A Day in the Life of a Freelance Translator
TLDRThe video provides an insightful look into the daily life of a freelance translator based in Stockholm, Sweden. The narrator, a 30-year-old Swedish man, shares his routine, which includes starting the day with coffee, studying Japanese for leisure, and working in silence, occasionally breaking it with a satisfied exclamation when he successfully translates a sentence. He communicates solely via email with agencies and contacts, and his work is characterized by intense focus. Despite the flexibility of freelance work, he emphasizes the importance of discipline and maintaining a social life. The video also touches on the translator's journey, from starting as a QA localization tester to becoming a full-fledged freelancer, and the skills required for the job, such as proficiency in one's native language and understanding the source language. The narrator also humorously suggests an AI-driven translation tool as an alternative to the traditional path of becoming a translator, highlighting its ease of use and accuracy. The video concludes with the translator's leisure activities, including streaming on Twitch and socializing at a local pub, underlining the balance between work and personal life in freelancing.
Takeaways
- 🔍 The video is a first-person account of a freelance translator's day-to-day life.
- ☕ The translator starts his day with coffee, which is important to him and his mother.
- 🌐 He communicates exclusively through email with agencies and contacts, avoiding phone or video calls.
- 📧 His work routine involves checking emails, accepting project offers, and managing his workload through agency websites.
- 🏋️♂️ He incorporates exercise into his daily schedule, emphasizing the importance of physical health in a sedentary job.
- 🎵 The translator enjoys having background music, such as the soundtrack of 'The Last of the Mohicans,' while working.
- 💰 He appreciates the flexibility of freelancing, allowing him to control his hours and income.
- 📚 He has a background in English literature and started his career in localization testing before freelancing.
- 📈 The pay for translation work can be good, especially for less common languages like Swedish, due to lower competition.
- 🌐 To become a freelance translator, a strong command of one's native language and understanding of the source language are essential.
- 🎥 The video also humorously mentions a sponsor, Vormor, and their AI-driven scanning translator pen as a tool for language translation.
Q & A
What does the video 'A Day in the Life of a Freelance Translator' depict?
-The video provides a glimpse into the daily routine and experiences of a 30-year-old Swedish freelance translator living in Stockholm, highlighting his work process, communication style, and personal interests.
What is the translator's morning routine like?
-The translator starts his day by making coffee, which is important to him as his mother enjoys coffee and believes her children should drink it too. He then drinks coffee while watching YouTube or studying Japanese using Anki cards.
How does the translator communicate with agencies and contacts?
-The translator communicates exclusively through emails with agencies and contacts, never using phone or video calls. His work is done in complete silence, with occasional satisfaction when he successfully translates a sentence.
What is the translator's work-from-home setup?
-He works from home most days but sometimes takes his laptop to a nearby cafe. He admits that working from home can be lonely at times, so he uses Discord to interact with others.
How does the translator manage his work projects?
-He checks his email for project offers and accepts those he is interested in. He also logs onto agency websites where he is part of a team of translators and chooses from a list of available projects.
What is the translator's background music preference while working?
-He likes to have something playing in the background while working, such as the soundtrack of 'The Last of the Mohicans', which he finds epic and suitable for the UI translation strings he is working on.
How many hours does the translator typically work per week to maintain his lifestyle?
-The translator works about 20 hours a week, which he describes as intense and focused work. He enjoys the flexibility of deciding his own hours and can work more if he needs more money.
What is the average hourly rate for the translator's work?
-While the exact rate is not specified, he mentions that his average hourly rate is higher than what he has had working for a company, partly because Swedish is a smaller language with less competition and higher rates compared to more common languages like French or Spanish.
What does the translator suggest for someone looking to become a freelance translator?
-He suggests that being good at writing in one's own language and understanding the source language is crucial. Having work experience, like he did as a QA localization tester, can be beneficial. For those without experience, creating a portfolio or taking short translation courses might help.
How does the translator spend his afternoons and evenings?
-After his work, the translator might create content for his YouTube channel or Patreon, stream on Twitch, or socialize at a local pub with friends, emphasizing the importance of meeting people as a freelancer.
What is the role of the sponsor 'vormore' in the video?
-Vormore is introduced as the sponsor of the video, promoting their 'scan translator', an AI-driven pen that can scan and translate texts into different languages, suggesting an alternative to the traditional path of becoming a freelance translator.
Outlines
😀 Freelance Translator's Daily Routine
The video introduces a 30-year-old Swedish freelance translator living in Stockholm. He begins his day with coffee, a habit he picked up from his mother, and then spends his time translating English to Swedish and studying Japanese for enjoyment. The translator communicates exclusively through email, avoiding phone or video calls. He discusses his work-from-home routine, occasionally working from a local café to combat loneliness, and engaging with others on Discord. His workday involves checking emails, selecting projects, and translating, often with background music for ambiance. The translator emphasizes the flexibility of freelance work, allowing him to control his hours and income, averaging about 20 hours a week of focused work. He also touches on the financial aspect, noting that the demand and supply dynamics for Swedish translators result in higher average pay compared to more widely spoken languages.
💼 Becoming a Freelance Translator and Tools of the Trade
The translator shares his journey into freelancing, starting with a BA in English literature and moving to London to find work. He initially worked as a QA localizations tester for a game translation company before gaining enough experience to start freelancing. He explains that a good command of one's native language and understanding of the source language are essential for a freelance translator. The video also humorously introduces a hypothetical AI-driven pen, the 'vormore scan translator', which can scan and translate text, suggesting an alternative to traditional learning and experience. The translator then discusses the importance of discipline, showing a glimpse of his multitasking between work, streaming video games in Japanese on Twitch, and other creative pursuits. He highlights the significance of social interaction, especially for freelancers who lack a traditional office environment, and ends his day at a local pub with friends.
🎮 Balancing Work and Play as a Freelancer
The video showcases the translator's balance between work and leisure. After a productive day of work, exercise, and lunch, he transitions into content creation, including streaming a Pokémon playthrough in Japanese on Twitch. This activity serves as a form of language immersion, as he writes down unfamiliar words to improve his Japanese vocabulary. The translator emphasizes the importance of discipline in freelancing but also demonstrates how he diverges from work to upload videos and play music. He concludes his day with socializing at a local pub, underlining the value of maintaining a social life despite working alone. The video ends with a call to action for viewers interested in freelancing to ask questions in the comments and a special thanks to his Patreon supporters.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Freelance Translator
💡Anki Cards
💡Discord
💡UI Translation
💡Work-Life Balance
💡Swedish Language
💡ProZ.com
💡Work Experience
💡Portfolio
💡Vormore Scan Translator
💡Twitch
💡Productivity
Highlights
A day in the life of a freelance translator involves a mix of work and personal interests, showcasing the flexibility of freelance work.
The translator is a 30-year-old Swedish man living in Stockholm, emphasizing the personal aspect of the job.
Starting the day with coffee is a cultural and familial ritual, highlighting the importance of personal routines.
The translator's work primarily involves translating English to Swedish and studying Japanese for leisure.
Communication with agencies and contacts is done exclusively through email, avoiding phone or video calls.
Work is performed in silence, with occasional satisfaction from a well-translated sentence.
The translator often works from home but occasionally goes to a local cafe, balancing isolation with a change of scenery.
Discord is used to combat loneliness, connecting with other translators and freelancers.
Project selection is based on personal interest and availability, offering a high level of autonomy.
The translator's work is intense and focused, contrasting with the distractions of office work.
The pay for translation work is competitive, especially for less common languages like Swedish.
The translator emphasizes the importance of writing skills in one's native language for successful freelancing.
Having a portfolio or work experience can be beneficial for those looking to start a freelance translation career.
The translator shares his journey from an entry-level job to becoming a full-fledged freelancer.
The video features a sponsored product, the Vormor Scan Translator, a tool that simplifies the translation process.
The translator's daily routine includes exercise, work, and leisure activities like streaming on Twitch.
Maintaining discipline is key for freelancers, balancing work with personal interests and social life.
The video concludes with the translator's recommendation for aspiring freelancers and an invitation for questions.