Burggraaf Translationworks

Translation with the Authors in mind.

A great way for a work of fiction to reach new audiences is to have it translated, that way the language barrier is no longer an obstruction or the target audience is flattered to be addressed in their native tongue. But with this comes the risk of things being lost in translation; especially when fantasy, science-fiction or other entirely fictional settings are involved.
During my education I learned that few translators communicate with the authors who’s works they translate, while this works out well most of the time I did wonder how the works of the more author focused indie sphere could benefit from translation that actively sticks to their visions, especially when they write about fictional settings crafted from their own imagination.

Allow me to introduce myself

Greetings and salutations; my name is Nico Burggraaf, I finished a Master Study in translation (English-to-Dutch and vice versa) at The University of Amsterdam in 2021. I am a fully qualified translator with a heart for indie-stories.

The Translation Process

The translation process is much more complex than many think. While I work autonomously most of the time, the nature of my approach means I do need the author’s input early on in the process to establish the goals of the translation and make translations for the following items: arc/chapter/volume titles, character names, references, catchphrases, and (ir)realia*. Since these are often key in maintaining the tone and keeping any possible foreshadowing. These items will be collected on a file I call ‘the (ir)realia sheet’ which me and the author(s) will then go over during digital meetings to make sure my translations of these hit all the required marks. Any information or context that can be considered spoilers will be kept secret.

*realia are real-world culture-specific things like material items, animal names, festivals, etc. Irrealia are the same but in fictional settings, instead of than real world ones.

Translation Rates

(All prices are in Euros and excluding taxes)

(Ir)realia sheet: €1,- per item, the cost of the meetings to discuss the items on the list is included in this price.

Novel/short story: 6 cents per word

Comics: 8 cents per word (+2 cents per word if lettering is included)

Subtitels on videos: 8 cents per word if the script or a transcript is provided, otherwise the price is 11 cents per word.

Overly Graphic materiel of all kinds adds 5 cents per word to the passage where it applies. (Note: swearing is not concidered ‘overly graphic materiel’.)

Other services

Aside from Translation I also provide other services, these include:
Proof-reading (and associated editing); due to my excellent linguistic education I am more than qualified to proof read any work of literature for grammatical, punctuation and lexical errors. Whether you want your publication to have a more error free appearance or just need an extra pair of eyes to check for those ever present accidental typos, I am your man. Rates are flexible for this service and will always be negotiated on a per case basis. Generally speaking the faster I can read through the material, the lower the rates will be.
Voice acting; not necessarily related to translation but a service I offer non the less. Basic rates are listed below, these are negotiable, or replaceable with buyouts or hourly fees subject to GVAA standards. While I can do basic editing, I am unable to do more advanced post-production.

Rates for other services

Taxes

Services are subject to 21% VAT (value added tax).

Promotion and free content gallery

Promotional material and other freely availible material I work on are collected and displayed in the following gallery(ies):
https://www.deviantart.com/burggraaftranslation

Contact

Authors who want to make use of my services, or have questions about them, can contact me at the following e-mail address:
Burggraaf.Vertaalwerken@gmail.com

KVK (Dutch Chambre of Commerce) Trade registry number: 86605313
BTW (VAT) number: NL004277861B79
business address: Droompark Buitenhuizen 227
1981 LX Velsen-Zuid

Customer reviews