| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Help: How to improve as a litterary translator ? Thread poster: Quentin NEVEN
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Quentin NEVEN 
Belgium
Local time: 18:40
Member (Jan 2024)
English to French
+ ...
Hi,
I would like to include literary translations in the services I provide.
I attended a few classes on the subject at university, but my method could be improved.
I have translated a couple of short stories, which already have a translation in French. I find the official version to be better every time.
Usually, the meaning is correct, but I am a bit lacking in the style department.
How can I improve?
What strategies c... See more Hi,
I would like to include literary translations in the services I provide.
I attended a few classes on the subject at university, but my method could be improved.
I have translated a couple of short stories, which already have a translation in French. I find the official version to be better every time.
Usually, the meaning is correct, but I am a bit lacking in the style department.
How can I improve?
What strategies can I implement to make sure I deliver good quality?
What tools can I use? (I mainly use dictionaries coupled with Linguee, but Linguee is not very good at litterature.) ▲ Collapse
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Quentin NEVEN wrote:
Hi,
I would like to include literary translations in the services I provide.
I attended a few classes on the subject at university, but my method could be improved.
I have translated a couple of short stories, which already have a translation in French. I find the official version to be better every time.
Usually, the meaning is correct, but I am a bit lacking in the style department.
How can I improve?
What strategies can I implement to make sure I deliver good quality?
What tools can I use? (I mainly use dictionaries coupled with Linguee, but Linguee is not very good at litterature.)
Literary translation is notoriously badly paid, so I'm sceptical about whether it's worth adding as a professional service - especially as it sounds like you're not ready yet in any case in terms of the quality you are able to produce at present.
As to getting better, what you are doing already sounds good. You could also get together with a few others in a kind and non-judgemental group and all translate the same text and compare the results. It can be very illuminating seeing other translators' approaches and ideas.
Literary translation is not my field though so I'll leave it to others to give more specific advice.
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Quentin NEVEN wrote:
Usually, the meaning is correct, but I am a bit lacking in the style department.
How can I improve?
Read.
But ultimately I think either you've got it or you haven't.
Try picking a type of writing that fits your stylistic limitations. I couldn't translate Shakespeare or Julian Barnes but I could definitely take on a Tom Clancy.
Creative writing courses are also widely available.
| | | | MurielG
France
Local time: 18:40
English to French
You'll get better with time. You need practice and experience! I agree with Christopher, reading a lot and taking creative writing courses are also excellent ideas. Also, studying literature can be good. When you analyze the style of an author, it helps to understand how language is used to produce an effect, to convey emotions and to set an atmosphere. I'd say overal, you must hone your literary sensibility
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Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 18:40
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
| Severely underrated | Feb 6 |
Literary translation is severely underrated and underpaid.
As an example, literary majors read a ton of novels, dramas and poems (for 4-5 years at the Uni), while also learning how to write synopses, provide critical analysis, write essays and pieces in various formats, and a million other things.
All this so that somebody could come and ask to acquire information about all this in a forum post or get it in a summer course.
But none of it matters, as both g... See more Literary translation is severely underrated and underpaid.
As an example, literary majors read a ton of novels, dramas and poems (for 4-5 years at the Uni), while also learning how to write synopses, provide critical analysis, write essays and pieces in various formats, and a million other things.
All this so that somebody could come and ask to acquire information about all this in a forum post or get it in a summer course.
But none of it matters, as both groups will be offered ridiculously-paid projects. ▲ Collapse
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Lingua 5B wrote:
Literary translation is severely underrated and underpaid.
As an example, literary majors read a ton of novels, dramas and poems (for 4-5 years at the Uni), while also learning how to write synopses, provide critical analysis, write essays and pieces in various formats, and a million other things.
All this so that somebody could come and ask to acquire information about all this in a forum post or get it in a summer course.
But none of it matters, as both groups will be offered ridiculously-paid projects.
If this is a dig at Quentin, it looks like he already has a similar academic background to this.
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Lingua 5B wrote:
Literary translation is severely underrated and underpaid.
As an example, literary majors read a ton of novels, dramas and poems (for 4-5 years at the Uni), while also learning how to write synopses, provide critical analysis, write essays and pieces in various formats, and a million other things.
All this so that somebody could come and ask to acquire information about all this in a forum post or get it in a summer course.
But none of it matters, as both groups will be offered ridiculously-paid projects.
If this is a dig at Quentin, it looks like he already has a similar academic background to this.
I agree that it is an undervalued field.
| | | | P.L.F. Persio
Netherlands
Local time: 18:40
Member (2010)
English to Italian
+ ...
| Read, read, read, then read some more | Feb 6 |
Quentin, I agree with our colleagues that literary translation is underrated and underpaid, but if you are determined to learn about it, the most useful thing you can do is to read.
Read everything you can, and I mean e v e r y t h i n g, in your native language mainly, but also in the languages you know, and translated works.
When you read literature, try to analyse what the author did. Do the same with the translations: why did the translator choose that word, that t... See more Quentin, I agree with our colleagues that literary translation is underrated and underpaid, but if you are determined to learn about it, the most useful thing you can do is to read.
Read everything you can, and I mean e v e r y t h i n g, in your native language mainly, but also in the languages you know, and translated works.
When you read literature, try to analyse what the author did. Do the same with the translations: why did the translator choose that word, that turn of phrase?
It's true that this kind of reading takes away some of the instant gratification out of it, but you'll gain a deeper insight, and you'll enjoy it even more, in the end. At least, this is true for me.
You could subscribe to the wonderful Story Club with George Saunders https://georgesaunders.substack.com/ or read his essays about 4 of the greatest Russian writers in A Swim in a Pond in the Rain https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/609280/a-swim-in-a-pond-in-the-rain-by-george-saunders/9781984856036/
George Saunders is one of my favourite living authors, and I have an enduring, passionate love for Russian literature, such a treat to me!
Read more about it here: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jan/06/a-swim-in-a-pond-in-the-rain-by-george-saunders-review-rules-for-good-writing-and-more
A quote from the article: Saunders’s concentration is often on the forward dynamic of the stories, their “tight, escalatory pattern”. In “a highly organised system, the causation is more pronounced and intentional”. Good writing is “the cumulative result of all this repetitive choosing on the line level, those thousands of editing microdecisions”.
We might say that the same applies to literary translation. ▲ Collapse
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Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 18:40
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
If he had a similar background, then he already did a ton of readings.
I think “read, read” is a misleading advice.
Just like some people live in a foreign country and do the “listening” on a daily basis, yet, still have non-native accent and use wrong structures.
Reading and listening is not enough (although it’s necessary). You also need to write and speak actively, both of which is hard to do alone as it requires active feedback.
| | | | P.L.F. Persio
Netherlands
Local time: 18:40
Member (2010)
English to Italian
+ ...
Lingua 5B wrote:
If he had a similar background, then he already did a ton of readings.
I think “read, read” is a misleading advice.
For authors and literary translators, or any kind of profession that has to do with writing, it is not enough to have done a ton of readings at Uni, they must keep at it. They should want to read constantly – its their bread, butter, wine, and oxygen – and, most importantly, they should enjoy it.
Reading should have been their obsession since childhood, possibly. A talent for writing, for using words, is the spark that ignites the love of reading which, in turn, feeds the writing.
Quentin, your method of translating stories and comparing them with their existing French versions, is a good way of training your translating muscle. If you have the chance to attend a creative writing course, do take it, but only if you're really interested, and you don't expect anything in return for your efforts.
I don't know how that works in Belgium, but in Italy you can't make a living from literary translation. Most of those translators – even the most acclaimed and accomplished ones – have a day job as teachers, as university professors, as writers, or have a wealthy partner.
Having said that, everything you learn will help you in your life, one way or another.
| | | | | Post removed: This post was hidden by a moderator or staff member for the following reason: Unedited since over 20 days | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 18:40
French to English
To improve my style, I made a note of turns of phrase that I liked in the translations I had to proofread at the agency. I called this my "Think of using" file and I do still have it, even though I no longer feel the need to use it so much.
But as others have said, this line of work is terribly underpaid. People are prepared to do it for the prestige of having their name in tiny letters on the first page. There are not that many people who earn a decent living doing such translati... See more To improve my style, I made a note of turns of phrase that I liked in the translations I had to proofread at the agency. I called this my "Think of using" file and I do still have it, even though I no longer feel the need to use it so much.
But as others have said, this line of work is terribly underpaid. People are prepared to do it for the prestige of having their name in tiny letters on the first page. There are not that many people who earn a decent living doing such translation, unless they work in a niche like sci-fi/romance/fantasy/crime where you can recycle the same glossary over and over. Even then I have a feeling that pay in such niches is even worse than for mainstream literature.
Another challenge is actually getting work once you've managed to up your game. Literary translation is a closed world - une chasse gardée - you'd need to be warmly recommended by someone to a publisher, because serious publishers don't come looking for translators on Proz. They get enough recommendations not to bother even glancing at any emails you might send them. So you need to meet people working in the world of publishing. Bearing in mind that anyone working in publishing gets the world and his uncle and his wife all asking whether there's a chance of having their novel published or being given a novel to translate, so they're pretty wary of people trying to get to know them.
[Edited at 2024-02-06 13:37 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 18:40
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| Write, write, write | Feb 6 |
Quentin NEVEN wrote:
I would like to include literary translations in the services I provide.
I think only established writers can be good lit[t]erary translators. It doesn't matter how much you read, unless your brain is the type that soaks up information and retains it. I recommend you enrol in writing classes.
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I understand that you would like to get into literary translations, but as already stated earlier, it's not the best idea if you need money. I get that you love translation, as did I in university, but this love for the art/craft of translation simply doesn't pay. A colleague of mine translates children's literature into Spanish - huge books, 700 pages or so, and is not so well paid for her efforts. In the end, she has a love/hate relationship with it - yes she "likes" to translate literature, b... See more I understand that you would like to get into literary translations, but as already stated earlier, it's not the best idea if you need money. I get that you love translation, as did I in university, but this love for the art/craft of translation simply doesn't pay. A colleague of mine translates children's literature into Spanish - huge books, 700 pages or so, and is not so well paid for her efforts. In the end, she has a love/hate relationship with it - yes she "likes" to translate literature, but certainly doesn't like the pay or tight deadlines. She also has a different life situation where her parents can support her financially.
A question - would you do this kind of work for free, as a hobby? If not, I would recommend finding out about other, more commercial fields.
I really try not to dampen people's feelings and aspirations here, but in this case, it's more of a dream than a reality.
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, but the chances are slim.
All that said - I would be very happy for you if you did make it as a literary translator. ▲ Collapse
| | | | P.L.F. Persio
Netherlands
Local time: 18:40
Member (2010)
English to Italian
+ ...
Samuel Murray wrote:
I think only established writers can be good lit[t]erary translators. It doesn't matter how much you read, unless your brain is the type that soaks up information and retains it. I recommend you enrol in writing classes.
I take for granted that Quentin loves literature, and that he's always been an avid reader, otherwise I don't see why he would consider being a literary translator. Having established that this kind of occupation doesn't pay, it must be seen as a labour of love.
And it does matter how much you read, if you read because you enjoy it, of course, and you find it not only entertaining, but vital. This way, your brain will soak up all that information and retain it, although subconsciously. It will stay hidden, while being mixed up and reinforced by your life experiences, in order to resurface – often in unexpected ways – in your thinking, writing, conversations.
Writing classes can be useful, in that they give you the tools to develop what you already have – if you do have it – in potentia, albeit a tiny speck of it: a knack for playing with words, of which you'd be aware since childhood, an awareness that springs from your love of reading. But they're not mandatory.
Therefore no, you don't have to be an established writer to be a good translator (I've read and enjoyed thousands of excellent translations by great translators who are not writers) – just like you don't even have to be a good writer to become an established one, see https://amindformadness.com/2017/12/prose-j-k-rowling/?utm_content=cmp-true – but you have to understand good writing, which comes from a love, and an assiduous practice of reading.
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