Book translation, typesetting and eBooks for publishers
We translate your titles, typeset them in InDesign in any script, and deliver print-ready PDFs, EPUB 3 and Kindle files from one set of source files. One team for the whole job, from manuscript to files the printer and retailers accept.
- Print PDF (PDF/X-4)
- EPUB 3, accessible
- Kindle
- Black-plate text for co-printing
Example of one picture book set up as four co-editions. The Arabic edition reads right to left.
- We translate
- Fiction, children's books, nonfiction, textbooks and catalogs
- We typeset
- In InDesign and QuarkXPress, in Latin, Cyrillic, Arabic, Hebrew, Indic and CJK scripts
- We deliver
- Print-ready PDFs, EPUB 3, Kindle files and packaged InDesign files
- For
- Trade, education and children's publishers, and packagers
What we do for publishers
Most publishers use one supplier for translation, another for typesetting and a third for eBooks, then spend weeks chasing corrections between them. We do all three, so a correction made in one place reaches every format, and you deal with one project manager.
You can also use us for one part only. Many publishers send us translated text to typeset, or finished print files to convert to accessible EPUB.
Services for publishers
Use one, or hand us the whole edition.
Book translation
Literary, children's and nonfiction translation by native translators, with an edit by a second linguist.
Typesetting
Books typeset to your series design and house style, with widows, orphans and hyphenation handled by hand. More on typesetting.
Co-editions
Foreign-language editions laid out to match the original page for page, with text on the black plate so images can be printed once.
eBooks and accessibility
EPUB 3 with alt text, reading order and accessibility metadata, plus Kindle files. More on eBooks.
Proofreading
Proofreading against the manuscript, with corrections marked on PDF proofs and made in the files.
Apps and AR for books
Reading apps, read-along audio and AR that adds 3D content to printed pages. More on apps.
How a translated edition runs
You see proofs at every stage you'd see them in-house.
Files and specs
Your InDesign files or PDFs, fonts, house style, trim size and printer specs.
Translation
A native translator translates, and a second linguist edits against the original.
Typesetting
The translation is set into your design, with copyfitting where the text runs long.
Proofs
First and second proofs as PDFs, checked by a native proofreader and by you.
Native proofread QAFinal files
Print PDF to your printer's spec, EPUB 3, Kindle and packaged InDesign files.
Files and formats
- Layout
- Adobe InDesign, QuarkXPress, Illustrator
- PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 to your printer's profile, with bleed and crop marks
- eBook
- EPUB 3 (fixed layout or reflowable), Kindle, with EPUBCheck validation
- Text
- Word with tracked changes, and XML for your content system
Related services
Questions from publishers
Do you translate whole books?
Yes. Native translators translate fiction, nonfiction, children's books and textbooks, and a second linguist edits each title. For literary titles, we can send a sample chapter from two translators so you can choose.
Can you lay out co-editions in several languages?
Yes. We set each language into the same design, page for page where possible, and keep the text on the black plate so the color images can be printed once for every edition.
Do you produce accessible eBooks?
Yes. We produce EPUB 3 files with alt text, a logical reading order, navigation and accessibility metadata, and validate them with EPUBCheck. Since June 2025, the European Accessibility Act has required accessible eBooks for most titles sold in the EU.
Do you design covers?
We adapt existing covers for each language, including the title, back-cover copy, spine and barcode area. New cover designs are quoted separately.
How do you price a translated edition?
Translation is priced by word count and subject, typesetting by page and complexity, and eBooks per title. You get one quote that covers every part you need, with a delivery date for each proof.
Send us a title
Send the files for one title, or book a call. We reply with a quote that covers translation, typesetting and eBooks, with a date for each proof.
- Phone
- +44 20 3290 0116
- Phone hours
- Weekdays 9:30 to 16:00, weekends 9:30 to 12:00, UK time