ATA Savvy Linguist

The Savvy Linguist serves a worldwide community of translators and interpreters who are looking for practical solutions to everyday problems, ideas for growing their business, and support as they achieve their career goals. With high-quality, peer-reviewed content, you will find the answers to the questions you face as an innovative language professional.

Writing Your Public Profile

By The Savvy Linguist | July 28, 2026

In professional associations, you can often publish a public profile. Clients use this profile to decide who to work with. It should be brief, but it has to tell your story. However, sometimes our public profile is not visible. Go to your profile settings on the platform your association uses and verify that your profile is visible. You can generally select items from your profile to share publicly, such as your phone, address, email, and social media profiles. Be intentional about what you share. This information can be seen by the public. That means both your clients and other people…

Conference Countdown: Your Guide to Preparing for Success at ATA64

By The Savvy Linguist | October 17, 2023

Less than two weeks remain until ATA’s 64th Annual Conference (ATA64) in Miami! Attending the ATA conference is a fantastic opportunity to connect with industry professionals, gain valuable insights, and broaden your horizons in the world of translation and interpretation. To help you make the most of this event, we’ve compiled a list of eight blog posts from the Savvy…

What I’ve Learned in 8 Years of Blogging

By The Savvy Linguist | October 3, 2023

This post was originally published on That Interpreter Blog. It is reposted with permission.  When I started this blog in 2012, I was thinking of applying to graduate school, and a friend told me that I should start to develop an online presence to give myself an edge over other applicants. He told me an easy way to do that…

Linguist in the Spotlight – John Milan

By The Savvy Linguist | September 26, 2023

There is much to be learned from our colleagues, but it can be intimidating to strike up a conversation with the “pros.” For that reason, we at Savvy have done the work for you in our Linguist in the Spotlight interview series, where we pick the brains of experienced translators and interpreters and bring their stories right to your screen.…

Understanding Worker Classification: The ABC Test, Misclassification, and Tips for Professionalizing Your Language Services Business

By The Savvy Linguist | September 20, 2023

Disclaimer: This post is for educational purposes only. Consult a reputable professional for financial, legal, and tax advice related to your situation. Translators, Interpreters, and Worker Classification: Why Now? Translators and interpreters have existed ever since humans have spoken and written. The first recorded proof of language interpretation dates back to Ancient Egypt in 3000 B.C.E. If translators and interpreters…

A Short Guide to Gender Inclusiveness in Italian Translations

By The Savvy Linguist | September 19, 2023

This post was originally published at Mirta Boschetti Traduzioni. It is reposted with permission.  Do you wish for your Italian translations to be up-to-date and without fault when it comes to gender inclusiveness? As you might already be aware, nowadays one of the most discussed issues in communication – and therefore translation – is the use of gender-inclusive language. But while marketing content…

FAQs: Questions I Frequently Ask Clients

By The Savvy Linguist | September 5, 2023

This post was originally published at TAGS-Language Solutions. It is reposted with permission.  Frequently Asked Questions on a website are a great way of addressing any potential doubts without the need for any time-consuming back and forth. But, in my years working as a freelance translator, I’ve found that just as or maybe even more important than the questions that…

10 Lessons From Kitesurfing That Apply to Life and Business

By The Savvy Linguist | August 22, 2023

This post was originally published on Martina Russo’s LinkedIn. It is reposted with permission.  I’ve been learning how to kitesurf recently and these are a few things it’s taught me… 1. When 💩 hits the fan, LEARN TO LET GO… (…of the bar, which is connected to yourself through a harness and to the kite in the air through a…

Moving to Pompeii? What GPT-4 Means for New Translators and Interpreters

By The Savvy Linguist | August 15, 2023

I’m just going to open with it—this article was not written by ChatGPT. It might be the only one on the topic not to close with that twist since the release of the Large Language Model (LLM) in November of last year. We’ve read a lot of speculation in that time, from hype to hysteria. Here, I’d like to look…

How to Make a Better Clientscape

By The Savvy Linguist | August 11, 2023

On our Copyediting-L email group through the University of Indiana, someone asked the following question, which elicited a number of responses: “Does anyone have any general ideas on how to do proper intel and to “screen for pay,” so I’m more strategic in my client hunting?” I’ve been on social media with editors and translators for more than 20 years now, and…

How to Make More Money Fast – the 80/20 Principle for Freelance Translators

By The Savvy Linguist | August 9, 2023

This post is a reblog, originally published on Marketing Tips for Translators. It is reposted with permission from the author. Do You Know the Easiest Way to Make More Money Right Now, With the Least Effort? I often listen to audiobooks through Audible on my phone when walking the dog, exercising or driving in the car. I recently started listening…

Recent Posts

Writing Your Public Profile

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Embracing the Future: Why New Translators and Interpreters Should See AI as an Ally, Not a Threat

A (Former) Boston Local’s List of Things to Check Out Around ATA66

ATA66 Conference Preview: Business Practices Education at ATA66

Independent Contracting from A to Z: Everything Translators & Interpreters Need to Know

Retirement Planning for Freelancers

Professional Etiquette to Lower Your Stress and Improve Work-Life Balance

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