Essential Translators' Tools II: The Computer

Okay, this is actually a tough topic to write about because on the one hand, the computer is the one single piece of equipment that you will buy on which your entire professional life will depend....and on the other, there are so many options and differences of opinion that it's hard to cover them all, let alone offer truly neutral advice.

So I think all I can do is talk a bit about what does and doesn't work for me, and let you add my experience to the mountain of tips and advice you are likely to get when acquiring this all important work tool.

1. Take your time - but don't put it off forever

First up, obviously it is important to do your research, shop around a little and chew over your options. Even if you are pretty techno-savvy, IT is developing so fast that you need a couple of days just to get to grips with what's available to you at any given moment in time. Surf the net, check out IT forums and check out prices/specs in a number of different places.... but my advice would be that once you've made up your mind to make this investment, don't wait too long to take the plunge. If you're waiting for the "right" time to buy a computer, the "right" time may never come. Make an informed choice, and then stick to it. 

As for how to choose - so much of it is down to personal preference. I made the move from desktop to laptop many years ago and can't conceive not being able to take my office around with me - although it is also true that the advent of cloud computing and automatic device synchronising this is less and less of an issue, and I know of many translators who prefer to work with a hefty tower. Then of course you have the Apple/Microsoft debate. While I use Windows and I am anti-Apple on principle (I cannot abide IT exclusivity and object to being forced to use certain software) I have to admit that most Apple equipment  have tried is excellent... so once again, personal preference comes into play here.

The most important thing is to remember that whatever equipment or OS you choose - this is your workspace. It needs to make your life easier. It needs to respond to your every whim. It needs to be reliable...and you need to make it all of those things.

2. Put aside a day or two for getting it "just so"

Every time I buy a new computer I make sure I have a weekend or a couple of free days to devote to setting it up. There's always a driver that needs to be updated, a particular programme that chucks up compatibility issues, or even a new operating system to get used to (who hasn't pulled their hair out at some stage over Windows 8????) and you don't want to be squeezing all that in around a looming deadline. Ideally - if possible - leave your previous computer up and running until everything is tried and tested on your new one before making the final changeover. I can't stress the importance of taking your time to set everything up properly. Your computer is everything - in the sense that without it your business would be nothing - so dont' cut corners. Keep it clean. Keep it updated and properly protected against Internet nasties. If at all possible, keep it for work only -  no bogging it down with downloads or Minecraft, or letting the entire family  use it - that's what your old Pentium tower running on Windows 98 is for!

3. Peripherals are key

As I said before, a computer and how it is set up is a highly personal thing, and peripherals are no exception. I am sure every freelance translator's list of essentials is different. But for what it's worth, here's mine:

- Cordless mouse and keyboard: I can get by with my laptop keyboard, but more than five minutes using that bloody touchpad thing and I'm guaranteed to be a foul mood! Likewise I have a decent mouse pad with a gel wrist support. Expensive but invaluable.

- Second monitor: obviously I can't/won't take it on holiday with me, but for everyday use at my desk, it's a godsend.

- External Hard Drive: Actually I have two. They have large capacity (600 GB) but are pocket sized and they contain daily back-ups of my computer, plus all my work files since the day I began. Teamed with appropriate software I don't even have to do anything, it's all copied automatically. Bliss.

- All in one printer/scanner/photocopier: Self explanatory, really. Mine isn't WiFi enabled, but when it dies, the next one most certainly will be. I look forward to printing stuff off while I'm sitting out in the garden.

- Cooler pad: this is VITAL for laptops. They rely on a good flow of air under them to keep themselves from overheating and  - speaking from painful experience - once they start getting hot and bothered, it's one problem after another. Don't leave it until it's too late and get a cooler pad, preferably one with a built-in fan for extra ventilation.

4. Remember your invoices!

Last but by no means least, remember that as your nº1 professional tool, your computer and all its assorted bits and bobs should be offset as business expenses. Make sure you get proper invoices, guarantees, and any other paperwork you may need for accounting/tax purposes. 

So, that's the physical/hardware bit covered. But what about software? What does every self respecting translator need to use? Check out Part III next time for my tips and list of essentials!

Essential Translators' Tools I: Back to Basics

Essential Translators' Tools I: Back to Basics

For the first entry in this series I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at some of the simple items it's all too easy to ignore when talking about typical translators' tools. This may be because we take them for granted, or perhaps we think they are too antiquated to be of much use when there are so many technological alternatives out there. Or it might be that we have never thought of them as part of the tools of our trade... but I think there a number of "traditional" desktop items that deserve a place up there alongside smartphone apps, cloud computing and time management software.  Here are a number of things I hate to be without while I'm working... 

1. Notepad and Pen

Okay, so you may ask - why do I need to write anything down by hand when I've got all my clients' details stored safely on my database, I use a computerised diary that synchronises automatically with my phone/tablet, and my glossaries are all arranged in alphabetical order in Excel?

Well, I also do all of the above - and more - but I still use my big A4 notepad every day. It may be a bit old-school, but I find it immensely helpful to list my tasks for the day/week/month, and tremendously therapeutic to cross them out by hand as I finish them off. I use my notepad to jot down important information while I'm on the phone to potential clients, and I even use it to draw up lists of new vocab and/or tricky terms while I'm translating. All this data can then be transferred to my assorted programs and files, but there's nothing like the immediacy of being able to write things down "on the run" and know that your trusty A4 notepad is not at risk of being gobbled up by trojan horses or wiped off the face of the universe for unfathomable reasons understood only by the great Cyber-Gods. Nor will it break into a zillion tiny pieces if your toddler knocks it off your desk by mistake (These things happen - I know from painful personal experience). 

Drawing/sketching out a work plan, or having a brainstorming session complex projects is another invaluable use of your good old pen and paper; and last but not least I have yet to come across a better method of studying/revising/memorising (new vocab or the main points gleaned from your latest training course, even if it's online) than writing it out by hand.

[As a little add-on to this item, and given that we're getting near "that time of year" again, I would like to take this opportunity to champion the handwritten Christmas Card, sent to clients and colleagues via ordinary snail mail. It doesn't have to be fancy or particularly expensive, but a hand-signed, personalised Christmas greeting, sent in an envelope (with a business card, of course) is a really nice thing to receive and in these times of impersonal e-greetings covered with dancing Santas and twinkly Christmas Trees, it actually makes you stand out from the crowd. If you haven't done it before - perhaps this is the year to give it a go?]

2. Your favourite dictionaries

Of course it would be downright idiocy not to make use of all the resources available on the internet to search for terminology... but having said that I have lost count of the times I've pulled down my trusty old Routledge, or even my tatty old OED from my school days and found the exact word I was looking for. Those of us aged over 30 will probably have gone through an "old-fashioned" education (i.e. involving actual books, fountain pens and not a computer in sight) and are bound to have books, dictionaries and even lecture/revision notes from our heyday full of information that can still help us out today. And of course once again there is something rather therapeutic about leafing through a big fat tome to find the word/expression you were looking for - if nothing else it takes your eyes off the screen for a minute or so which is never a bad thing.

3. The telephone

We have become so used to emailing, Tweeting, FB messaging, WhatsApping (etc....) that sometimes we forget the value of picking up the phone and actually talking to people. Negotiations with clients, consulting colleagues, booking travel arrangements... these things are sometimes so much easier over the phone. The personal touch - even though it's not face to face - is still really important on a day to day basis and definitely makes certain professional relationships warmer, friendlier and therefore smoother.

4. Desktop calendar

I don't know why, but try as I might, I just can't get used to using the calendar on my phone/tablet/laptop for quick reference purposes. By that, I mean that I do use them to organise my work schedule and keep track of important appointments and deadlines - but when I'm on the phone to a potential client, for example, I find it so much easier to pick up my calendar and look at the days/weeks ahead to get an idea of timescales or even just to establish that "the 30th" means "two weeks today". 

5. Filing trays

We work online, we shop via our mobiles, we will probably be able to pay bills by blinking at our iPads before long. But we still generate a lot of paperwork. I personally print out all my invoices and receipts and keep a handwritten list of incomings and outgoings as well as doing my accounts on the computer. Not to mention non-disclosure agreements, insurance policies, bank statements, electricity bills, tax certificates, recipts for office sundries...they all build up and you never know when you may need to find them. I'm the first to own up to being a bit of a "filing-phobe", but in the interim I at least have a couple of trays on my desk for incomings, outgoings, pending payment, ready for filing, miscellaneous etc., rather than a mountain of paper balancing on one corner. A system like this means you can find stuff quickly if you need to, and it goes without saying that it makes the dreaded "filing day" a whole lot easier, as you've already sorted it all into different categories.

6. Calculator

Yes, I could use my phone, or Excel, or any of a wide range of "calculator" options. But I like punching the numbers in with my fingertips. I like being able to work out how much I'm going to earn for a job without having dig around in my bag for my phone or waste time minimising several windows and opening a new programme just to work out how many days I'm likely to need to do that massive job someone's about to send me. I know lots of people who do their numbers differently, but personally I find my big, chunky calculator indispensible for everyday business.

What takes pride of place on your desk? What basic tools do you use every day?

And in my next entry I'll be taking a look at the focal point of a freelance translator's office - the computer and all it's paraphernalia... see you then!

Back to School - and back to Blogging

I've been hopeless on the blogging front over the summer...all the usual excuses - holidays, having to entertain the kids, squeezing work in around a manic household, etc., etc.,

But autumn is upon us, the kids are back at school, and it's time to get back into the routine. It's also a good time for reflection, taking on new projects and challenges and generally giving yourself a new boost.

I've been changing a few things in my life recently, for all sorts of reasons, and what better way to give my professional life a right royal kick up the bum than heading off to ASETRAD's 10th Anniversary Conference in Toledo. This weekend I've finally managed to put soooooooo many names to faces, as well as having the privilege of exchanging opinions and experiences with fellow translators and language professionals, as well as having the chance to listen to and learn from the excellent speakers and workshop leaders.

This is the other side of our line of work - getting out from behind a computer screen and meeting your colleagues. It's refreshing to know that you are not alone in your everyday worries - marketing, client negotiations, rates, specialisation - and that there is a whole network of people out there who can - and will - help you when you need it. It's also fascinating to hear about what makes other translators tick. There are so many different branches to our business - literature, art, technical, medical, poetry to name just a few, and we all have different views and preferences, and different approaches to work. Other translators are not "the competition" - they are an invaluable source of support, advice, collaboration and dare I say it, friendship.

Exercise and the Freelancer

I know, I know...this old topic again!

We all know the theory - you must build daily exercise into your routine to stay healthy, boost your productivity, avoid postural and stress related ailments...but it's often so much easier than done. Let me be the first to raise my hand and say I haven't been "moving" enough over the winter months - injury, cold, rain, too much work, general laziness - the excuses are always the same. But what I notice that while I'm cosily tucked up in my office with a steaming cuppa and a blanket, tapping away for hours on end, is that lethargy sets in and my work soon begins to suffer. So I choose to do some kind of exercise, even if it's only for 15 minutes, every single day.

The important thing about this is that it is a choice. If you choose to build some exercise into your daily routine then all of a sudden it stops being a chore and becomes a pleasure, even a necessity.

Obviously everyone is different and we all have to choose what, when, where and how we will exercise... but one thing we all have in common is that our busy lifestyles dictate that it doesn't take up too much of our precious time.

I just wanted to throw out some suggestions which work / have worked for me:

Walking / Running / Cycling

This gets you out of the house and into the fresh air. I am lucky enough to live in a rural area, and I have a dog, so I have plenty of scenic, lung cleansing and enjoyable routes on my doorstep. Half an hour after dropping the kids off at the school bus before settling down at my desk is all I need sometimes to blow out the cobwebs, work up a bit of a sweat (or a lot, if I'm running or cycling - we live on the side of a hill!) and get into a focused and productive state of mind for the rest of the day. If like me you always have your phone/iPod with you when you're out and about, then you can listen to the radio and catch up on the news etc while you're exercising - killing two birds with one stone and leaving your desk time free for working.

Gym / Exercise Class

One of the major advantages of organised exercise is that not only does it have a pre-established time and duration (thus helping on the routine side of things), it also provides social interaction. One of the huge drawbacks of freelancing is that it can be isolating and your only contact with the outside world is via email and the internet. Your fellow gym-goers don't have to become your best friends, but it's good for us to get out and about and talk to other people from completely different walks of life from time to time.

The one downside to this option, apart from the potential expense, is that most activities require at least an hour - or more - which once you've added travelling there and back, showering and changing can take a big lump out of your working day.

Exercise DVD / Working out at home

Obviously this is very flexible - you can fit it around whatever else you need to do that day, and you can exercise however you want. There are loads of different options for keeping fit from home, a quick search on YouTube or Amazon throws up endless possibilities and combinations of programmes for cardio, strength, flexibility, yoga, pilates, abs, bums and thighs...you name it. But you do have to be very disciplined and not wimp out. I find a full-on 20 minute workout (Jillian Michaels is one of the best) is truly invigorating and really sets me up for working hard, as well as not taking up to much time.

Swimming

Swimming, as we all know, is the king of exercise, beneficial to practically everyone and anyone of any shape or size, and computer slave freelancers  are no exception. Personally I only swim in the summer, as local indoor pools are scarce on the ground, expensive and too time-consuming - but I miss the suppleness, stamina and overall sense of well being I get from bashing out those lengths. There is also something incredibly liberating about swimming - it must be something about the complete tranquillity and silence you can only find under water. No ring tones, email beeps, doorbells, mewling children or background telly noise. You can't beat it!

Set your own goals

You may have noticed that I go for quite full on, intense forms of exercising. That's just my way of doing it - not only for health reasons, but for professional ones too. I find that pushing myself through a run or a workout helps release stress, frustration, tension and worry, leaving me in a better frame of mind for work. I have more clarity of thought and the words flow more easily if I have exercised properly and I usually get much more done in less time. That's not to say that other types of exercise - for example, working out more gently for longer, or doing two or more different kinds of exercise in one day - don't work for others. Of course they do. As I said at the beginning of this post, this is all about choice, and the whole point is that just as we freelancers control our own professional lives, we can - and should - control and make choices about our own fitness levels and health as part of that. So, if a gentle stroll for an hour in the afternoon is what you find works for you and keeps you energised, then that's what you should do. I really believe that we should all do something: 8, 10, 12 or even more hours in front of the computer each day can really take its toll on your physical and mental health, and we owe it to ourselves to compensate for that.

Happy exercising!

Spring Cleaning!

Finally! The sun has returned (to most parts of the northern hemisphere at least)! The birds and bees are out and about, blossom is on the trees...yes it's Spring!

Not being much of a domestic goddess I don't make a big thing of Spring Cleaning around the house, but over the past few days I have turned my attention to my computer. It is, after all the single most important work tool I have and without it I'd be utterly lost, so it deserves a bit of care and attention.

So I snatched a few hours between jobs earlier this week to tackle some very basic, but very important, maintenance tasks.

IT problems can cause untold stress and frustration

Keep it clean on the outside...

Obviously for hygiene reasons, and to preserve your eyesight, you need to keep your monitor screen(s) clean. There are many different products available for this purpose, although I have to say I find a very slightly (and I mean slightly) damp, lint free screen cloth does the job just as well as any sprays and potions.

The same goes for keyboard, mouse and the outside of the computer in general. Crumbs, dust and assorted foreign bodies can cause endless irritation just when you're up against a tight deadline, so better to clean them regularly to avoid unnecessary stress.

Another important part of computer maintenance is keeping fans and filters clean. The hot summer months (here, at least!) put extra strain on these vital elements, and if it's never happened to you, you can't begin to imagine the pain of having your computer shut down unexpectedly due to overheating. If you have an air compressor, it's just the job for blasting furballs and other detritus from fans (and keyboards for that matter) - if not I'm told a hair dryer on cool/cold setting is a good alternative.

While we're on the subject of overheating, laptops are particularly susceptible to this issue as we often forget that they need good air circulation under their bottoms in order to keep cool. A few years ago I invested in a cooling pad with built in fans for extra ventilation. There are loads on the market; most are not particularly expensive but can help avoid no end of strife and suffering in the long run.

...and tidy on the inside...

 I was speaking to someone the other day (who ought to know better, so will remain nameless) who was complaining that she didn't know how to make a backup. Nowadays there's simply no excuse for losing vital data. There are endless options for backing up your files, emails, programmes, configuration etc. The emergence of cloud storage has made it even easier to recover files, access them from other devices and locations, and avoid clogging up your hard drive. I use a combination of Dropbox and JustCloud although I don't keep absolutely everthing out there in the ether - I still have my trusty external hard drive for all my old work folders, photos and videos, as well as a daily backup and complete copy of my hard drive. All of this is organised for me by a brilliant - and free - little programme called Karen's Replicator, so I don't even have to remember to press a button!

Despite this plethora of external copies and storage space...it's still important to have a good clear out of your internal hard drive(s) from time to time. Temporary files, old applications, long-forgotten downloads, and your full-to-the-brim recycle bin etc all take up space and ultimately affect how your computer performs. I like to run a defrag and a registry cleaner too, to keep everything running smoothly.

...Happy Computer = Happy you!

Those of us who depend on our computers for work know what an utter nightmare it is when it fails to respond, or worse still, dies. I have shed real tears in the past over sudden shut downs, broken hard drives and lost data... our computers work just as hard as we do and they too need a bit of pampering. So take half an hour to give it a Spring Clean and keep yours in tip top shape - it's worth it in the long run!