by Gwenydd Jones
 

I’m writing today buried in the autumn leaves of blue-skied Andorra. This year, I’m using my digital nomadism for a winter of skiing and steaming mugs of Catalan: que nevi, que nevi, que nevi.
 

Freelancing online today is all change but three constants remain...

Excellence, marketing and diversification. On the days when I choose to be a translator, it’s because I get to do what I love: work on interesting projects for well-paying clients who appreciate me. If those boxes aren’t ticked, then I become an editor, a blogger, an SEO professional or a teacher, whichever one is ticking the boxes that day.
 

If you want to make it as a freelancer in this new world of AI translation and post-editing...

You need to subscribe to the magic triad of successful freelancing: be excellent at what you do by training and qualifying, get business through marketing and networking, and diversify (and specialise) through CPD and out-of-the-comfort-zoning. Never rest on your laurels!

For example, we just had wonderful news from our ex-student and double CertTrans distinction awardee Monika Pawlak. She has real pluck and doesn’t give up on her dreams. Here’s what she wrote to me:

"I finally got a traineeship offer at the European Parliament! I fell down and cried when I saw the offer. Half of my work will be translating and the other half will be doing other linguistic tasks, mostly focussing on the EP's clear language initiative. I know that The Translator's Studio and you played a big part in this, so I’m eternally grateful."

And to echo her words, I’m eternally grateful...

To work with so many talented translators, writers, editors and proofreaders like Monika. Striving for excellence and being ready to adapt and reinvent yourself is the only way forward if you want to be a lion in the online savanna.
 

Gwenydd Jones MA DipTrans MCIL Chartered Linguist is the founder of The Translator's Studio, lead tutor and course creator and translator of Spanish and French into English.
 

Views expressed on CIOL Voices are those of the writer and may not represent those of the wider membership or CIOL.