Expert publishing translation and localisation services

Publishing is inherently global. Co‑editions, foreign rights deals, and multilingual catalogues demand translations that capture voice, nuance, and market expectations. Readers, agents, and retailers expect accurate language and clean layouts—whether a novel, a schoolbook, or an academic monograph. For authors touring internationally or moving from one country to another, certified translations of visas or legal paperwork may also be required by British authorities and accepted worldwide.

Compliance sits at the heart of cross‑border publishing. From copyright notices and disclaimers to age‑rating and accessibility statements, each territory brings its own standards. UK publishers work with ONIX, BIC, and BISAC codes for discoverability; EPUB Accessibility and WCAG 2.1 guide inclusive formats; GDPR governs personal data in newsletters and reader communities. Any mismatch can delay retailer onboarding or limit market entry.

Editorial quality is non‑negotiable. A translation must mirror the editorial intent while adapting idioms, cultural references, and reading level. Then comes design: text expansion, right‑to‑left scripts, font support, hyphenation, widows/orphans, notes, and indexes all affect readability. Marketing copy and metadata must align too; a powerful blurb or optimised keywords can dramatically impact sell‑through and algorithmic placement.

Ultimately, accurate publishing translation drives business outcomes: faster rights sales, broader distribution, and stronger brand trust. The right partner safeguards your IP, protects schedules, and delivers press‑ready files the first time—reducing rework, returns, and retailer rejections.

Kings of Translation assembles expert teams for each title: native linguists with subject expertise, senior editors for tone and style, and multilingual DTP specialists proficient in InDesign and QuarkXPress. We also cover eBook engineering for EPUB3 and Kindle—validating structure, fonts, and embedded media—so your digital editions pass distributor checks smoothly.

Terminology management underpins consistency. We build style guides and term bases per imprint, maintain translation memories to reduce cost and turnaround, and run multi‑stage QA with editorial proofreading. Our processes are aligned with ISO 17100 best practices. For legal paperwork—rights contracts, NDAs, distribution agreements—we provide certified translations accepted by British authorities and international stakeholders.

Transparent pricing keeps planning simple: standard translation from £0.05 per word and certified translations from £29.90 per page. Typical short assets complete within 24–48 hours; complex layouts and series ship on phased schedules. Expedited options are available when deadlines are tight. With a 98% client return rate, our customer care adapts to your editorial calendars and launch windows.

We’re a BBB A+ rated business and an ATA member, and our certified translations are recognised globally—supporting everything from rights negotiations to author documentation when teams are moving between countries.

We integrate with your stack to minimise friction: Adobe InDesign/InCopy, QuarkXPress, XML/ONIX feeds, WordPress or headless CMS, and DAM systems. Our engineers maintain clean styles, master pages, and anchors, while ensuring table, note, and index integrity across languages, including right‑to‑left and CJK scripts.

Translation memory, terminology databases, and automated QA safeguard consistency and speed. We validate tag integrity, line length, and non‑breaking spaces; we also run locale‑specific checks on punctuation, typography, and script support. For metadata, we adapt keywords and categories to local BISAC/BIC schemes to preserve discoverability.

For large catalogues and continuous publishing, our project managers design sprint‑based workflows with version control, cloud proofs, and approval gates. API connectors and secure portals enable real‑time status tracking, batch handoffs, and rollups for finance. NDAs and encrypted channels protect manuscripts and contracts throughout.