• Reducing the word-count of the document saves you money. Translators charge 18 to 25 cents or more per word, depending on the language of the translation. In addition, extra words mean extra pages for which you will be charged for desktop publishing services. I can reduce the word-count of a document substantially without sacrificing clarity.
• Removing ambiguities in the English version gives you more control over the translation. Phrasing that may be clear to you in English may require rewriting by the translator to fit the structure and syntax of the target language, and such rewriting can introduce errors of interpretation. I can remove these ambiguities in the English text, ensuring a more accurate translation.
• Cultural differences can cause translated text to be confusing to the reader. By eliminating or rewording culturally tainted analogies, non-standard phrasing, and other text that cannot be translated well, I can ensure that your documents will be clearly understandable by your target audience.

In my last full-time job, I provided pre-localization editing to technical writers in a corporate setting. I was chosen for this role because of my knowledge of several languages besides English. I can read newspaper-level Spanish easily, and know German well enough to read it with the assistance of a German/English dictionary. More importantly, I know the structure, word order, and syntax of these languages, which enables me to recognize English text that would be problematic to translate.