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October 12, 2006, #003
1. New Income Stream for Translators - LiveTranslation.com
2. Quote: Do you have talent?

1. LiveTranslation.com

Hey everybody. I've got some exciting news if you're looking for a new way to make some money as a translator. A lot of times, we translators get big jobs that come along every so often, but rarely do they come one right after another. One of the maddening things about being a translator is trying to figure out what to do during those in-between times. Well, hopefully I have an answer for you.

LiveTranslation.com

LiveTranslation.com is a company based in the UK and their business model is to basically go after those people who need very small translations done for them. Usually these clients don't want to spend the minimum that translation agencies charge, but also need a better job done than the free translation websites. Instead, they can go to LiveTranslation.com where live translators who are logged on to the website can see potential translation jobs and then do them.

That's where we translators come in. Translators can register to belong to their network of translators and receive a commission on the translations that they do. While the amounts are smaller (due to the smaller translations wanted by the clients), they can add up over time and give translators something to do during their down time.

When I saw this for the first time, I had a few questions to ask and so I went right to the company and contacted them. A person named Phillip responded and answered all of my questions. I hope you find them useful. Let me know how your experiences are with them.

Here is the entire email he sent back: (Phillip's responses to my questions are preceded by a [].)

Hi Clint,

I would be really pleased to provide any information you would like and appreciate the opportunity to get more people involved in the Live Translation service. There are some really exciting initiatives that are about to go live which should make the service even easier to use. Unfortunately this has meant delays in approving new translators as we wait to release these new developments.

Live Translation is still a new service and we get several requests from translators each day (more than we do customers at the moment unfortunately!).

Currently translators need to log into the website to complete translations which can be awkward however we are just finishing testing a desktop windows application so translators just need to launch a small program (like an Instant Messenger) and they show themselves as available for jobs straight away.

In addition to the desk top tool, we have created a translator affiliate program. This allows translators to add a Live Translation form to their own websites, with all suitable orders being sent to them instead of going into the Live Translation pool. Obviously they only get allocated jobs which they are qualified to complete, but they receive a commission on other languages.

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1. How long does it take for a translator to hear back regarding their application?

[] Anywhere between 2 days and 1 month. We have been trying to hold off on new applications until our new developments go live.

2. What language combinations are you most in need of?

[] French, German and Spanish are the most common. Hebrew and Turkish are also popular

3. How are translators paid? (Paypal, check, direct deposit?)

[] Translators are paid via PayPal or Moneybookers (they can choose), we try to avoid other payment methods such as cheque or bank transfers due to the fees and administration involved.

4. How often are translators paid?

[] Good question. Previously we paid on Fridays the week after the translation was completed and if the balance was over $10, however we are introducing a translator self payment service which will allow translators to log in and pay themselves. We will just get a payment request which we then click on to approve. This way translators can choose when they want to get paid. This is because some translators want paying regular where as others would like a large balance to accrue before receiving payment.

5. Can you live in any country to apply as a translator?

[] As long as you are able to set up a PayPal or Moneybookers account you can apply to be a translator. Obviously it helps to have a good internet connection to be an online translator which can be an issue for some areas.

6. How can an applicant better ensure that their application gets approved?

[] Most translators who send their CV along with references are approved within a couple of days. We like to check some of the references and experience of the translators to ensure we provide a quality service.

7. How big is your current network of translators?

[] We probably have 500+ approved translators and quite a few waiting for approval.

(My comments) I appreciate your answers to the above questions. I know my readers are always looking for new ways to increase their income, and your novel approach to the translation industry seems to be a perfect fit for my audience. Any additional information you can give me that you think they would like to know about LiveTranslation.com would be greatly appreciated.

[] Thanks. One of the best ways to grow our service is to have translators logged in. Our customer conversion rate is really low when no translators are logged in, but really high when we have translators logged in.

2. Quote - Erica Jong

"Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow that talent to the dark place where it leads."

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Anything you want to say? Let me know. I'd love to hear anything you've got to say, from suggestions to comments to your translation experiences. Just reply to this zine and tell me what you think!