Ever dreamed of seeing your books on a shelf in Paris, in the earbuds of a German commuter, or on a Kindle in Milan?
You’re not alone. More and more indie authors are looking beyond the English-speaking world and asking: Could translations help me reach new readers?
At Written Word Media, we’re here to say: absolutely. In our latest Speaker Series session, we sat down with Michail Kollewijn, CEO and Founder of PublishMe, a company helping indie authors successfully translate and launch their books into international markets.
Michail walked us through the why, how, and where to start when taking your books global.
Here’s what we learned 👇
🌍 Why Go Global?
If your books are already selling well in English, you’re sitting on what Michail calls dormant capital. Translations allow you to breathe new life into your backlist and generate new income streams from existing work.
Michail reminded us of something simple but powerful: people prefer to read in their native language. And while English proficiency is high in many parts of Europe, most readers still reach for books in their own tongue.
That’s not just a preference—it’s an opportunity.
🗺️ Where Should Indie Authors Start?
Michail recommends starting with Central Europe’s “Big Four”:
🇩🇪 Germany
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3rd largest eBook market in the world
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Amazon + Tolino dominate
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Strong genres: romance (especially sports, dark, and romantasy), thrillers, high fantasy, and historical fiction
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Huge audiobook consumption (20% of Europe’s audiobook market!)
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German readers expect quality—don’t cut corners on translations
🇫🇷 France
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Previously paper-heavy but now booming in digital
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Projected 5.25% annual growth in digital consumption through 2033
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Strong genres: literary fiction, crime, romance, speculative fiction, urban fantasy
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French readers love modern covers and want books that feel authentically French
🇪🇸 Spain
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Strong demand across romance, fantasy, sci-fi, and historical fiction
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Growth can be slow and steady—expect momentum to build over months, not weeks
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Audiobooks are big (51% listen regularly!)
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Lower ad costs and competition compared to larger markets
🇮🇹 Italy
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The underdog, but a fast-growing opportunity
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Infrastructure still developing, but readers love translated content
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Hockey romance is trending (yes, really 🏒💘)
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Very low advertising costs (think $0.04 CPC)
💡 Pro Tip: Start where your genre is already thriving. And remember: each country is its own market. What works in Germany might flop in France (and vice versa).
🔁 The Translation Process: What You Need to Know
If you’re considering translating your book, here’s what not to do:
🚩 Common Pitfalls
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Skipping proofreading – Even the best translator needs a second set of eyes.
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Using non-native speakers – Idioms, slang, and tone matter.
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Not localizing covers, blurbs, or metadata – Readers can spot a lazy translation from a mile away.
✅ Ideal Translation Flow
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Translation
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Proofreading
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Beta reading
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Final polish
Michail recommends working with a service or agency that handles all these steps and can also guide you on market fit, distribution, and local marketing norms.
Expect to invest around $0.05–$0.055 per word for professional literary translations in central European languages.
📢 Marketing Your Translated Book
Just like in your home market, success depends on visibility. Michail offered a few insider tips:
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Series > standalones: Rapid-releasing 2–3 books helps build momentum
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Use local marketing tools: Think BuchDeals in Germany or Casa del Libro in Spain
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Start with Amazon & Facebook Ads: Reader Reach Ads are a great option here!
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Audiobooks are rising fast: Especially in Germany, France, and Spain
He also stressed the importance of localization, especially for book covers and blurbs. European trends are catching up to American design, but it’s still worth doing some research (or running a poll!) before you go to market.
🧠 Is AI Translation Ready?
In a word: no.
While Michail believes AI will play a role in the future of translation, it’s not there yet for literary work. The nuance of voice, tone, idiom, and humor still needs a human touch.
Cutting corners with AI-generated translation is more likely to result in poor reviews and lost readers than it is to save money in the long run.
✉️ Should I Market in a Foreign Language?
Short answer: You don’t need to set up new social accounts right away.
It’s totally okay to stick with your main social channels in English at first. If a translated book starts to gain traction, then it may be worth creating a localized newsletter or Instagram presence for that audience.
But do pay attention to local privacy laws, especially in the EU, where GDPR means your newsletter signups need to be opt-in and fully disclosed.
Good news: Some translation agencies (including PublishMe) will translate basic marketing materials like newsletters and bonus content at no extra cost. 🎉
✍️ Ready to Reach Global Readers?
The world is full of readers who would love your books… they just can’t read them. Yet.
If you’d like a PDF of the session recap or resources, reach out to Michail and his team at books@publishme.me.