selected translations

Journalism

How Free Press Unlimited silenced its own journalists by Maite Vermeulen (translated from the Dutch original here)

Why electric cars are always green (and how they could get greener) by Thalia Verkade (translated and adapted from the Dutch original here)

Bermuda? Guess again. Turns out Holland is the tax haven of choice for US companies by Jesse Frederik (translated and adapted from the Dutch original here)

This is what it was like to give a TED talk by Rutger Bregman (Dutch original here)

The Dutch Donald Trump wasn’t stopped, he was copied by Rutger Bregman (The Guardian reprinted a modified version)

How billions vanish into the black hole that is the security industry by Dimitri Tokmetzis and Maaike Goslinga (Dutch original here)

To understand the magnitude of what’s going on in South Korea, watch this short film by Jos De Putter (Dutch original here)

Eight years and 6,500 Obama photos later: How our view of the President has been meticulously crafted by Sterre Sprengers

Meet the greatest anti-poverty crusader you’ve never heard of by Sanne Blauw and Maite Vermeulen (Dutch original here)

A tree walks into a courtroom by Lynn Berger (Dutch original here)

This is the Berlin Wall of our time by Maite Vermeulen (Dutch original here)

After Brussels everything’s been said (except what almost everyone thinks) by Rob Wijnberg (Dutch original here)

How do you tell stories from a country that doesn’t want them told? by Lennart Hofman (Dutch original here)

Meet the most persecuted people in the world by Lennart Hofman (Dutch original here)

This is what goes wrong inside your head every day by Thalia Verkade (Dutch original here)

Fiction

Planet Paradroid: A psychedelic dark comedy about friendship, love, and the meaning of death (forthcoming; see Dutch original here)

The Eagleton Seal (forthcoming; see Dutch original here)

Charitable non-fiction

Simavi Annual Report 2015

Adessium Foundation Annual Report 2014

what clients say

"For the translation of my second book into American English, I searched high and low for a translator who would not only deliver a perfect translation, but could also reproduce the atmosphere, the flavor, and the imagery. After approaching four different people, I was almost ready to give up. Until I read the first pages that Grayson had rendered into perfect language; I knew immediately that she was the one. Even my agent in New York could barely believe she was reading a translation." —Arjen Terpstra, writer

"Grayson is extremely good at penetrating an original text to the core, then expressing its essence in translation—sometimes even better than in the original." —Philip Elsas, auditing software company owner

"Grayson's strength as a translator lies in her ability to get into the writer's mind. She's a perfectionist with a passion for the written word. A pleasure to work with!" —Zebi Damen, writer and filmmaker

"Outstanding translation; the CEO of this major company personally thanked us for the excellent work." —Ed Vreeburg, translation agency owner

request a translation

Thanks for your interest! Before we jump in, let's make sure we're on the same page.

☑ I translate from Dutch into American English.

I'm happy to oblige if you prefer British spelling, but US-UK differences go far beyond –ise versus –ize. If you're specifically targeting a UK audience, please seek out a native Brit.

☑ I translate fiction, journalism, and charitable non-fiction.

Fiction means prose, from short stories to novel series; I don't translate poetry.

Journalism means serious reporting: investigative analyses, exposés, essays, and books that explore meaningful topics. Think ProPublica, not People Magazine; The Ethics of What We Eat, not The Bulletproof Diet.

Charitable non-fiction means all the words an NGO might need: annual reports, position papers, project evaluations, web pages, blog posts, newsletters, and so on. Here, "translate" is shorthand for translate, edit, and write: I'm happy to take your input in any form, from polished brochures to half-formed ideas, and help you turn it into a compelling narrative in English.

It's fine if your project is heavy on technology; I have a tech-savvy background. I don't translate medical or legal texts.

☑ Now let's talk rates.

(Nonprofits, take note: Translators without Borders and Translation Commons connect eligible nonprofits with volunteers who translate for free. You might see if their model will meet your needs first.)

I have three rates:

• individuals, active charities:
  • € 0.10 per word / € 33 per hour
• social enterprises, grantmaking charities:
  • € 0.15 per word / € 50 per hour
• everyone else:
  • € 0.24 per word / € 80 per hour

An individual is an author or journalist who's paying for the translation out of her own pocket.

Active charities are nonprofit humanitarian and environmental groups that tangibly ease the planet's suffering—groups like Doctors Without Borders, War Child, and Oceana. The key element here is charitable work—so the Museum of Modern Art and TED, both nonprofits, don't fit here.

Grantmaking charities are nonprofit organizations that fund the work of active charities. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is an example.

A social enterprise is an organization whose primary product or service advances the public good. Tesla is a social enterprise; Ben & Jerry's is not. This is where TED falls, as well as most news outlets and environmental publishers like Island Press.

All other ventures, however small, nonprofit, or well-intentioned, fall under everyone else. This is where MoMA, Ben & Jerry's, and most publishers fit in.

✉ Still with me? Let's talk!

Tell me about yourself and your project at xln dot qry at this domain: that is,

Je mag ook gerust in het Nederlands schrijven, hoor. I look forward to hearing from you!