Among the things I really love as a translator: when someone (who clearly has never required a translator before) informs me of how long they figure the project will probably take me and therefore how much I should charge for it.

Close runner up: people who, when informed that my area of expertise is clinical/medical material and therefore I do not take on projects in the areas of architecture/fashion/pet supplies/wine production because the research needed would take me way longer than it’s worth, protest that “no, it’s really not that complicated, it won’t take you very long”. Maybe next time I ought to propose that by the same token, they should give me some wine at half price because, I mean, you just have to squish up some grapes, right? It’s really not that complicated?

A new professional goal for 2021: getting better at standing up for myself in these situations. Basically, if I have a good flow of work at a given time, there is no need to accept work that is outside my area of expertise. There is basically no situation in which it will be as profitable as the same amount of time spent on something that I already have experience with. Conversely, if I’m going through a slow period (yay for self employment!), I can take on stuff outside my area… but then I just have to accept that it’s going to take way longer than I’m used to, and I just have to suck it up in the name of filling ye olde family coffers. (I realize this sounds a bit mercenary, but… I mean, I’m trying to buy two apartments and also get pregnant this year, so the coffers could use every little bit of help they can get, I think.)