To think translators shouldn't be paid royalties?

[Thisfeelslikearipoff]

I'm a published author and one of my books is about to go into another language. This book has been published in several languages already and I am familiar with the international translation process. To my astonishment, for the first time, this translator has tried to make her being paid royalties from book sales a part of her contractual agreement.

My immediate instinct is that no, she shouldn't be claiming royalties here. That is not to diminish her role in any way; I fully acknowledge the effort involved in translating thoughts and concepts from one language to another, and I fully acknowledge the obviously crucial nature of the translators role in a translation. A translation involves several individuals and entities doing their part in a professional manner. There is the author, the translator, the publisher, the distributor, the PR and media company etc etc. Everybody's role is crucial.

After I got this request I did some research and found that yes, for some people this actually is a thing, and I even came across a bizarre argument on a translators website where translators were forcefully asserting that they ought to be "fighting for our rights" to be paid royalties on book sales!

My take on it is this - the translator deserves to be properly compensated for their work, but only once. I really am feeling put out by this, and honestly the financial aspect is the least of what bothers me. I am annoyed that she feels she has a right to royalties on my work. She did not come up with these thoughts and concepts; her role is to bridge the gap between one language and another. AIBU to think she shouldn't be paid royalties on each copy sold?

The translator has some creative input into the finished foreign language version and so has some input into the sales success of the book in that language. I don’t think it’s therefore unreasonable that she shares some of the royalties, although the majority should clearly go to the original author.

But the translator only has creative input in the way that an editor does. An editor doesn't get royalties.

I’m guessing you don’t speak two languages and haven’t studied literature in various translations? Compare a couple of Flaubert translations. Your translator is rewriting your book for you, finding a new way to make it magical in a language you can’t. They deserve royalties.

They couldn't say it was their own original work

Again, in legal terms, translators are authors in their own right. They own the copyright to their translation. And publishers absolutely do pay them royalties, as a quick google will show you.

But the translator only has creative input in the way that an editor does.

You are vastly underestimating the translator’s role.

It's very niche, but as PP have said they're not translating word for word (you could use google tranlsate for that). You have to translate idioms and the meaning of sentances which varies so much in different languages.

I've read a few translated books and the ones that are done badly are unreadable and don't flow properly. I only think publishers properly undertstood this within the last 20 years or so.

@Thisfeelslikearipoff read a couple of translated books published 25 years ago and then find a the same book translated recently by the same author and then judge.

Qualified translator here... I have never been paid royalties. I have not translated a novel but I have translated cookery books and some academic works and technical manuals. I’ve never felt that I am entitled to royalties. My work is done once it’s translated. I do insist that I am credited for all my work. But I also translate restaurant menus for foreign tourists. Should I expect a cut every time someone orders from the translated menu? I don’t believe so.

Isolatedandbored - that is very different to translating a novel!

Should I expect a cut every time someone orders from the translated menu? I don’t believe so.

Really?🙄

I think it's fair for the translator to negotiate for royalties. If your agent doesn't think the translator should be paid royalties, they need to find another translator.

The problem is that you’re making a commercial transaction into an emotional decision. This is why agents are a good thing.

Pragmatically, you have a few options:

• Accept the translator’s terms
• Negotiate the translator’s terms
• Find a new translator, accepting that the quality may differ
• Translate the book yourself
• Forgo the translation

You need to weigh up the costs and benefits of each and make a commercial decision about the correct way forward, rather than trying to decide what is ‘fair’.

In essence, though, the translator is free to set whatever terms they wish, and you are free to accept, negotiate or decline those terms. This is absolutely standard general business practice and there is nothing inherent to book publishing that prevents this happening.

No, because commercial translation is not governed by the same laws. HTH.

^^ that was to isolatedandbored

You clearly don't know much about the work of translators, OP. It's very very skilled work and the translator actually creates something themselves in the process.

That is not to diminish her role in any way

I think it definitely is. The translator quite obviously offers more than the delivery drivers in terms of getting your book a readership.

Compare a couple of Flaubert translations. Your translator is rewriting your book for you, finding a new way to make it magical in a language you can’t.

I'd definitely agree with this, and I've had the same experience (albeit not with Flaubert). Compare two translations side by side and even without knowing the original text or language you soon see the skill of the translator, and how much discretion and creative input she has. I'm particularly surprised if authors of all people disagree with this. For anything other than technical writing the use and beauty of language is very important, not just its accuracy and syntax.

I don't know what the norm is but my feeling is that royalties are fair. As others have said a translation can make or break a book, and without the translation you'd not sell many books in those countries (I'd assume). I guess in the same way that ghost writers might get royalties (do they? I don't know) - it's someone else's idea but they made it work

I think translation is, in itself, the creation of a piece of work. You only have to look at bible translations to see how much a translator can shape a piece of work. William Tyndale’s translation of the bible, just like the plays of Shakespeare, introduced phrases to the English language that have resonated through time. Things like “salt of the earth”, “the powers that be” and “a law unto themselves”. The ideas existed before in the Greek but the beauty of the prose is Tyndale’s work. Royalties seem perfectly reasonable to me.

A translater basically rewrites your book - changing the idioms / words etc to ensure the story makes sense. In the case of Japanese, Arabic, Turkish this can often be more difficult than writing in English. There is also the small matter that often well written translations (particularly in East Asia) make more money than the English text - so they should definitely be rewarded!

There's a similar one with music recording. You either ask for a one off fee, or reduced fee and royalties.
Is she at the lower end, cost wise?

We got some royalties courtesy of Peter Kay, for last night. Will amount to about 50p , but iirc the recording fee was inline with the union.

Basically OP you’re arguing against about 230 years of legislation, depending on the language.

It's a business transaction. The translator is free to negotiate any deal they can, just as you, and publisher, are too.

Taking royalties is a gamble whereas taking a flat fee isn't. From the publisher's perspective, it may make sense to go with royalties as there is no cost if the book doesn't sell.

Most actors take a flat fee for films. Some, particularly successful ones, negotiate a share of the profits. This is no different.

If translating was so easy, you’d be using Google Translate. It isn’t as easy as swapping one word for another.

You clearly don't know much about the work of translators, OP. It's very very skilled work and the translator actually creates something themselves in the process.

This.

And literary historians legitimately study & analyse the work of women as translators in the 18th and 19th centuries - before women were more widely accepted as authors in their own right - their work as translators was a socially-sanctioned way of expressing and exploring their own creative talents and skills.

The translator is free to negotiate any deal they can

No. Depending on the country / language, a flat fee may well be illegal in terms of intellectual property laws.

OP why isn't your publisher negotiating with the translator? It wouldn't usually be the author's job unless you are self-publishing, in which case it's perhaps not surprising that you're not familiar with mainstream industry practice.