What's the proper procedure when engaging a translator for a book project?

Writing a book is special event. Usually, someone has been brooding on a idea for a long time before he or she commits it to paper. Therefore, a well-written book is elaborate, without becoming repetitive.

When you want to have a book translation, it's very important that the translator is contacted on time since book translations take a lot time. The translator has to be creative, and also here the maxim goes that a rush job translates itself into work of poorer quality.

Always have someone else proofread the translation. At a certain moment one gets blind for the typos and grammatical errors in a text. The only solution for this is to have someone with a fresh look go through it.

Book translations are fun to do and provide a translator with work for a longer period of time. It's therefore not difficult to find translators who are willing to do them.

Below you will see the book translations I have done, either by myself or as part of a team of translators. If you're looking into hiring me for a book translation project, do keep in mind that lately I have been doing more nonfiction. I have also edited books. These you can find here.

Translated books
“It presents a fascinating detail, as well as an account, of an excitement of a long time ago”    John Schoorl, De Volkskrant    Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Een Coney Island van de verbeelding. Bilingual edition, Publishing House Liverse, 2015.
"Required reading for everyone who considers themselves living in the decadent tradition or worshippers of Mr. Oscar Wilde.   Kasper Nijsen, Rond1900.nl   Oscar Wilde. Prozagedichten. Bilinguel edition, Publishing House Nadorst, 2014.
“Translator Joris Lenstra shows his craftmanship; the content and rhythm of the original have been preserved in his translation.”   Ricco van Nierop, DeRecensent.nl   Jack Kerouac. Verzen, schetsen, haiku's & blues. Publishing House Nadorst, 2013.
"A faithful approach retaining the rhythm of the original and exploiting the musicality of the Dutch language."   Cees van der Pluijm, NBD Biblion   Walt Whitman. Het lied van mijzelve. Self-published, 2005.
Translated in collaboration with the author
Translated as part of a team of translators