When I started negotiating royalties, I was naïve enough to assume that the percentage I earned was tied to each book sold, regardless of the format. It wasn`t until the contract came in for me to sign that I saw that it could vary for hardcovers, paperbacks, and e-books. The translator is paid with a price of ___per 1,000 English words, depending on the number of final words. The translator estimates that the length of the translation will be ___English words. Both parties understand that this is only an estimate, but the publisher will charge __ In many languages, there is a significant difference between the word count of the foreign language text and the English translation. As a result, more and more translators prefer their remuneration to be based on the number of words, but not determined by it. You can do this by agreeing with the publisher that the fees specified in the contract are only an estimate and that your final fee is based on the actual number of words. (In this case, it`s also important to clarify whether the word count is based on the manuscript you submitted and not the final version, as the final version is often shorter.) Payment terms in translation contracts vary greatly from one publisher to another. The payment provision of the standard translation contract sets conditions and rates that are favourable to translators and achievable on the basis of the contracts we have seen. Whether or not I receive a single penny on royalties, I see them as essential as an indication that everyone involved recognizes that the literary translator is a creator and is proportionately responsible for the success of a particular work.

Translation publishers often manage their publishing programs using grants and third-party grants. However, since the receipt of these funds cannot and cannot be guaranteed, a publisher can offer you a contract that incorporates this uncertainty into the translation costs: a minimum amount of “X” is guaranteed, with a larger sum of “Y” only promised if the grant or grant is received. As I said, in all the negotiations, I lobbied for royalties. 8. How license fees are reported to you is set out in your agreement. The Society of Authors in the UK and Pen America in the US emphasise the translator`s status as an author, with copyright rights and appropriate recognition. Pen America`s model contract contains a clause that provides for royalties. The British Centre for Literary Translation, the Translator`s Association and the American Literary Translators Association, as well as campaigns such as #translationtuesday and #namethetranslator all aim to improve the recognition of translators and translations. The payment of translators` fees is usually divided into two or three segments. In two cases, the first half is usually paid within 30 days of the translator signing the contract and the rest within 30 days of the date of delivery (or acceptance of the translation; see clause 2, delivery of the work). While we don`t recommend this agreement, we`ve also seen contracts that divide the translator`s fees into three payments: one-third for the translator signing the contract, one-third for the delivery (or acceptance) of the manuscript, and one-third for the publication of the translation. This Agreement is concluded on [date] between [name of translator] (hereinafter the “Translator”), whose address is [address of the Translator], and [name of the publisher] (hereinafter the “Publisher”) with the address [address of the Publisher] via an English translation (hereinafter the “Translation”) of [title of the original work] (hereinafter the “Work”) by [name of the author] (hereinafter the “author”) (hereinafter the “author”) of the [name of the language] into English (hereinafter the “Translation”) by [name of the author] (hereinafter the “author”) closed.

is currently entitled [working title]. Note that we have provided climbing steps of 2,000 copies for illustrative purposes. Escalations in publishing contracts typically occur in increments of 5,000 copies. However, since many translations are printed in smaller editions, we recommend that translation contracts increase in smaller increments, . B 2 000 copies. To be completely honest, I didn`t think a publisher would *ever* consider charging royalties *in addition* to fees paid, so I never asked for such wording in my contracts. However, in a recent contract, this was the norm in the publisher`s contract, which means I will earn extra money with the first copy sold as long as the book is printed. Most translators in the United States work on a fee per word basis, with a price calculated per thousand words. However, for various reasons, we recommend that you negotiate a package for translation based on the number of words in the original work and the time you estimate for translation (taking into account factors such as thorough research, a particularly demanding style, etc.). As explained in our commentary on the granting of rights (clauses 1 and 2), if you cannot reserve the right to use your translation in derivative works, you must negotiate a reasonable royalty for its use.

Films and the use of literary works in dramatic media can earn authors up to 90% of the publisher`s net income. If your translation is the gateway to a high-quality film or other medium, you should claim at least 40-50% of the publisher`s net income. In other cases, 30-40% of the publisher`s net sales is a reasonable end result. Recognizing the value of literary translations is beneficial for everyone. Paying more and recognizing the right to royalties promotes better translation quality, which can only lead to better reception. When negotiating contracts, publishers may want to consider everything translators offer: With respect to clause 4(b)(i), many publishers pay a royalty of 2% of the list price of a physical copy (hardcover and paperback) of the translation. If your publisher pays royalties on net revenue and not on list price, you should try to negotiate a license fee closer to 4%, as it is equivalent to the list price fee. If you are able to negotiate royalties with your publisher, the schedule and type of report will be described in the contract you sign. In my case, at a particular publisher, the statements are calculated in June and December of each year, with the reports being published within three months. Hopefully, the above information will provide a basis for the publisher who licenses foreign rights to negotiate these agreements. Finally, there are two caveats that the English-language publisher should remember.

First, the English-speaking publisher should be the one who prepared the license agreement, and second, the English-speaking publisher should not sign the contract until the foreign publisher has signed the contract and fulfilled any financial obligations that may be necessary at the time of performance of the contract. 13b. [Alternative Buyback Clause for E-Book Contracts] If the Publisher does not retain the Translation in printed form and does not reprint it within [X] months of receipt of the written request, the Translator has the right to terminate this Agreement by giving written notice to the Publisher. .