Between the Lines #2: Interview with Lisa Schuchardt

For this second edition of Between the Lines, we’ll be diving deep into German localization with a veteran of the industry: Lisa Schuchardt!

Hi Lisa! Can you please introduce yourself?

Hello, Lucile! Thank you for taking the time to interview me. My name is Lisa, I am 37 and live in Dresden/Germany with my boyfriend (who happens to be a translator, too!) and my wonderful lively black Labrador Kappa. 

Do you have any favorite genre? A particular title that stuck with you?

I really love Point & Click adventure games. Those were the first games I played, and I spent hours and hours trying to solve the riddles of Zak McKracken, Sam & Max, Monkey Island, and Maniac Mansion/Day of the Tentacle. Other than that, I am a huge fan of Blizzard Entertainment. I’ve been playing World of Warcraft for over a decade, haunt the cow levels once in a while and roam lanes in the Nexus.

How did you start your career in the games industry?

During my law studies back in 2005, I played the browser game “Travian” with some of my friends. Very simply put, it’s a game where you start building a village, train troops and settle or conquer villages of other players. I quickly volunteered to work as a “Multihunter”, people who handle rule violations in the game.

A few months later, the company asked me if I was interested in working at Travian Games for a living. And that was my entry into the best industry there is! I worked as a Community Manager, Content Manager, but Translating has always been a part of my job and the one I enjoyed most. Since 2010, I am a freelance translator and content manager.

Do you have any advice for newcomers who want to establish their translation business?

Be passionate about translating! Be open to feedback and don’t get discouraged by criticism or failed tests. Translating is a constant process of honing your skills. Do not work for free and do not work for low rates. You’ll hurt yourself, since it’s very hard to increase your rates later, and you hurt your fellow translators. Be confident and teach your clients to pay for a good service. Do not hesitate to reach out to colleagues. We’re all happy to help 🙂

ProZ is also a good place to get started. It’s a place to meet fellow translators, learn about the ins and outs of translating and to find jobs. If you want to start in the gaming industry, play your favorite game in your target language, read quest texts and lore books to get inspiration.

How can we get in touch with you?

You can reach out to me via LinkedIn and Skype (fiursurga). Whether you just want to chat or do business, I am looking forward to hearing from you!

Lisa & Kappa

Note: This series was inspired by the Interviews with Localizers series by Jennifer O’Donnell, and adapted with prior approval.

Find previous editions of Between the Lines here:

Interview #1Natalia Nesterova

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