What is Wicked Translations?
Wicked Translations is a boutique translation and writing practice specialising in all things sex-related — from sex education materials to adult products and services to erotic fiction.
I’m Tom Ellett, aka the Wicked Translator. I translate into English, my native language, from Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German. I also provide English copywriting and editing services.
Whether it is intended to entertain or to educate, adult content requires top-notch writing skills to catch and hold the reader’s attention. E-books and print-on-demand technology have opened up new self-publication opportunities for sex educators and writers of erotic fiction. The English-speaking market is the largest in the world; the United States alone accounts for more than a quarter of global consumer spending. I enable Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German authors to access this market through translations that communicate, educate and titillate.
Communicate
Good translation is like good sex — it’s all about communication. It’s not simply a matter of substituting words in one language for words in another. It’s about communicating the message, tone, intensity and pace of the original text in a way that resonates with readers in the target language.
Educate
Sex education materials need to be carefully and sensitively written. What works in one language and culture may not work in another. With two decades of experience as a professional translator, I can help you strike the right tone in English — whether you want to be cool and clinical or cheeky and colloquial.
Titillate
Erotic writing is a delicate art in any language. The wrong words can be a big turn-off. A successful translation captures the passion and pace of the original, evokes the same response, and appeals to the reader’s senses and emotions in the target language.
Who is behind Wicked Translations?
Tom Ellett
aka the Wicked Translator
I have been in business for more than 20 years as Albascan Communications, crafting well-written translations from Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German into English.
Background and experience
- Native speaker of English, born and educated in the UK, returned to Scotland in 2017 after 10 years in Canada
- Translator in full-time private practice since 1996, working with corporate, small-business, agency and personal clients in Europe and North America
Professional memberships and certifications
- Member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL)
- Member of the Society of Authors (S0A)
- Member of the Swedish-English Literary Translators’ Association (SELTA)
- Passed the Canadian (CTTIC) translator certification exam for Norwegian and Swedish to English in 2007
- Passed the American Translators Association (ATA) certification exam for Swedish to English in 2014
Education
- Postgraduate Diploma in Translation, University of Surrey, England, 1996
- General Degree of Master of Arts, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, 1990
Wicked Testimonials
What my clients say
author of Desire—erotic short stories
“I was astonished by Tom Ellett’s accurate and nuanced translation and impressed how he dealt with some pretty country-specific expressions. Actually, an American friend of mine, who is also a writer, afterwards read Tom’s whole translation of my book, and told me that it was so good one couldn’t even notice it was a translation.
“It has indeed been a real pleasure to work with Tom. He is patient and a true team player, who met all agreed deadlines and was very responsive to all my feedback and questions. Tom is the kind of professional that loves his job and therefore never hesitates to go the extra mile to finalise a great product. Being a perfectionist, that is something I really appreciate.”
