your books are translated into?
   
   And once those pages are created, who will mangage them? Will you have the time to moderate comments, assuming you can understand the language? Or will you need to hire a social media manager to moderate those foreign-langauge comments on your behalf?

Now that you've weighed the pros and cons of translating your books into other languages, are you ready to take the plunge? Maybe you're ready to tackle some of the action items for putting your books into foreign translations but you need with other areas.

This is where Novel Publicity's PA Services Program shines. Unlike hiring a single PA with a single skillset, Novel Publicity gives you access to an entire time for a reasonable hourly rate. If you need more info or if you're ready to lock in a block of hours, head over to https://www.novelpublicity.com/hire now for more information.