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Suggestion for Game Translator Pitches:
Help Them Read
Help Them Research
Help Them Remember
Make Yourselves Relevant
Make Yourselves Need
Make Yourselves Care
Help Them Read
Help Them Research
Help Them Remember
Make Yourselves Relevant
Make Yourselves Need
Make Yourselves Care
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-1) Help Them Read
1-1-1) Make your subject line helpful: Start with your language pair, specify freelance and/or full-time interest, include "application" or "pitch", include your full name. Maybe even include your rate range.
1-1) Help Them Read
1-1-1) Make your subject line helpful: Start with your language pair, specify freelance and/or full-time interest, include "application" or "pitch", include your full name. Maybe even include your rate range.
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-1) Help Them Read
1-1-2) Make your first sentence a tl;dr of your entire pitch and include a clear request/preference. Do you want to take their freelance game translation trial and/or do you want to be considered for fulltime employment?
1-1) Help Them Read
1-1-2) Make your first sentence a tl;dr of your entire pitch and include a clear request/preference. Do you want to take their freelance game translation trial and/or do you want to be considered for fulltime employment?
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-1) Help Them Read
1-1-3) Make your first paragraph a summary of your entire pitch that includes (preferably "all") the make-or-break elements of matching, i.e. language pair(s), freelance/remote fulltime/in-house, experience/skillset.
1-1) Help Them Read
1-1-3) Make your first paragraph a summary of your entire pitch that includes (preferably "all") the make-or-break elements of matching, i.e. language pair(s), freelance/remote fulltime/in-house, experience/skillset.
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-1) Help Them Read
1-1-4) If your portfolio of translated games is long, condense and organize it to be easier to parse. If it's short, provide samples if possible, one-click URLs (preferably to loc version reviews/gameplay videos) if not.
1-1) Help Them Read
1-1-4) If your portfolio of translated games is long, condense and organize it to be easier to parse. If it's short, provide samples if possible, one-click URLs (preferably to loc version reviews/gameplay videos) if not.
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-1) Help Them Read
1-1-5) Please, please spellcheck anything and everything you send to a translation company. We do notice typos. If you're worried after an auto-spellcheck and a self-proofread, ask a friend or family member to proofread.
1-1) Help Them Read
1-1-5) Please, please spellcheck anything and everything you send to a translation company. We do notice typos. If you're worried after an auto-spellcheck and a self-proofread, ask a friend or family member to proofread.
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-1) Help Them Read
1-1-6) Help them read your writing, or the way you choose words and weave phonetics. Include a sample. Link to a blog or channel. Showcase a game you've translated (preferably solo). Tell a story.
1-1) Help Them Read
1-1-6) Help them read your writing, or the way you choose words and weave phonetics. Include a sample. Link to a blog or channel. Showcase a game you've translated (preferably solo). Tell a story.
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-1) Help Them Read
1-1-7) Help them read YOU. Ideally later in your pitch, but also early enough that they'd reach it before they stop reading, include something that only you could have and would have written.
1-1) Help Them Read
1-1-7) Help them read YOU. Ideally later in your pitch, but also early enough that they'd reach it before they stop reading, include something that only you could have and would have written.
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-2) Help Them Research
1-2-1) Help them research your portfolio and legitimacy. If you're willing to send an attached resume and they seem legit, send it without being asked. If unsure, link to an online portfolio.
1-2) Help Them Research
1-2-1) Help them research your portfolio and legitimacy. If you're willing to send an attached resume and they seem legit, send it without being asked. If unsure, link to an online portfolio.
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-2) Help Them Research
1-2-2) Help them look into your claims. If including a URL would save them a couple of searches, consider doing so. If someone referred you, mention them by full name and a short description of who, how and why.
1-2) Help Them Research
1-2-2) Help them look into your claims. If including a URL would save them a couple of searches, consider doing so. If someone referred you, mention them by full name and a short description of who, how and why.
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-2) Help Them Research
1-2-3) If you have a Linkedin, Proz or other translator-oriented online portfolio, link to it to save them some searching and uncertainty. "<full name> Linkedin" or "<full name> Proz" are common first searches.
1-2) Help Them Research
1-2-3) If you have a Linkedin, Proz or other translator-oriented online portfolio, link to it to save them some searching and uncertainty. "<full name> Linkedin" or "<full name> Proz" are common first searches.
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-2) Help Them Research
1-2-4) Unless a game you translated was a AAA blockbuster, include a short description of genre and platform. NDA allowing, briefly describe the elements you worked on, or which elements were challenging/compelling.
1-2) Help Them Research
1-2-4) Unless a game you translated was a AAA blockbuster, include a short description of genre and platform. NDA allowing, briefly describe the elements you worked on, or which elements were challenging/compelling.
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-3) Help Them Remember
1-3-1) Assume you're just one voiceless name in a sea of hundreds, possibly thousands of applications, and work from there. Assume any recent encounters or previous communication will only be relevant for a month.
1-3) Help Them Remember
1-3-1) Assume you're just one voiceless name in a sea of hundreds, possibly thousands of applications, and work from there. Assume any recent encounters or previous communication will only be relevant for a month.
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-3) Help Them Remember
1-3-2) If describing recent or previous encounters, please, please be specific. Mention dates and event names. Mention full names and known titles. Vagueness leads to suspicion, not trust or legitimacy.
1-3) Help Them Remember
1-3-2) If describing recent or previous encounters, please, please be specific. Mention dates and event names. Mention full names and known titles. Vagueness leads to suspicion, not trust or legitimacy.
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-3) Help Them Remember
1-3-3) If you wrote to them previously but never heard back, consider mentioning the fact, and/or replying to your own previous e-mail so the previous communication is included in the e-mail thread, and easy to find.
1-3) Help Them Remember
1-3-3) If you wrote to them previously but never heard back, consider mentioning the fact, and/or replying to your own previous e-mail so the previous communication is included in the e-mail thread, and easy to find.
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-3) Help Them Remember
1-3-4) If you previously sent a resume, and never heard back, attach it again. If you updated your resume from last time, briefly describe what's changed since then.
1-3) Help Them Remember
1-3-4) If you previously sent a resume, and never heard back, attach it again. If you updated your resume from last time, briefly describe what's changed since then.
Game Translator Pitches: 1) Help Them
1-3) Help Them Remember
1-3-5) If you're intentionally re-pitching to a recipient that previously replied, mention the intent, make sure your resume has an update, and mention the changes, so you won't come across as a careless mass-mailer.
1-3) Help Them Remember
1-3-5) If you're intentionally re-pitching to a recipient that previously replied, mention the intent, make sure your resume has an update, and mention the changes, so you won't come across as a careless mass-mailer.
Game Translator Pitches: 2) Make Yourselves
2-1) Make Yourselves Relevant
2-1-1) Mention how and when you learned about them, and what you felt. This adds justification to the effort they made to be present and/or visible in that manner, and adds a personal touch.
2-1) Make Yourselves Relevant
2-1-1) Mention how and when you learned about them, and what you felt. This adds justification to the effort they made to be present and/or visible in that manner, and adds a personal touch.
Game Translator Pitches: 2) Make Yourselves
2-1) Make Yourselves Relevant
2-1-2) Mention why THEM, and why YOU, preferably in a manner that makes sense from both the professional and user/fan/gamer perspective. Avoid fawning and oversqueeing, but if you care, mention it.
2-1) Make Yourselves Relevant
2-1-2) Mention why THEM, and why YOU, preferably in a manner that makes sense from both the professional and user/fan/gamer perspective. Avoid fawning and oversqueeing, but if you care, mention it.
Game Translator Pitches: 2) Make Yourselves
2-1) Make Yourselves Relevant
2-1-3) Include something within the first paragraph that couldn't be copied-and-pasted to a pitch for another recipient. This helps convince the recipient that you did research on and/or care about them.
2-1) Make Yourselves Relevant
2-1-3) Include something within the first paragraph that couldn't be copied-and-pasted to a pitch for another recipient. This helps convince the recipient that you did research on and/or care about them.
Game Translator Pitches: 2) Make Yourselves
2-2) Make Yourselves Need
2-2-1) Make yourselves need each other. To do so, both parties need to clarify their needs, wants, offerings and preferences. Neither side initially knows what could be relevant, and anything *could* be.
2-2) Make Yourselves Need
2-2-1) Make yourselves need each other. To do so, both parties need to clarify their needs, wants, offerings and preferences. Neither side initially knows what could be relevant, and anything *could* be.
Game Translator Pitches: 2) Make Yourselves
2-2) Make Yourselves Need
2-2-2) Make yourselves need information. Briefly mention or hint at non-critical hooks/clues that *might* compel or help the recipient. Compel them to ask for more out of sheer curiosity.
2-2) Make Yourselves Need
2-2-2) Make yourselves need information. Briefly mention or hint at non-critical hooks/clues that *might* compel or help the recipient. Compel them to ask for more out of sheer curiosity.
Game Translator Pitches: 2) Make Yourselves
2-2) Make Yourselves Need
2-2-3) Check matching for dealbreaking elements ASAP, including language pair(s), rates. These two elements are the least flexible.
2-2) Make Yourselves Need
2-2-3) Check matching for dealbreaking elements ASAP, including language pair(s), rates. These two elements are the least flexible.
Game Translator Pitches: 2) Make Yourselves
2-2) Make Yourselves Need
2-2-4) Other potentially dealbreaking elements: Your availability for non-paid translation trials/tests. Possibility of in-game crediting or portfolio mentionability (i.e. NDA strictness/flexibility).
2-2) Make Yourselves Need
2-2-4) Other potentially dealbreaking elements: Your availability for non-paid translation trials/tests. Possibility of in-game crediting or portfolio mentionability (i.e. NDA strictness/flexibility).
Game Translator Pitches: 2) Make Yourselves
2-3) Make Yourselves Care
2-3-1) Ensure that your pitch CANNOT be read as a one-of-them pitching to a one-of-them. Frame and showcase your application as a mini-serendipity (or mega-serendipity).
2-3) Make Yourselves Care
2-3-1) Ensure that your pitch CANNOT be read as a one-of-them pitching to a one-of-them. Frame and showcase your application as a mini-serendipity (or mega-serendipity).
Game Translator Pitches: 2) Make Yourselves
2-3) Make Yourselves Care
2-3-2) Gauge the recipient's public branding and messaging for any personal elements and/or shows of vulnerability, and try to match said levels in your own pitch and wording and emotional element.
2-3) Make Yourselves Care
2-3-2) Gauge the recipient's public branding and messaging for any personal elements and/or shows of vulnerability, and try to match said levels in your own pitch and wording and emotional element.
2-3) Make Yourselves Care
2-3-3) If they brand themselves as elite professionals, emphasize your professionalism and credentials. If they pitch themselves as small, indie, grass-roots, community-oriented and imperfect/growing, show your colors and be yourself.
2-3-3) If they brand themselves as elite professionals, emphasize your professionalism and credentials. If they pitch themselves as small, indie, grass-roots, community-oriented and imperfect/growing, show your colors and be yourself.
2-3) Make Yourselves Care
2-3-4) Even if you don't pass their translation test/trial, ask for feedback and mention you hope to gain experience, grow and come back to work with them some day. Ask them if you could ever retake their translation trial/test.
2-3-4) Even if you don't pass their translation test/trial, ask for feedback and mention you hope to gain experience, grow and come back to work with them some day. Ask them if you could ever retake their translation trial/test.
2-3) Make Yourselves Care
2-3-5) If you're hoping to network with game translator peers and/or client-side networkers, but are unsure where or how, ask the recipient if they'll be exhibiting at/speaking at/attending any events, or whether they know of any online resources.
2-3-5) If you're hoping to network with game translator peers and/or client-side networkers, but are unsure where or how, ask the recipient if they'll be exhibiting at/speaking at/attending any events, or whether they know of any online resources.
2-3) Make Yourselves Care
2-3-6) If you happen to care, but happen not to show and convey this element, most recipients will assume you don't, and process your application with correspondingly less personal care, because showing care takes time, takes energy, and can be risky.
2-3-6) If you happen to care, but happen not to show and convey this element, most recipients will assume you don't, and process your application with correspondingly less personal care, because showing care takes time, takes energy, and can be risky.
(( Thank you for reading this far. I wish I had the self-control to write this up as a blog instead of clogging up your timeline, but this is the best I can do in a manner that I'd actually end up hitting the Send button. ))
