How to Prepare Your Manuscript for Translation
A step-by-step guide to getting your book ready for AI translation — from file format choices to cultural reference notes.
How to Prepare Your Manuscript for Translation
Getting your book translated starts long before you click "upload." A clean, well-structured manuscript makes the difference between a translation that needs heavy editing and one that's ready to publish.
1. Choose the Right File Format
BookLingua accepts EPUB, DOCX, and TXT. For the best results, we recommend DOCX:
- Headings and styles are preserved
- Chapter structure is detected automatically
- Word counts are most accurate
EPUB works well too, but complex layouts can shift during conversion. TXT is fine for simple manuscripts but loses all formatting.
2. Clean Up Your Styles
Use Heading 1 for chapter titles and Heading 2 for sub-sections. Avoid manual formatting (large bold text, extra line breaks) where possible. A cleanly styled DOCX translates into a cleanly structured book.
3. List Cultural References and Special Terms
If your book includes invented words, place names, or culturally specific terms, tell us upfront. During the pre-translation scan, BookLingua flags terms like:
- US-specific legal or education terms
- Measurements (miles, pounds, Fahrenheit)
- Brand names and idioms
- Fantasy names and invented language
You decide whether to keep, adapt, or explain each one.
4. Write a Short Book Setting Note
A sentence or two about where the book is set and what local flavour should be preserved helps the translator make better decisions. For example:
"Set in New York. Keep legal terms American and convert measurements to metric for European readers."
5. Check Your Word Count
Pricing is based on word count. Most novellas fall into the $99 tier, standard novels into the $149 tier, and longer books into the $199 tier. The uploader shows your exact price before checkout.
Ready to translate? Start your upload and see your price in seconds.