| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Translating fiction books Thread poster: Anna A. K.
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Anna A. K. 
Germany
Local time: 21:43
Member (2020)
English to German
Hi guys!
How do you go about translating long fiction books? What's your process and do you have any best practices to share?
| | | | Mihai Badea (X)
Luxembourg
Local time: 21:43
English to Romanian
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| Being poor in detail | Mar 2, 2022 |
Why not provide some more information? What kind of book?
Is the title secret?
| | | | Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 13:43
Dutch to English
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| Some more questions | Mar 2, 2022 |
Mihai Badea wrote:
Why not provide some more information? What kind of book?
Is the title secret?
First and foremost: I advise against translating a book without a contract with either the author or the publisher, preferably the latter.
To be able to make suggestions about the process I would like to know:
- what are the delivery conditions: all at once or in installments,
- how many pages is it and how you receive the text: all in one file, by chapter, etc.,
- what format: word or PDF,
- do you know how to use styles?
| | | | Francesco Sani
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:43
Italian to English
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| It is a very good question: how does one go about translating a book? | Mar 2, 2022 |
I have no answers as I would like to know myself, as it happens, though I have not had much joy
with getting an opportunity to do this - lots of people have this idea that they would like to translate
a book but actually making that a reality (and one that pays enough or anything at all) is another matter.
However...
I was reading a book a few months ago, "The Creak Up The Stairs", a crime fiction by Icelandic author Eva Björg Ægisdóttir: what struck me w... See more I have no answers as I would like to know myself, as it happens, though I have not had much joy
with getting an opportunity to do this - lots of people have this idea that they would like to translate
a book but actually making that a reality (and one that pays enough or anything at all) is another matter.
However...
I was reading a book a few months ago, "The Creak Up The Stairs", a crime fiction by Icelandic author Eva Björg Ægisdóttir: what struck me was the prominence given to the translator in the introduction, for it was she, Victoria Cribb, who was quoted in a few of the critics' reviews of the book who praised the English translation for consistency in style and for bringing out the mood and atmosphere so well.
Victoria Cribb is an award-winning translator and I want to share this interview here
in order for you to appreciate her journey into translating Icelandic literature:
https://publishingperspectives.com/2012/01/the-loneliness-of-the-icelandic-translator/
I am a bit off-topic but I hope you will find lots of nuggets in there about what can make
a successful translator:
- finding a niche where there is low level of competition, relative to other areas of translation;
- having an excellent command of target + source language (obvious, I hear you say! Anyway...);
- becoming a trusted name that authors/publishers will come back to again and again;
- using Google "laterally" in order to establish the meaning of a word in the source language;
- reading the text of a book many times (Victoria says a hundred!) in order to truly understand it before translating it.
I will be quiet now and give space to more pertinent replies ▲ Collapse
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| Love the book to translate the book | Mar 2, 2022 |
I started reading a novel this week. The text is a bit challenging even for me though I am a native speaker, but the story is captivating. It is an ordinary life, yet the writer's has turned it into an extraordinary story. It is the first time the idea of translating a book strikes my head. I know I can do it. I am sure I can. The translation won t pay 'anything at all' as you said. However, the text deserves to be translated. The writer's world deserves to be known.
My idea is: loving a b... See more I started reading a novel this week. The text is a bit challenging even for me though I am a native speaker, but the story is captivating. It is an ordinary life, yet the writer's has turned it into an extraordinary story. It is the first time the idea of translating a book strikes my head. I know I can do it. I am sure I can. The translation won t pay 'anything at all' as you said. However, the text deserves to be translated. The writer's world deserves to be known.
My idea is: loving a book is something that may drive you to translate a book. ▲ Collapse
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Francesco Sani wrote:
I was reading a book a few months ago, "The Creak Up The Stairs", a crime fiction by Icelandic author Eva Björg Ægisdóttir: what struck me was the prominence given to the translator in the introduction, for it was she, Victoria Cribb, who was quoted in a few of the critics' reviews of the book who praised the English translation for consistency in style and for bringing out the mood and atmosphere so well.
The correct name is "The Creak on the Stairs."
| | | | Francesco Sani
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:43
Italian to English
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Wilsonn Perez Reyes wrote:
The correct name is "The Creak on the Stairs."
Oops ...
Thanks
| | | | Anna A. K.
Germany
Local time: 21:43
Member (2020)
English to German
TOPIC STARTER
- what are the delivery conditions: all at once or in installments,
- how many pages is it and how you receive the text: all in one file, by chapter, etc.,
- what format: word or PDF,
- do you know how to use styles?
To answer you questions:
- what are the delivery conditions: all at once
- how many pages is it and how you receive the text: It's 180 pages/around 70,000 words and I received it in one single file
- what format: word
- do you know how to use styles: What do you mean?
It's a romance/crime themed book, the target group is young women.
I have 45 days to translate it.
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Anna A. K.
Germany
Local time: 21:43
Member (2020)
English to German
TOPIC STARTER | @Francesco Sani | Mar 4, 2022 |
Thanks for the article, it's really interesting
| | | | Mihai Badea (X)
Luxembourg
Local time: 21:43
English to Romanian
+ ...
Tina Vonhof wrote:
First and foremost: I advise against translating a book without a contract with either the author or the publisher, preferably the latter.
To be able to make suggestions about the process I would like to know:
- what are the delivery conditions: all at once or in installments,
- how many pages is it and how you receive the text: all in one file, by chapter, etc.,
- what format: word or PDF,
- do you know how to use styles?
I have translated two books. One of them was published.
Here is the one that wasn't:
https://editions.flammarion.com/quitte-a-en-crever/9782080669377
It is true, I was very young, rather inexperienced. But my translation was also, possibly, excessively polite.
A lot of Fuck you! and other similar expressions, but in French.
I do not recommend translating books. Instead, I recommend reading.
The other one, published by a business Romanian publishing house, was on accounting.
Two very different experiences. A lot of pitfalls that can be avoided. However, if the contract has already been signed, go ahead! It will be a learning experience. Definitely!
| | | | Anna A. K.
Germany
Local time: 21:43
Member (2020)
English to German
TOPIC STARTER
Mihai Badea wrote: Tina Vonhof wrote:
First and foremost: I advise against translating a book without a contract with either the author or the publisher, preferably the latter.
To be able to make suggestions about the process I would like to know:
- what are the delivery conditions: all at once or in installments,
- how many pages is it and how you receive the text: all in one file, by chapter, etc.,
- what format: word or PDF,
- do you know how to use styles?
I have translated two books. One of them was published. Here is the one that wasn't: https://editions.flammarion.com/quitte-a-en-crever/9782080669377 It is true, I was very young, rather inexperienced. But my translation was also, possibly, excessively polite. A lot of Fuck you! and other similar expressions, but in French. I do not recommend translating books. Instead, I recommend reading. The other one, published by a business Romanian publishing house, was on accounting. Two very different experiences. A lot of pitfalls that can be avoided. However, if the contract has already been signed, go ahead! It will be a learning experience. Definitely!
Why don't you recommend it? What were the pitfalls for you? And what was your process?
[Bearbeitet am 2022-03-04 13:01 GMT]
| | | | Mihai Badea (X)
Luxembourg
Local time: 21:43
English to Romanian
+ ...
| Hardest thing | Mar 4, 2022 |
Anna1307 wrote:
Why don't you recommend it? What were the pitfalls for you? And what was your process?
[Bearbeitet am 2022-03-04 13:01 GMT]
is the title. You might think finding a title is easy. Well, it's not.
The title of the book that was published was provided by a colleague.
Titles are traps. To be avoided, if possible.
I hope this helps.
Sorry, but I cannot provide more information publicly.
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I have never translated fiction, but over the years I have translated a few projects over 50,000 words (medicine, taxation and education). My process is always to set a daily quota (around 2,000 words), leaving time for projects from my regular customers. In some cases, if the deadline is comfortable and the project is rather complex, I start by reading the whole text and making note of terms I don’t know in order to build a glossary. Otherwise, I reserve the weekend to read the work I did dur... See more I have never translated fiction, but over the years I have translated a few projects over 50,000 words (medicine, taxation and education). My process is always to set a daily quota (around 2,000 words), leaving time for projects from my regular customers. In some cases, if the deadline is comfortable and the project is rather complex, I start by reading the whole text and making note of terms I don’t know in order to build a glossary. Otherwise, I reserve the weekend to read the work I did during the week. Another thing, if I have been working with that client for some time I don’t ask for advance or partial payments, but if it is a new one I always do… Hope this helps! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mihai Badea (X)
Luxembourg
Local time: 21:43
English to Romanian
+ ...
Teresa Borges wrote:
I have never translated fiction, but over the years I have translated a few projects over 50,000 words (medicine, taxation and education). My process is always to set a daily quota (around 2,000 words), leaving time for projects from my regular customers. In some cases, if the deadline is comfortable and the project is rather complex, I start by reading the whole text and making note of terms I don’t know in order to build a glossary. Otherwise, I reserve the weekend to read the work I did during the week. Another thing, if I have been working with that client for some time I don’t ask for advance or partial payments, but if it is a new one I always do… Hope this helps!
Planning for distinct time, especially that only 45 days are allowed to complete the project (rather unusual, for a book ...).
The excitement, especially for the first book, is high. You want everything to be perfect. You polish every sentence, and this takes a lot of time. But later, you are afraid to read what you wrote (what if it is not as perfect as you thought when you translated and polished the text).
Some discipline would be, indeed, in order. Translate a certain number of words/pages every day, no matter what.
Ideally, you should plan for a final revision.
Since it's literature, fiction, you can probably skip the glossary step.
Please be aware this book could be read by thousands of people. It needs to be perfect!
Some confidence building, in the beginning, might help. Like, you translate a chapter and you ask for opinions from colleagues/friends. Is it easy to read? Is the style appropriate? Should the sentences be shorter (the opposite is rather unlikely), to facilitate understanding?
A few notes:
• publishing a book is a notoriously long process, and not entirely predictable (it can take years, but the process can also be dropped, even if you were paid; the amount is unlikely to be significant ...);
• even if the offered compensation is not particularly high, you need to pay attention to every and all requirements the publishing house might have, including layout, distances between sections etc., if indicated;
• don't expect much help during the process from the publishing house, but try to make sure from the very beginning you have all the information necessary to do a good job.
Good luck!
| | | | Jan Truper
Germany
Local time: 21:43
Member (2016)
English to German
Anna1307 wrote:
It's a romance/crime themed book, the target group is young women.
I have 45 days to translate it.
I've had similar projects; here are a few thoughts.
Take a look at your calendar and figure out how many days you will actually have for working on the project (allow yourself ample free time!).
Calculate how many words per day you have to achieve. In the beginning of the project, work a bit more every day in order to generate a buffer for unforeseen events.
Use a CAT tool (many will say this is not necessary for literary type translations, but I found it has several advantages, such as keeping track of your progress with one glance).
A romance/crime text targeted at a young audience will likely not be overly complex, and it should be somewhat easy to digest for the reader, so don't think you have to be David Foster Wallace.
To this end, use dictation software -- it'll save you time, and it will produce a more natural flow (less "verkopft").
This is work. You will likely encounter moments where you get irritated by aspects of the source text (badly written / effing stupid / unbelievable characters / failed attempts to be funny / tacky / etc). In such moments, lean back, take a deep breath and don't let your cynicism seep into your translations. Your job is to make your translation at least as entertaining as the source.
Keep in mind that romance novels can have a surprisingly large gay readership.
Drink lots of green tea
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