Start with the book and its publication stage
Documents in the same industry can have different audiences, purposes and deadlines. Define the task before agreeing source material, staffing and review.
Agree the translation approach before scaling up
A representative sample establishes shared expectations for editorial assessment, rights discussions or project launch. Include narrative features and difficult terminology, dialogue or notes rather than assessing the entire book from an unusually simple passage.
- Useful input
- Synopsis, contents, representative chapters, readership, target language and existing editorial feedback.
- Work focus
- Agree fidelity, voice, names, annotation principles and permitted adaptation; record author or editor decisions.
- Agreed output
- An agreed sample, style notes, initial terminology and a query list.
Maintain continuity without flattening the author’s voice
Use the approved sample to plan chapter translation, independent review and query resolution. Long works need continuity in characters, viewpoint, chronology, concepts and cross-references. Shared terminology and editorial conventions help multiple contributors sustain a coherent reading experience.
- Useful input
- Complete source baseline, approved sample, references, terminology or name lists and chapter schedule.
- Work focus
- Bilingual accuracy, target-language readability, continuity and traceable resolution of author queries.
- Agreed output
- Chapter files, reviewed or clean copy, terminology updates and outstanding queries.
Follow the text through to the publication files
Review agreed proofs for headings, illustrations, notes and cross-references, identifying broken words, missing text, encoding problems and misplaced annotations. Revised editions use an explicit comparison between editions to distinguish new text, revised passages and layout-only changes.
- Useful input
- Paginated proofs, editable files where required, revision instructions and the last approved manuscript.
- Work focus
- Proof-to-manuscript alignment, note numbering, captions, contents-page references and correction tracking.
- Agreed output
- Annotated proofs, a correction register, agreed final files and handover notes.
From the main text to notes and references
Define translation, review, layout and supporting explanations from the actual file list. The following scopes can be combined as agreed; they are not an automatically included package.
Literature and narrative
Translate fiction, essays, biography and narrative nonfiction with attention to character, narrative relationships, rhythm and register. Dialogue, dialect, wordplay and cultural imagery are considered in the context of the whole work and discussed with the editor.
Review focus: Viewpoint, character names, chronology, recurring imagery and changes in register.
Humanities, social sciences and business
Handle history, culture, social research, management and business works around the author’s argument and the reader’s background. Distinguish authorial claims, quotations and examples, using consistent concepts and agreed translator’s notes where explanation is needed.
Review focus: Defined concepts, argument structure, attribution and cultural context.
Academic and specialist books
Use subject references, existing literature and client-approved terminology. Preserve relationships among symbols, units, table fields and definitions. Ambiguous terminology and source problems are logged for the author or subject reviewer.
Review focus: Terminology sources, symbols, units, tables, formulas and complete definitions.
Textbooks and educational reading
Adapt syntax and explanation to students, teachers or general readers. Align learning objectives, key concepts, exercises and answers. Children’s material requires agreement on reading level, cultural examples and text within illustrations.
Review focus: Age and prior knowledge, clear instructions and exercise–answer alignment.
Notes, references and back matter
Translate footnotes, endnotes, references, glossaries, appendices and author biographies. Distinguish source, editor and translator notes. Follow the agreed style for titles, names and citations; scope index translation, index compilation and page-number updates separately.
Review focus: Note markers, citation sources, reference style, cross-references and index entries.
Layout and digital editions
Translate cover copy, contents, captions and supporting ebook text. Review agreed files for overflow, missing glyphs, hierarchy and illustration alignment. Confirm technical requirements and validation scope for bidirectional text, special fonts, EPUB or accessibility work.
Review focus: Text completeness, styles, illustration placement and consistency across formats.
Adapt the approach to the book and its readers
Consider the subject, audience and relationship between files together, so that terms remain traceable across different documents.
Authors and literary editors
Discuss voice and the permitted degree of adaptation first. Cultural differences do not automatically justify rewriting a plot. Character actions, emotions and facts follow the source, while samples and editorial feedback establish expression; substantial changes remain traceable.
Academic publishing teams
Combine subject accuracy with target-language academic prose, defining author approval, subject review and language review. Reference formatting and verification of bibliographic facts are different tasks; agree access to materials and responsibility for checks.
Education and knowledge organizations
Set conventions around learning objectives and reading level. Connect terms, examples, exercises and answers without changing concepts or problem conditions without approval. Illustration text and teacher materials can share a schedule to reduce version mismatches.
Corporate and cultural publications
Corporate histories, brand books, exhibition catalogues and cultural publications combine archives, proper names and public communication. Establish facts and names first, then distinguish narrative text, captions and cover descriptions to support both reading and reference.
Languages, regions and review references
Include the source and target languages, destination and recipient. Supply approved terminology, prior translations, document conventions or required templates. The client’s designated specialist confirms questions of professional applicability.
Explore languages ↗Professional care in practical document details
The following Chinese–English examples show practical translation and review methods.
本章沿用第三章的“城市记忆”概念，具体定义见注12。
TRANSLATION EXAMPLEThis chapter uses the concept of “urban memory” introduced in Chapter 3; see note 12 for the definition.
What the reviewer checks
Keep the concept linked to its chapter and note, checking the wording used in Chapter 3. Confirm note numbering in the approved manuscript or proof rather than inventing a definition.
她没有回答，只把那封信折回原来的样子。
TRANSLATION EXAMPLEWithout answering, she folded the letter back the way it had been.
What the reviewer checks
Preserve the silence and the action without adding sadness, anger or other unstated emotions. Final rhythm and wording depend on the surrounding passage and the narrative voice of the book.
表4-2的统计口径见附录B；本页数据不包含补充调查。
TRANSLATION EXAMPLESee Appendix B for the statistical basis of Table 4-2; the data on this page exclude the supplementary survey.
What the reviewer checks
Match the table and appendix and retain the exclusion. After layout changes, check numbering, page references and links; “this page” must not become “the entire book”.
Actual work follows the complete source, approved terminology and specialist feedback. Queries are documented rather than resolved by inventing missing facts.
From linguistic review to final-file checks
Agree review coverage for the purpose and risk of this set of documents, distinguishing language issues, source queries and matters needing specialist confirmation.
Accuracy and completeness
Review against the source for omissions, additions, logic, numbers and names, with attention to negation, scope and attribution. Record source queries rather than concealing uncertainty through fluent rewriting.
Voice and readability
Review syntax, rhythm, dialogue and register for the intended reader. Preserve distinctive voice while avoiding mechanical source-language structures. Shared editorial guidance connects contributors’ work, with major stylistic decisions discussed with the author or editor.
Whole-book consistency
Check characters, places, organizations, terms and recurring quotations across the book, maintaining name lists, terminology and style guidance. Track the same referents across volumes, chapters and supporting material.
Pre-publication proofs
Within agreed proof rounds, compare layout files with the approved text, checking contents, running heads, captions, notes, special characters and paragraphs. Locate corrections by page and position, then track completed, pending and disputed changes.
Keep queries traceable
The project manager links queries to responses. The client’s specialist confirms factual, business or technical decisions; linguists apply those decisions and check related affected content.
Translation and editing follow the approved source and scope. Authors and designated editors confirm facts, academic positions, authorization and substantial rewriting; the relevant teams manage publishing, printing and distribution. Resolve source queries through discussion while preserving the work’s voice and information.
A workflow from receipt to a usable file set
Agree inputs, approvers and outputs at each step. Phased delivery and source changes continue to use the same file identifiers and revision baseline.
- 01
Assess the brief and manuscript
Confirm type, readership, languages, length, use and deadline; assess source completeness and editability, listing body text, notes, illustration text and attachments.
- 02
Agree the sample and conventions
Select representative material and agree voice, names, terminology, punctuation and notes. Consolidate author or editor feedback as the baseline for subsequent work.
- 03
Translate and coordinate chapters
Schedule chapters, coordinate queries and maintain terminology. Identify new source text, revisions and replacement illustrations by version to avoid mixing drafts.
- 04
Review and approve the manuscript
Complete the agreed bilingual review and target-language editing, harmonize the manuscript and submit consolidated queries to the author or designated editor.
- 05
Check proofs and corrections
Record language and text–image issues in the agreed proofs. The responsible layout team implements corrections; linguists verify affected content in returned proofs.
- 06
Hand over versions and updates
Deliver final copy, agreed supporting records and outstanding issues, distinguishing clean copy, tracked revisions and proofs. Scope later editions and new chapters separately.
A delivery list your team can work from
Agree outputs, review levels, formats and revision arrangements at the outset. Supporting records are scoped rather than assumed to be included in every service.
Editable translated manuscript
Deliver Word or other agreed files by chapter, heading hierarchy and naming convention, specifying whether tracked changes are retained.
Terminology, names and style guide
Document approved terms, names, concepts, titles and editorial conventions with locations and notes to support later chapters and editions.
Author and editor queries
Locate source queries, proposals and responses, distinguishing author decisions on facts, quotations or subject matter from linguistic corrections.
Proof annotations and correction register
Locate corrections by page and position, tracking layout feedback and subsequent checks. Agree PDF annotations, spreadsheets or another format with the editorial team.
Final files and handover notes
Identify versions, scope, outstanding matters and formats. Contents-page references, indexes and ebook validation follow the agreed project list.
Assign responsibilities around the task
Project manager
Coordinates scope, batches, timing and queries, maintaining the delivery register and revision history.
Translator
Assigned after assessment of language direction, field and files, working to approved terminology and references.
Review and file checks
Reviews meaning, completeness, key information and file format within the agreed scope, recording matters for client confirmation.
Client specialist reviewer
Confirms source facts, professional applicability and disputed terms, consolidating feedback and owning business decisions.
Experience supported by records and a clear method
Plan the service around the actual documents and required outputs. Existing records describe participation, not a promise based on a client’s business results.
Build the discussion around your documents
Share a redacted representative sample, audience and delivery requirements so the team can identify language, formatting and specialist-review needs. Existing project records can support a discussion of comparable document scopes.
Browse existing project records ↗ISO 9001:2015
Quality-management certification for translation services, excluding branches, with briefing, review and delivery checks defined in the project scope.
ISO 17100:2015 Translation services certification
Translation services certification supporting briefing, translation, review and delivery management.
ISO/IEC 27001:2022
Information-security management certification associated with translation services, excluding branches.
TAC institutional membership
Staffing is assessed by language, document type and scope, with specialist-review and linguistic responsibilities agreed before work begins.
Agree access, transfer, tool use and retention before confidential work begins. Confidential files are not entered into external AI or other online services without prior agreement. Read about confidentiality · Credentials and scope
Scope the work before price and timing
Review files before agreeing inclusions and separate charges, distinguishing language work, client review, additional services and any shipping.
Extent and complexity
Assess body text, illustration text, notes, references and terminology research. Scans, older texts, complex formulas and low-resolution images require feasibility review.
Editorial depth and supporting tasks
Specify translation, independent review, target-language editing, indexing and proof work separately. Align sample and manuscript standards and state inclusions and revision rounds.
Schedule and coordination
Author feedback, source changes and proof schedules affect delivery. Urgent or phased work still needs whole-book consistency checks. Assess new chapters and substantial revisions against a change list.
A clear brief makes assessment more useful
Start with a non-confidential description or redacted sample, then agree how to transfer complete files. This list helps organize the key details; an initial discussion is also welcome if material is incomplete.
- Book and readershipTitle or project name, synopsis, target region, reader age and subject knowledge.
- Languages and extentSource and target languages, word count, chapters, illustrations, tables and notes.
- Source files and baselineContents, sample, body text, captions, references and revision; identify scans and editable material.
- Editorial guidance and referencesPrevious translations, author instructions, publisher style, terminology and citation requirements.
- Purpose and deliverablesIntended use and confirmed authorization scope, formats, layout coordination, proof rounds and ebook requirements.
- Schedule and approvalsSample, chapter, full-manuscript and proof milestones, plus author, editor and subject-review contacts.
Questions before work begins
Can we start with a sample?
Yes. Agree the sample length, purpose and schedule, selecting passages that reflect the voice and challenges. Use it to establish standards and communication; agree full-manuscript scope, cost, review and revisions separately.
Will literary translation change the work?
Natural expression should retain the source’s characters, plot and facts. Abridgment, added material, cultural adaptation or new writing beyond translation requires a stated purpose and author or editor approval; adaptation is not assumed to be included.
Are notes, references and indexes included?
Confirm from the file list. Notes and references may involve translation, formatting or source verification. Indexes may require restructuring and page updates after layout. Agree style, source quality and scope before quotation.
How long does a book translation take?
Timing depends on length, genre, language pair, research, review and author feedback. Plan sample, chapter, manuscript and proof milestones after assessment. Parallel work still requires terminology coordination and a whole-book read-through.
Can you handle unpublished manuscripts?
Agree transfer, access, confidentiality and retention before work begins. Confidential manuscripts are not entered into external AI or online services without agreement. Redacted samples can support assessment of personal information or unpublished research.
Does translation include publishing, rights representation or distribution?
The service covers translation, review and agreed publication-file coordination. Rights representation, ISBN applications, publishing approvals, printing and distribution are arranged by the relevant parties. Supporting files can be agreed without treating translation delivery as publication approval.
