How to Translate a Book
This guide walks you through translating your book into multiple languages using Bookshift's multi-stage translation pipeline.
Prepare Your File
Before submitting, ensure your file is ready:
Supported Formats
- EPUB (recommended) - Best for preserving formatting and chapter structure
- DOCX - Microsoft Word documents
- TXT - Plain text (limited formatting)
- HTML - Web format
Warning
PDFs are not accepted. Text extraction from PDFs is lossy and produces formatting artifacts that degrade translation quality.
Best Practices
- Remove DRM - Files must not have copy protection
- Remove headers and footers from DOCX files - running headers (author name, book title) will be translated as body text if left in
- Use proper heading styles - Chapter titles work best with "Heading 1" or "Heading 2" formatting, though Bookshift will figure it out if you forget
- Clean text - Remove any unwanted characters or artifacts
Tip
EPUB files work best because they preserve chapter structure, headings, and formatting. You can convert DOCX to EPUB using tools like Calibre.
Note
Explicit content is supported. Bookshift handles all fiction genres, including steamy romance. You don't need to sanitize your manuscript.
Submit Your Translation
- Navigate to the Submit page or Translate Books from your dashboard
- Upload your manuscript (drag and drop or click to browse)
- The system will analyze your file and display the word count
- This determines how many credits will be used
Select Languages
Choose which languages to translate into from 25+ supported options:
- Browse the language list or search for specific languages
- Select one or more target languages
- Review the estimated credit cost for each language
- Click Continue to proceed
Title Translation Suggestions
For each language you select, Bookshift presents intelligently generated title translation suggestions, each with a plain-language explanation of the translation choice—written in your language, so you understand exactly what connotation or tone each option carries.
You have three options:
- Accept a suggested title as-is
- Choose a different suggestion from the alternatives
- Enter your own translated title manually
Tip
Your title is the first thing a reader sees. A title that translates literally may be grammatically correct but tonally flat—or even unintentionally comic in some markets.
German Title Uniqueness (Titelschutz)
German markets require titles to be unique under "Titelschutz" rules. Bookshift automatically checks the German National Library and Google Books, and warns you if your translated title isn't unique. A direct link to search amazon.de is also provided.
The Translation Process
Bookshift uses a multi-stage pipeline for publication-ready quality:
Preprocessing & Style Guide Generation
Our system analyzes your manuscript to build a custom continuity and translation guide:
- Character names and terminology
- Writing voice and tone patterns
- Genre-specific conventions
- Locked terms and special vocabulary
First Pass Translation
Using your custom style guide, the book is translated chapter-by-chapter with full context awareness. Explicit content sections are identified and handled with specialized processing.
Iterative Refinement
Each chapter undergoes multiple rounds of refinement to catch errors and improve fluency.
Naturalization
A final pass smooths out any phrasing that reads as "translated" rather than naturally written.
Note
The full process typically takes 10-20 minutes per book, depending on length and language.
Download Results
When translation completes, you'll receive an email notification. You can also access everything from your translation dashboard at any time.
The Translated Manuscript
For each target language, you'll receive:
- EPUB file - Publication-ready, formatted for retail platforms
- DOCX file - Fully editable for any post-translation changes
The Marketing Pack
Each language also includes a complete marketing pack:
- Localized blurb - Book description written in the target language
- KDP HTML blurb - Pre-formatted with bold/italic tags, ready to paste into KDP's description editor
- 7 sets of KDP keywords - Terms that readers actually search for
- Additional keyword variations - Long-tail keyword options
- Alternative title options - If you want to reconsider your title choice
Tip
The KDP HTML blurb saves real time. KDP's description field uses a limited subset of HTML tags (<b>, <i>, <br>, <p>, <h4>), and formatting a blurb manually—especially in a language you don't read—is error-prone. The pre-formatted version eliminates that friction.
Output Quality
Your translated files are:
- Formatted consistently with the original
- Ready for publication on major platforms
- Yours to keep and modify
Need to make changes? You can download the DOCX version, make edits, and re-upload for additional languages.
Common Questions
Can I translate from any language?
Yes! Bookshift supports translation between all supported languages, not just from English.
Can I add more languages later?
Yes. Go to your translation dashboard, click on your book, and select "+Add More Languages."
Can I use my own description and keywords?
Yes. On your book's translation page, you can enter your own description and keywords, and they'll replace Bookshift's generated versions.
What about formatting?
EPUB and DOCX files preserve most formatting. Complex layouts may require minor adjustments after translation.
How accurate is the translation?
Our multi-stage pipeline produces publication-ready quality. Most authors report receiving 5-star reviews for translated books without additional editing.
Does Bookshift maintain consistency across a long book?
Yes. The continuity and translation guide ensures that special words, terms, and phrases remain consistent throughout. This is especially important for fantasy, science fiction, and historical books.
Menu