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Selling translation rights
A book can be published in other languages by licensing translation rights. Here is how those deals are generally made and what a licence tends to cover.
Translation rights allow a publisher in another language to translate and publish a book. For many books, translation brings readers that the original edition could never reach. For the rights holder, it can bring income without the costs of publishing in that market.
What follows is a general outline. Contracts vary, and specific advice is needed before any licence is agreed.
The first question is who controls the translation rights. In a traditional publishing contract, they may have been granted to the original publisher, which then sells them on behalf of the author and shares the income, or they may be retained by the author, often through a literary agent. An independently published author usually holds them.
Knowing who can grant a licence matters because a foreign publisher will want to be sure it is dealing with the right party.
How deals are usually made
Translation rights are commonly sold through rights professionals: the rights department of a publisher, a literary agent, or a co-agent who represents books in a particular country or language. Co-agents know the publishers in their market and what they are looking for.
International book fairs, such as those held in Frankfurt and London, are traditional meeting places for rights sellers and buyers, though much rights business also happens by email and through ongoing relationships.
Foreign publishers want information before they commit. A rights guide or information sheet with a description of the book, the author's background, any notable reviews or recognition and its availability is usual. For books in English, many editors can read the original. For books in other languages, a sample translation into English or into the buyer's language can make a significant difference.
What a licence covers
A translation licence is typically a grant of the right to publish the book in a specified language, sometimes limited to a territory, for a set period. Common points in a licence include the language and territory; the formats covered, such as print, ebook and audio; the advance and the royalty rates; the term of the licence and the conditions for reversion; the obligation to publish within a certain time; credit for the author and the translator; and whether the licensee may sublicense any rights.
The foreign publisher is usually responsible for commissioning and paying the translator. The quality of the translation matters a great deal, and some contracts give the author or original publisher the right to be consulted.
Support for translation
In a number of countries, cultural organisations offer grants to support the translation of books, either from their own language into others or from other languages into their own. These grants can make a translation more viable for a publisher. Eligibility and application processes vary by organisation.
After the deal
Once a licence is signed, the rights holder should keep track of the advance, the publication date, the royalty statements and the reversion terms. Foreign publishers are generally expected to provide copies of the finished book and regular statements.
If a licensed edition goes out of print, the rights may revert under the terms of the contract, becoming available to license again.
Translation rights take patience. A book may take years to find its publishers abroad, and some languages may never be sold. But each licence is a new edition with its own readers, and that is worth the effort of seeking it.