Book Translation Services
in London
You’ve written a novel that deserves an international audience. Or you’re a publisher acquiring rights from abroad. Or you’re an academic whose research needs a global readership. We bring books to new readers in 200+ languages.
Fiction · Non-Fiction · Academic · Children’s · Poetry · Free sample · ISO 17100 certified
Get a Free Quote & Sample
Response within 30 minutes. Free sample included.
Book Translation Is A Craft, Not a Commodity
A novel has a voice. A memoir has a tone. A poem has a rhythm. A children’s book has a specific age-appropriate register. Book translation is fundamentally different from document translation — it requires preserving not just the meaning of the words, but the style, emotion and cultural context of the original work.
Our literary translators are native speakers with publishing experience and a deep understanding of their genre. They don’t just translate words — they translate meaning, style, emotion and cultural context. Many have published translated works with major publishing houses.
This is why we provide a free sample translation — so you can assess the quality of our translators before committing to a full book translation.
Book types we translate
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Fiction & LiteraryNovels, short stories, literary fiction, crime, romance, sci-fi, fantasy and more — translated by native-speaking literary specialists.
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Non-FictionBiographies, memoirs, history, business, self-help, travel and narrative non-fiction — translated by subject-matter experts.
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Academic & ScholarlyAcademic monographs, textbooks, research papers and scholarly works — translated by academics and subject specialists.
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Children’s BooksPicture books, middle-grade fiction, young adult novels and educational books — with age-appropriate language and cultural adaptation.
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Poetry & CreativeSpecialist translation of poetry and creative works — preserving rhythm, rhyme, metre and literary effect.
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Book Proofreading & EditingPost-translation proofreading and editing — ensuring fluency, consistency and publishing readiness.
Book Translation for Every Genre
Literary, academic, non-fiction, children’s — matched to a native-speaker translator with genre expertise.
Fiction & Literary Translation
Novels, short stories, literary fiction, crime, romance, sci-fi, fantasy and more. Translated by native-speaking literary specialists who preserve your voice, style and rhythm.
Native Literary TranslatorsNon-Fiction Translation
Biographies, memoirs, history, business, self-help, travel and narrative non-fiction. Translated by subject-matter experts who understand the content and the audience.
Subject-Matter ExpertsAcademic Book Translation
Academic monographs, textbooks, research papers and scholarly works. Translated by academics and subject specialists with deep knowledge of your field.
Academic SpecialistsChildren’s Book Translation
Picture books, middle-grade fiction, young adult novels and educational children’s books. Translators who understand age-appropriate language and cultural adaptation.
Age-Appropriate · CulturalPoetry & Creative Translation
Specialist translation of poetry and creative works — preserving rhythm, rhyme, metre and literary effect. Working with poets and literary publishers.
Poetry · Drama · CreativeBook Proofreading & Editing
Post-translation proofreading and editing services — ensuring fluency, consistency, and publishing readiness. Works alongside your translator or as a standalone service.
Proofreading · EditingFree Sample Translation
We provide a free sample translation of up to 500 words for all book projects. Assess the quality of our translators before committing to the full book.
Free · No ObligationRights & Publishing Support
Support for publishers and agents acquiring translation rights — including sample translations, rights assessment and full book translations to publishing standards.
Publishers · Agents200+ Languages for Book Translation
From major languages to rare and regional dialects — we have literary translators for them all.
Need a language not listed here? We cover 200+ languages and dialects — including Japanese, Korean, Greek, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Albanian, Bengali, Punjabi, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Sinhala, Nepali, Somali, Tigrinya, Amharic and many more. WhatsApp us the language and we’ll confirm availability.
What Separates a Professional
Book Translator from a Bilingual Speaker
A good book translator is not simply bilingual. They are a writer in their own right. Here is what every book translator we deploy carries.
Native Literary Translators
Every book translator is a native speaker of the target language with professional literary translation experience. Many have published translated works with major publishing houses.
Genre & Subject Specialists
We match your book to a translator who knows your genre — whether it’s literary fiction, crime, romance, sci-fi, academic, children’s, poetry or non-fiction. Genre expertise matters.
Free Sample Translation
We provide a free sample of up to 500 words for every book project. Assess the quality of our translators before committing to the full book.
Publishing Industry Experience
We work with authors, publishers, literary agents and self-publishing authors. We understand publishing timelines, editorial standards and the importance of preserving author voice.
ISO 17100:2015 Certified
Every translation is bilingually checked by a second translator before delivery — the ISO 17100:2015 standard for quality assurance. This ensures accuracy and consistency across your entire book.
Confidential & Professional
NDAs are available as standard for all book projects. We understand that manuscripts are often confidential — your work is safe with us.
Who We Work With
From self-publishing authors to major publishing houses — we work with everyone involved in bringing books to new readers.
Authors & Self-Publishers
Independent authors and self-publishers looking to reach international readers. We provide professional translations that do justice to your work.
Publishing Houses
Major and independent publishers acquiring rights and commissioning translations for UK and international markets. We deliver to publishing standards.
Literary Agents
Literary agents and rights managers needing sample translations, rights assessments and full book translations for their international rights deals.
Academics & Researchers
University academics and researchers needing scholarly translations for publication, tenure review and global academic audiences.
Translation Rights Departments
Rights departments at publishing houses and agencies needing sample translations for rights fairs and foreign rights submissions.
Translators & Editors
We work with literary translators, editors and publishing professionals on collaborative translation projects and editorial assessments.
Professional Standards That
Preserve Your Voice
Book translation is not about replacing words with their equivalents. It is about carrying meaning, style, emotion and cultural context from one language into another. Our literary translators understand this distinction.
They work to preserve your voice as an author. They understand that a novel is not just a story — it is a world, a tone, a rhythm. They translate that world, not just the words.
Every book translation is checked by a second linguist for accuracy, consistency and fluency — the ISO 17100:2015 standard for quality assurance.
Complete Confidentiality
NDAs available as standard. Your manuscript is safe with us. We understand that unpublished work is commercially sensitive.
Voice Preservation
We don’t just translate words — we translate voice, style and literary effect. Your book should read as if it were written in the target language.
Free Sample Included
We provide a free sample of up to 500 words for every book project. Assess quality before committing to the full book.
Publishing-Ready Quality
Our translations are ready for editorial review, typesetting and publication. We deliver clean manuscripts with consistent style and terminology.
What Authors & Publishers Say
We brought in this team for a two-day assignment — our client needed an interpreter throughout, and they delivered without a single issue. Punctual, professional, and the interpreter handled some fairly technical legal discussion without missing a beat. We’ll be using them again.
I needed an interpreter at short notice for an immigration hearing. Not easy to sort at the last minute, but they had someone confirmed within a few hours and he was excellent — calm, accurate, and knew the legal terminology. Genuinely took the stress out of a difficult day.
English is not my first language and the legal process here was quite confusing. The interpreter was patient — not just translating words but actually making sure I understood what was going on. The price was fair, no surprises at the end. I would use them again without hesitation.
Book Translation Services London — FAQs
Questions we are asked most often by authors, publishers and clients before booking.
Yes. While books don’t typically require certification like legal documents, we provide certified translation for books that need it — such as academic works submitted for publication. Our translations are ISO 17100:2015 certified.
We translate all book types including fiction, non-fiction, academic, children’s books, poetry and more. We work with authors, publishers, literary agents and self-publishing authors.
Book translation costs vary by language pair, word count and complexity. Fiction and non-fiction typically range from £0.08–£0.16 per source word. Academic and technical books range from £0.10–£0.20. We provide a free sample translation and a fixed quote before any work begins.
A 70,000–100,000 word book typically takes 6–10 weeks for translation, plus 1–2 weeks for editing and proofreading. We provide a clear timeline before work begins and can accommodate urgent deadlines for an additional charge.
Yes. We translate books both into English and from English into other languages — including Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Arabic and many more. All translations are completed by native speakers of the target language.
Yes — we provide a free sample translation of up to 500 words for all book projects. This allows you to assess the quality of our translators before committing to a full book translation.
Yes. We work with publishers, literary agents and authors on book translation projects. We understand publishing timelines, editorial standards and the importance of preserving author voice. NDAs are available as standard.
Literary translation is a subset of book translation focused specifically on creative works — novels, poetry, short stories and literary non-fiction. It requires a translator who can preserve the author’s voice, style and literary effect. We provide both general book translation and specialist literary translation.
Contact us using the form on this page or call +44 1618 261 333. Tell us about your book — genre, language pair, word count and deadline. We’ll provide a free sample and a fixed quote within 30 minutes.
Free Sample Translation
Included with Every Quote
Whether you’re a self-publishing author, a publisher acquiring rights, or an academic expanding your global reach — we provide professional book translations that preserve your voice and reach new readers.
Get a Free Book Translation Quote — Sample Included
Tell us about your book — genre, language pair, word count and deadline. We respond with a fixed price and a free sample translation within 30 minutes.
Office 17690, 182-184 High Street North, East Ham, London E6 2JA
Request a Free Quote & Sample
Response within 30 minutes — free sample included.
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© 2026 IM Translation Services — Professional book translation in London. Native literary translators · ISO 17100 certified · Free sample · 200+ languages.
Office 17690, 182-184 High Street North, East Ham, London E6 2JA · +44 1618 261 333 · contact@translationslondon.uk