Translate a book manuscript
Turn your manuscript into a working draft in another language, chapter by chapter, with your formatting kept.
Don't upload confidential documents on the free tier. Why?
Authors who want to reach readers in another language usually face a long wait and a big bill before they can even see how the book reads in translation. Drop your Word manuscript and DropTranslate translates it with chapter headings, italics and scene breaks intact. Up to 100,000 words fit in one file, and longer books can be split by part or chapter. The result is a working draft: good for seeing how your book reads, for sharing with a bilingual editor or for pitching. Fiction relies on voice, rhythm and wordplay, so plan a careful human edit before you publish.
A draft for a human editor
A machine-translated manuscript is a working draft, not a publishable translation. Literary style, dialogue and humour need a skilled human editor or translator. Translating someone else's book for publication requires the rights holder's permission.
Good for
- A working draft of your manuscript in another language
- Sample chapters for agents, publishers or beta readers abroad
- Translating non-fiction, guides and memoirs as a base for editing
Before you translate
- Translate only books you hold the rights to, or have permission to translate.
- Character names, invented words and place names: decide how to handle them and check consistency.
- Dialogue, humour and idioms need a native editor's eye.
- Split books over 100,000 words by part or chapter.
Questions
How long can the manuscript be?
Up to 100,000 words or 300 pages per file. Split longer books into parts; the cost is one credit per 500 words, shown before you confirm.
Will formatting like italics survive?
Yes. Italics, bold, headings and scene breaks in Word files are carried across to the translation.
Is the result ready to publish?
No. It's a strong draft. Literary translation needs a human editor to get voice, rhythm and idioms right.