The following list highlights some of the key elements of contract negotiations. It is not meant as a substitute for the contract description in the current Handbook. The Committee recommends that prospective translators read through the various articles of the Model Contract and notes before agreeing to a translation project.

1. Make sure the rights to any work not in the public domain are currently available from the foreign publisher.

2. There is nothing wrong with trying to promote a specific project to a publisher. Be aware, however, that, aside from the inherent difficulty of marketing a foreign-language book, the publisher is under no obligation to use your translation.

3. Never begin a paid translation, regardless of the genre, without a contract. Even a simple, one-page contract or letter of agreement is better than nothing.

4. Be clear about what is expected of you when translating a scholarly work. For example, will the publisher provide assistance in researching references for bibliographic citations and footnotes? If not, is this reflected in your fee?

5. Make sure you have the right to examine the marked-up manuscript after it is copyedited and are given sufficient time to review it. The same applies to galleys and page proofs.

6. If you have a style sheet, make sure it is given to the copy editor.

7. Include several free copies of the book for your personal use in the contract. Ten copies is standard. Also, remember to ask for a discount (40 percent is common) on purchasing copies of the book from the publisher.

8. The shorter the turnaround time, the higher the fee should be. A short turnaround may require that you spend all your time on the translation of this particular book.

9. Make sure deadlines are reasonable and that you can meet them.

10. Clarify payment dates with the publisher before signing the contract.