By the end of this month, I’m planning to release a post answering all questions about blogging in translation coming from fellow translators and interpreters. I’m also going to deliver a workshop on blogging and social media in Leeds soon and your questions would make a great addition on the day!
Here’s how it works. If you have a question, doubt or comment about blogging as a translator or interpreter, leave a comment below this post. In the course of this month, I’ll try to answer them using my own experience, as well as doing additional research. We may end up with a pretty large collection of resources on blogging, too!
And of course, if you see a question you’d like to answer or contribute to, please go ahead!
Questions collected so far:
- There are so many outstanding translation blogs out there already - what do I have to offer?
- I do not like (at all!) promoting my posts in forums - it makes me feel kind of insecure and a little like a used-car salesman…
- Getting comments on posts. It is great to get comments on FB, twitter etc about posts, but I do wish people would put a comment on the post as well.
- Sometimes I suffer stage fright in front of a blank page.
- Can I post something that is not perfect?
- It seems impossible to write something that is worth reading as most translation subjects are already covered by eloquent writers. It feels like I don’t really have anything to bring to the plate…
- Does it get easier to write posts with time?
- Should I/you/any of us think that their personal experience is important enough to be shared with the world?
- If writing about personal experience, I’d be worried about looking unprofessional - e.g. I wouldn’t want my clients reading about my work-related problems. It goes without saying that I’d never mention any clients’ names, but they might still recognise themselves in a description or anecdote.
- Who it is possible to reach using a blog and how to tailor the content according to who your target audience is?
- Yes, how to come up with new, interesting topics?
- The language dilemma: should I write in English to reach more people or in Italian, my target language?
- Would it be better to start 2 blogs or make one where some posts are in your target language and some in your source language?
- I’m just getting starting in blogging and I want to know if you think it’s better to make your blog as part of your website or make the blog on a different domain name?
I think we all have interesting insights or angles that we can add and others can benefit from them. Having said that, I do think it’s important to find your unique take on translation as a topic, rather than just writing whatever comes to your mind. You don’t have to be blogging about translation for other translators anyway. What about a blog for your potential clients?
I totally see your point and I feel the same. This is why I’m much more often sharing my blog posts on my Facebook pare or my Twitter account, rather than posting them onto groups or fora. If what you write is good, it will be shared or mentioned there and there. Also, whenever I see somebody asking a question related to something I’ve tackled in one of my posts, I drop them a line.
That would be perfect, wouldn’t it? I think the best we can do in respect to that is to enable Facebook comments under our blog posts. Look for a plugging to enable that and it will integrate Facebook comments with your post.
The majority of writers feel the same! Read how they’re dealing with this problem. What works for me is simply concentrating on what I want to say rather than on everybody who’s going to look at it.
There are two answers to this one. Yes, you can post something that’s not perfect. Nothing can be perfect and you’ll always find something you may want to change. The best thing is - you can always change what you wrote, that’s the beauty of publishing online. And the second answer is no, you can’t post something that is not perfect because it can have an impact on your reputation. It all depends on your blogging goals, your audience, and the degree of perfection.
First, we all have interesting angles or stories, so don’t think that everything’s been already said. Second, you really don’t have to blog about translation for other translators. What about blogging for your clients?
14 questions collected so far! If you have one, leave a comment below.
Marta Stelmaszak
Marta Stelmaszak is a translator between Polish and English, combining language skills with a thorough understanding of economics and business to help SMEs make as big an international impact as possible, providing translation and interpreting services for the legal, business and marketing sectors. Read Marta's book on business.
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16 Comments
Hi Marta,
I’m already looking forward to your upcoming post answering all questions about blogging (hoping the answer will not be “42” ;)).
I have been wondering about one point related to blogging for the translation and localisation sphere:
Most often, articles, discussions and other content tackling blogging around the translation and localisation industry assume that the blogger is
a) a freelance translator,
b) a LSP (or translation agency),
c) a consultant, trainer or expert, or
d) a software provider of CAT tools or TEnTs.
They consequently tackle the best approaches for achieving results with a blog, i.e. they speak about ROI where the return is something like new clients, more software sales etc.
But what about people who blog just for the sake of sharing knowledge and experience? I’m asking this because I am considering starting a blog (#YATB*) about the technical aspects of translations, how to be more productive by using the right tools, scripts and other little helpers.
Where this is going to be different from other blogs is that I will be doing this as a private person using my professional experience at an LSP; this means it won’t be a company blog and I don’t try to win clients for myself since I don’t sell anything directly.
One obvious advantage from such a blog would be that it in any case helps building one’s personal brand which in turn might be useful for one’s professional profile.
I also suppose that it might also indirectly benefit one’s employer by show-casing the technical expertise of (one of) their staff if the blog post are well received.
I was wondering if there are other cases like this and what your take on such an approach is.
I wish you a healthy, happy and successful year 2014 and look forward to reading more interesting content from you!
All the best,
Raphaël
P.S.: If ever you happen to be in Brussels around one of our #BxlTweetUp events (next one will be on Sat. Jan. 25th) and have some time, don’t hesitate to join us, we would all be very pleased!
*Yet Another Translation Blog 😉 but that will not be its name of course
Dear Raphaël,
Thanks for such an interesting question. I think that in case of a whopping majority of freelancers, the purpose of writing a blog is indeed to showcase their expertise or help build an expert position.
Speaking of your YATB :), I’ve seen many cases of that in the IT industry. IT specialists, usually in full-time employment, share their experience gained in the course of work on their private blogs. And very often, as you’re saying, it’s just to share what they know.
I think it’s a very good idea and a productive form of sharing your knowledge. In my opinion, it’s closer to hobby blogging rather than business blogging, exactly for the reasons you’ve outlined. It doesn’t mean that it won’t be professional, but it won’t be geared towards getting clients. But who knows if eventually it won’t attract some interest in this respect, too!
Unfortunately, I’m not around for the next #BxlTweetUp because I’ll be at the Tweet Up North in Leeds! If we manage to, we want to establish a video link, also with #LndTweetUp.
The big question is who is your target client for your blog. Many translators blog about translation but are only read by other translators. This is good to build community, and get known, but does not directly get you in contact with clients. I think blogging is a successful marketing method if you have a narrow focus on your target market.
I do agree, Tess.
On the other hand, “getting known” by your colleagues may have some advantages, too. If your colleagues know you and trust your expertise, you’re more likely to be recommended and benefit from the word of mouth.
Second, I think when you’re just starting out, the idea of blogging for clients may seem a bit daunting, or even frightening. Starting a blog for your colleagues may be a good idea to warm up.
What do you think?
Hi Marta,
I do think blogging in translation is a very good topic to discuss. I believe there are strategies involved on how to write these blogs properly and effectively. For translation teachers or those hoping to sharing the blogs with trainee translators, focus should be on learning resources or “a typical day of a freelance translator”, ” how to choose a translation software” . For freelance translators (or a translation company) who are always looking for new clients, it is better to avoid too many ” technical ” issues about translation or how ” struggling ” the life of a translator is , but to focus more on ” case studies” ,”how translation helped clients win more money” and “cultural differences in doing business” , etc.
I look forward to your upcoming post with more instructions on this topic!
Hi Mu,
Thanks for your insights! One particular thing you said was very interesting: self-pitying blog posts about how translators struggle with rates, clients and deadlines.
My question is, if we keep writing blog posts about how bad the industry is and if clients see these posts (and believe me, eventually they will), aren’t we actually harming our own position here?
Hello Marta,
Now that I am working on my own website and I am considering blogging, your posts come on in very handy, thank you!
I am looking forward to it, but I still need to clarify one aspect: if I want to use my blog as a marketing tool to attract clients, do I need to blog in all of the three languages I work with (my mother tongue and the two languages I translate from)? I would say yes, but it means investing 3x time and energy… I must say it scares me a little bit. How should one deal with this?
Gabriella
Hi Gabriela,
Thanks for your question! I’d say that you should blog in the language of your clients. In my case, the majority of my clients are English-speaking, so there isn’t a need for me to blog in Polish. And I prefer to concentrate on attracting English-speaking clients rather than branching out to Polish. I may do that in the future, but I know it’s very time-consuming, as you said.
Would such a clear-cut decision be possible in your case?
Hello Marta,
Thank you for your reply… Mmmh… It’s not easy in my case, but if I have to choose then I’ll probably cut out readers in my mother tongue, at least for now.
Gabriella
Hi Marta,
thanks a lot for the post!
What about publishing a “training blog”? I mean, a virtual space collecting your work-in-progress translations, acting as a checking tool for me, beginner freelance translator?
I’m working on a such little project (in wordpress) and I’d like to know your point of view. I chose to edit it in mother-tongue, so peers and skilled translators in the same pairs and specializations could interact and enable my own progress.
Any advice (or blame)?
Hi Silvia,
I like the idea, but you have to be really careful what texts you show to your peers. I would definitely make sure the texts you translate are not for profit, or your clients are aware of (and agree to!) the way their texts are used. After all, most clients are very sensitive to the issue of confidentiality.
Good luck!
Thanks, Marta,
sure the translations I’d post have got permission and are absolutely ‘no profit’. The blog might serve, as well as a feedback tool for peers, just as a growing ‘portfolio’ for potential clients…or at least, this was the original idea. If you want to take a look: traduttoria.weebly.com (just a testing version, anyway). Thanks again for your precious suggestions, here and on FB! Have a great 2015
Interesting subject to approach, since blogging has now become an essential part for branding, as well as a good solution to reach new clients. Thanks for sharing! I would also like to recommend a good resource for reading articles about translation and localization. https://aboutlocalization.wordpress.com/ All the best!
Thank you, I will take a look.