Make eight decisions before translating
A translation style guide template for your book
A style guide defines how a translation should read; a glossary records fixed words and names. Use this worksheet to turn your reader, tone and dialogue decisions into a reusable brief, then check the result against the source.
Make eight decisions before translating
Download the blank text file and fill it in locally. The middle column shows decisions for our fictional adventure; the last column tells you where to check them.
| Question | Example decision | Review point |
|---|---|---|
| Who is reading, and why? | Adult readers of a restrained adventure. | Does tension come from events rather than added adjectives? |
| Which language and region? | English for readers in the United Kingdom. | Check spelling and dialogue punctuation. |
| Who narrates, and in which tense? | Keep the source viewpoint and tense. | Compare the first paragraph and a later chapter. |
| How formal and how fast? | Polite distance; keep short answers short. | Compare a conversation and a pause. |
| How do characters address each other? | Preserve the relationship; record fixed titles separately. | Check an early and a late exchange. |
| How is dialogue punctuated? | Use target-language conventions consistently. | Check quotation marks and speaker changes. |
| What may change? | Word order may change; facts and uncertainty may not. | Look for invented motives or emotions. |
| Where will you review? | Opening, dialogue and a late passage. | Record source location and next decision below. |
A complete example in SEKA’s four fields
Copy these fields manually into the style editor and adapt them to your book. This is a text worksheet, not an import file. Goal and execution requirements each allow 2,000 Unicode characters.
- Name
- Letters from the lighthouse — restrained adventure
- Description
- For an original fictional adventure. Two characters keep a polite distance; tension comes from omissions and pauses, without added emotional adjectives.
- Goal
- Preserve plot, viewpoint, tense, relationships and uncertainty. Use natural target-language sentences. Do not invent motives, feelings or events.
- Execution requirements
- 1. Keep the source person and tense. 2. Preserve polite distance in dialogue. 3. Adjust word order for readability while keeping information and tone. 4. Keep short replies brief. 5. Add no metaphors, fear or romance for literary effect. 6. Put names and fixed titles in a separate glossary. 7. Follow target-language dialogue punctuation. 8. Preserve readings supported by the source for ambiguity and wordplay; add no information.
Style: “keep replies brief”. Glossary: a specific name or title and its chosen translation. Keep the two records separate.
Download filled example ↓One scene, two degrees of familiarity
Original editorial demonstration: French source with two English renderings. These are not measured SEKA outputs or an accuracy ranking.
« Vous garderez la lampe allumée ? » demanda Ana. Jules referma son carnet. « Jusqu’à votre retour. »“Will you keep the lamp lit?” Ana asked. Jules closed his notebook. “Until you return.”“You’ll leave the light on, right?” Ana asked. Jules shut his notebook. “Till you’re back.”- A uses “Will you” and “Until you return”; B uses “right?” and “Till you’re back”. Vocabulary and rhythm change the sense of familiarity.
- A fits this example’s polite distance better. B is not universally wrong. French “vous” alone does not settle the relationship; read adjacent chapters.
- A style brief cannot guarantee a particular output. Compare the source and review the translation in context.
Use your brief in SEKA
- Sign in, create a style in the style library, and save the four fields.
- Prepare one file you may translate. In translation settings, actively select this style for that task; it is not automatically applied to later tasks.
- On the translation page, check the file, language and options, then review the required Credits before confirming payment. One task uses one style; its style is locked once translation starts.
- Review the opening, dialogue and a late passage. Record issues and revise settings for a future task; editing a saved style does not update a running task.
Choose a usable source and plan whole-book checks. Book Translator for the Whole Story
Review names, relationships and narrative voice across chapters. Novel Translation with Names and Voice in View
Keep a review record
| Source location | Original information | Expression rule | Observation | Next decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening | Narrative person and tense | Keep both | Fill in after review | Adjust the next brief if needed |
| Dialogue | Distance between Ana and Jules | Keep replies restrained | Fill in after review | Read the adjacent scene |
| Late passage | An unresolved motive | Do not explain it | Fill in after review | Compare with the source |
Style guide questions
How is this different from a glossary?
A style guide governs expression and relationships; a glossary records specific source words and chosen translations.
Can I import the download?
No. Edit the text locally, then manually copy the four fields into SEKA’s style editor.
When do I select the style?
Select it in translation settings before confirmation. The style is locked after translation starts.
Does saving a style apply it automatically?
No. Actively choose it for each task. Each task uses one style.
What are the length limits?
Goal and execution requirements each allow 2,000 Unicode characters, counted separately.
Will this guarantee character voices or quality?
No. Rules guide expression but output still needs source comparison and editorial review.
Translation output can vary by language, genre, terminology, and source quality. Review important passages and use only material you have permission to translate.