how to start a translation project?

I've started reading light/web novels about 5 years ago. I was greatly fascinated and interested about the idea of starting one myself but didn't have the time and opportunity to do so as i was deeply focused in my university studies. Now that I've finished my studies, i want to start my own project albeit not as a full time thing. Specifically, i want to translate japanese novels. The reason for this is im currently studying japanese right now where i started about 2 weeks ago. Im learning it slowly but surely but my drive is slowly diminishing. I plan to start a translation project to both hone my japanese reading skills and as a hobby. Right now as i still don't have a job (don't look at me like that, i'm looking for one) so i might be able to do it full time.

Also, where do you usually look for raw web novels? I want to first try doing it on something easy first so if you have a recommendation where and what to start, please tell me. Also, as you have read, im a real noob. Because of that, i want to use a translation device to help me translate things that i cant read. Again, if you have a recommendation on what translation device i should use, please tell me.

 

Machine translation Forum

Edit: Syosetsu

 

Hmmmmmm... Let's see...

If you wish to translate, you first need a website, either you create one (probably by using wordpress), or you join a group. I think @LysUltima 's group is quite welcoming for new people, not sure of others that are willing to take in people that are just starting (I don't know if Lys' group is willing either.)

To find something to translate, either you look through NU's novels that were dropped, or you go directly to syosetu (as the person above said). Since you're starting out now, I think you'd have an easier time if you picked up a project that people already worked on, would be easier to find a series you like, I think.

As for tools to assist your translation... I personally use google translate and bing translator, I put the whole chapter on both, then put the trabslations on a table on google docs (side by side). From there on I read both versions to get a decent grasp of what the chapter talks about, and then I start translating.

My translating process mainly involves comparing both versions and throwing any sentence I'm unsure on the meaning on jisho.org, so I read each word individually and try to make sense of it... It usually works for as long as you have a decent grasp of the grammar. But that's just how I do it, no need to follow my method... Rather, I think it's quite the bad method if you intend to improve your Japanese, it relies too much on the translation tools.



Does this help?

 

When you sent a PM 30 mins ago......

Yeah, we accept new translators~
Already accepted one other~

I'm going to say to use a tl aggregator; it makes using microsoft/google/systran/yandex/jparser at once easy.

 

*giggles*

There is no way I could know you made one!!!!