Hi there, I'm Laura! I'm a freelance translator and editor, 36 years old, and a great language enthusiast - both professionally and personally.
I am specialised in translating technical texts and am professionally familiar with subjects such as chemistry, scientific research, health care and event management. I have also had the pleasure of editing several books for publication.
Thanks to my adopted British family, I grew up with both Dutch and English and work in both languages.
My love for the written word was evident from an early age. I could devour books easily and was already reading Dutch literature. Once I had read practically all my parents' books back to front, I expanded my horizon by incorporating English literature by the end of primary school.
In secondary school I was offered the possibility of participating in the MUN (Model United Nations). This multinational event offered a wonderful experience and marked the start of my interest in a whole new area: international politics.
After my studies at the Hogeschool Delft (later INHOLLAND University of Applied Sciences), I started working at a wholesaler in professional cleaning products. I had already done some translations for acquaintances in my spare time, but now I was offered the opportunity of translating product information, MSD sheets, and machine user manuals.
In 2012 I decided to take the next step and started working part-time as a freelance translator and editor, alongside my office job. By the end of that year, I was granted my first big assignment when a Dutch author asked me to edit one of his books.
After combining my freelance work and full-time employment for several years, by the end of 2015 I decided to fully focus on translating and editing. I've had the pleasure of providing professional translations for customers in the Netherlands and abroad ever since, and look forward to embracing new challenges.
You'd like to have your text translated or corrected, without altering the essence. That is why I find it important to safeguard your personal writing style.
You can contact me for Dutch to English as well as English to Dutch translations. Whether your texts are general or specialised, as soon as I see the text, I can tell you if I'm the right person for the job.
I am specialised in engineering and chemistry. In addition, I have solid experience in various other subjects including regulatory frameworks, medical / parmaceutical / health care, marketing, and tourism.
Your aim is to ensure that your texts are a proper, coherent whole. When editing, this is precisely what I pay attention to without altering the essential style of your text.
But even if your texts are properly written, have all the errors been corrected? Proofreading is all about proverbially and literally 'dotting the i'. I can conduct a final review for you in terms of spelling and punctuation, as well as check your galley proofs to ensure proper hyphenation.
In 2017 I was asked to join The Language Collective; a group of language professionals. The translators, editors and copywriters at The Language Collective are dedicated to professional quality, personal accountability and creative collaboration.
Each of us has a flourishing freelance practice of our own, but if you are looking for a team of experts to handle a bigger project, we'd be delighted to discuss options.
We offer linguistic services in many different specialisations. We also have an extensive network of experienced professional translators in other language pairs and can refer clients as appropriate.
For more information on The Language Collective, visit www.thelanguagecollective.nl.