Question Need advice for my current situation as a translator please

Sorry, it's a long story but not an extremely complicated one, I hope you can at least give it a glance...
I created this account when I was only a reader who lurked and leeched off others for translations.
That has changed; I'm now also translating for practice and giving back to the community in a sense.
Of course I'm doing it because I also enjoy it...or at least enjoyed it.
I realized translating is a lot of work but my motivation comes from reading the raws as I translate so that I would want to know what happens next just like the readers.
Around this time, some people started messaging me that they would like to work as my editor.
I never asked for one but…
I was very inexperienced and seeing the amount of work not only for translating but also editing, it made me accept.
Now this is where I need help.
One of the editors, and the only one who truly contributes, they have been really making things difficult for me.
I started translating for my own enjoyment, but they have been really trying to take a lot of control.
If they don't like the current look of the site, they will be very stubborn about it.
When I changed the theme, they said they would leave because I didn't tell them first and they don't like it.
I apologized for not telling them first, but it feels weird because I thought it was my site.
They also managed to make a Discord server but they really wanted to be the owner, they felt I needed to trust them so I let them be the owner... It houses readers now
And now they even suggested moving the entire site to another platform.
It might seem like just a suggestion but they will not easily give up on it...
Translating is time consuming; I'm also helping with the translation checking. editing, and proof-reading because we are a small team.
Now you add a power tripping editor and it's making things really stressful.
It's been distracting me from my studies and also I no longer enjoy it because of them.
Now it's either I work alone or not translate at all, but it's very complicated because of the Discord issue.
In hindsight, everything might seem obvious but please consider I was very new to this scene.
My initial reasons for translating…
My real life friend really wanted something to be translated but it never got picked up.
That's why I helped translate it, they were happy and I also found it very enjoyable.
That became the spark for me to start translating and sharing with other people so they could enjoy it too.
I want to continue, but if things are this complicated or I'm just too naive and stupid, maybe it's not for me.
I can imagine my editor won't like it when I tell them I want to work alone which is why I'm unsure of what will happen to the Discord server and what they will do.
The reason I'm posting it is because I really needed a place to vent my thoughts.
Possibly even find some good advice and help.
Yes I know I'm an idiot, also I've simplified things so it didn't become an essay. I only listed the main points.
Thank you for reading if you got this far.
Feel free to ask anything, I've been driven this point to somewhat anonymously seek help after all.

 

Honestly dude I think you should take it back to the beginning and just translate for you and your friends since that's what makes you happy. Don't turn something you enjoyed into a chore or work cuz it will end up worse then it is now. Come clean with your team and apologize for letting it get this far but take a break a breather and go back to the beginning where you were happy and enjoyed it.

Your human so yes you will make mistakes and yes things will spiral out of your control and yes there will be conflicts and different opinions when more than one person gets involved and the only advice I have for you is communication man. You have to communicate to your team that this isn't the direction you want and it is making you miserable, don't put up with it because you want to avoid conflicts with your team or you don't want to dissapoint your fans/readers.

All in all though you definitely need to take a break from all this and do some soul searching, because if translating is just a hobby or past time then don't let it get in the way of your studies cuz you will end up regretting it later, but if translating is something you want to turn into a career then you need to take some time and think about everything that's going on

 

look you've started to translate because it's fun right? So if those people make it not "fun" anymore isn't it the time to severe the ties with them?
and first and foremost they're the one who've volunteered to help you in the first but now it's feel like they want to control you or something?

 

Immediately abandon that editor. It will only get worse from here. Editors are only useful if there is a translator. Don't let him/her run the show, they shouldn't. You should be the one running everything and deciding on how the site looks. Perhaps create a poll for the readers to take, rather than just let it be a two man show. Don't let this dude do everything he/she wants to, as the translator and owner, you need to control the situation. Personally, i would get rid of him/her and just post unedited translations for a while until you find another editor. But be sure that if they have access to the site, to completely and utterly restrict them. Whilst just start a new discord server.

 

Okay, here's the first thing you really need to nail down; you are the translator and as such you are the project manager (until such time as you get a real project manager but that's a separate issue). Your editor is either your collogue or your employee, depending on whether your paying them, but they are not your boss. You really need to exert more control and do so sooner rather than later, as the longer it drags on the messier it gets.

EDIT: As a side note, having done editing before, having a translator that's good a managing really helps things for everyone.

 

lol tell them to fuck off
who the fuck are they to boss the owner around

you have full control over the situation

 

I think you need to fire them and start all over again, even if it affects the updates of your novels by doing the work yourself.
But if you have works that needed help then you should find much better editors.

 

If I were you......

Do what you want. Never mind those people who don't know what translators go through. I picked up translating because there was a cnovel (BL) I really loved and there were a lot of people who wanted to see it translated. I created my own site and I'm main admin, though I'm fortunate enough to have picked up a good editor.

I'm busy every day with RL but I still squeeze out time for translating and don't get too tired because I don't have to deal with what you have to. I suggest having a good talk with your main editor and letting them know how you feel (if you already have, have another one and set your limits).

Jia you!

 

You’re the translator and honestly the single pillar to the whole translation. In my opinion, it’s you who has the control and also it is you who wanted to translate. It’s your hobby and you should enjoy it. Just get away from that editor and do it how you want.

 

Reading your post, it seems you are the type of person who doesn't like confrontations or doesn't like to say no. Now were you ever clear in your terms with you editor?? Many a times ppl take things for granted or as an obligation when it's totally not the case. I feel that as the translator you should talk it out with your editor, instead of cutting him off suddenly be strict. Assert yourself, take back control.

Now if that person still refuses to comply. Then cut them off.

Tl;Dr: I think you should first start with the bad rowdy cop routine before cutting the person off completely as the other person too is invested in your project.

 

The reason you started it was because you enjoyed it. If it has become a burden in your life then there's no reason to force yourself. You already gave a lot to the community by translating a dropped project with the purpose of sharing. Honestly there is nothing you owe the community etc. In my opinion I think you should stop translating for a while until you genuinely want to. That way you are happier as a person and don't feel tied down.
watch this video and I guarantee that you have a more relaxed feeling about your whole situation

 

Being the the owner of the site and translator means that you're the one in charge, if the editor tries to be the one in control you can just kick them out of the team. While suggestions are good, if they're trying to be controlling and you keep submitting, it's only going to make them more and more confident in bossing you around. Try to talk to them and get back to a translating environment where you're comfortable being in.

If it doesn't change because of the power tripping editors. Get rid of them or the entire team and go back to the way you were originally translating. Take a break if you need it and get back on track with your studies before coming back and getting a new editor if you really need one.

As for the discord server, try to talk to your editors regarding it. If it really matters to you and they don't want to let go of some control over it, then you can either make a new discord server and delete the old one after taking back control of it and releasing an announcement regarding the situation for your readers. Or take back control of the discord server while un-modding your editors on the server. Then post an announcement regarding the situation.

Best of luck to your situation and I hope you resolved it.

 

Man up Man .....that's all I can say.

 

It should be talked out first. But, I’m assuming the editor will most likely refuse based on the info we already have. The editor is the controlling type and likely to feel that he/she owns a lot of the content/site too. An editor for one should be making requests or suggestions, they should never be “threatening” leaving especially when they were the ones to volunteer to help on someone’s hobby. It a relationship between peers and coworkers, not boss and staff.

 

In my opinion

Since when did the owner became the slave employee. Your not a JP isekai salaryman that will die by Truck-kun.

First and foremost, the translator owns his translation and gives credit to the author. The editor only does word check and grammar check. You can change editors as many as you want. But the translator remains the main person.

About the Discord, just say it simple
I am the translator and i run the show, anyone dares to steal the spotlight from me then i wont post anymore chapters.

We are only leechers. You run the show so man up.

 

And what if we just say, "You are free to leave?"
Will the editor actually do so?? I doubt it.
The only reason the editor is threatening to leave is cuz he feels he is indispensable to the novel.

The translator can easily sort this person out by being a bit more harsh in their attitude, . Ofc, I am assuming that the editor will back down easily. If the editor still tries to be controlling pick then the translator can always cut him off.


But first we should give a warning.



For some reason, the translator gives me the vibe that they are the type who swallow all discomforts for the sake of getting along with others... the OP seemed overtly polite

 

in my group, the editors are yelling for they have no work to edit. After one of our tl finished and said that it need to be edited, they gone! Lol

 

Honestly speaking, if this is becoming a burden, then it's time to burn the bridge.

Just like how you're not obligated to remain as a translator, you're not obligated to keep someone that is suppose to be working for you.
If someone was to build a company, then they should expect to hire people who are to listen to them and possibly offer suggestions, not someone who will be their boss and take over the company whenever they feel like it.
Like it or not, employees are basically replaceable if they become burdensome and some people just need to realize that they're not so special that they can boss their boss around.

TLDR: Kick the editor if the editor tries to become your boss. There are times to be nice and times to be tough. And this is one of the times that you need to be tough

 

Thanks for the responses. I am actually not this "polite", it's really putting a mask on myself for translating.
I will confront my editor about my own thoughts and if they're not up for it, I'll just let them go.
When I mentioned a small team, it's really only two others.
I don't know why I was forcing myself really, I really put up with a lot of crap from my editor.
However, this morning something they did was just really over the line so I got really pissed and said fuck it.
I should have burned the bridges long ago. Really, the Discord and site power tripping were huge signs.
Also some of you might notice some changes on a certain site, if you're one of my readers, please don't comment about this.
Just pretend you don't know.
Rather I know at least one of you are here because I recognize a few names...

 

Fire him