Reading and Writing as Translation + obscure sorrows, voices for change, & the perfect iced tea
So much reading this month! and how writing is always a form of translation; new book rec site; new words for feelings; bookstore unions; award winners; writers congress; & how to make iced tea
Greetings readers & writers,
First, it’s been a lot lately. Please, check in with yourself. Have a sip of tea or drink of water. Open a window. Do some joy stretches so you can be as present as best you can for yourself today. Or take a few moments for some mindful breathing and directed doodling to find a little peace.
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This month I’m planning to read nearly a thousand pages.
From book clubs and discussion group selections, to manuscript critiques and writing group submissions, I’m swarming in stories of all kinds. In the Speculative Fiction Variety Hour discussion group I co-host, we’re working our way through The APEX Book of World SF, Vol. 5* which is a delightfully eclectic and robust anthology of short, speculative fiction from writers around the world. Several are translated. Our conversations revolve around what we gain from reading these stories; what we’re still missing in terms of cultural context; what facets allow or limit our connection to a story; and how reading a story on the page (and in what language!) compares to hearing it read aloud can alter that lens of connection.
On the other hand, I’m also participating in a bookclub centered around reading the entire Torah in three months. The goal is to use this opportunity to look at overall narrative structures and see the big picture; to examine our reactions to the characters and motifs packed within. Not to mention seeing echos of how these old stories have influenced our concepts of storytelling today. Again, so much comes down to translation: what is gained/lost by reading this ancient text in modern-day English? By reading it in its entirety in the pages of a book rather than hearing it being chanted in Hebrew, bit by bit throughout the year, from a sacred scroll?
The power and pitfalls of translation aren’t something we should ignore, even if writing in our native tongue. Because ultimately, writing itself is a kind of translation: from one mind to another, one form to another. Until someone invents telepathy machines, we’re stuck with clunky, old language to convey our perfect brain visions. And structure is equally important. Neurons don’t equate to word count; what’s in your mind is not, in fact, restrained by form, only our own expectations. If you’ve ever struggled with a short story only to realize it wasn’t working because it was secretly a novel/poem/play all along (or vice versa!), you know what I mean.
And forms aren’t limited to the literary. A form everyone needs to own and no one seems to like? The dreaded elevator pitch. This translation framing can be a key way to talk about our work as well. How do we take that same feel of our story and express it in an awkward, insufficient single sentence summary?
Whether you’re crafting your story or your pitch, ask yourself this question: who are you translating your ideas for?
If you are talking about your story to an agent, that may require a different “translation” than, say, if your audience is your grandmother (unless, of course, your grandmother is also an agent! cool!) If you’re pitching to kids or to their parents. Are you writing for someone who reads heavily in your genre or someone who never has?
Instead of trying to have one, perfect pitch, consider having several, to adapt to the language of your audience and how they will be consuming your information. Your writing is not going to be for everyone. That’s fine! But for the audiences you’ve crafted it for, what do they need to know to get your writing?
For myself, I know I’m not the reader for every story. And I tell you, plenty is getting lost in translation as I’m making my way through Leviticus. But I still try to read outside my comfort zone when I can because it forces me to learn the language of other people’s minds and stories. It pushes me to think about who I’m writing for and how to reach them.
Struggling to get the “translation” right in your elevator pitch or just want to share what you’re writing? Drop your one-sentence summary in the comments and give feedback on each other’s!
Writing/ Marketing Resources
On the subject of translation, an oldie but goodie from one of my favorite writers/translators: Ken Liu on the art and complications of translating speculative fiction across languages and cultures {Clarkesworld}.
If you’re like me and shelve books by vibe or themes, rather than by the alphabet or genre, you’ll want to check out the fledgling book rec site Shepherd. It has deliciously niche, curated book lists by authors and creators to help you find new favorite books. It’s also free for authors to contribute their own list!
Looking for a word for that particular, peculiar feeling? John Koenig has diligently created and compiled a Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows* with words for the complicated needs of the heart. You can see much of his list on his website or hit the highlights in this Buzzfeed article.
Industry News
Teen Vogue digs into the current climate of bookstore unions
Marshall Smith, cofounder of Brookline Booksmith, passed away at age 90 {Publisher’s Weekly}
The 2022 Pulitzer Prizes were awarded, with The Netanyahus* by Joshua Cohen winning for Fiction and frank: sonnets* by Diane Seuss winning for Poetry.
PEN America held an Emergency World Voices Congress {The New York Times — free link} on May 15th at the United Nations to discuss the power of stories in confronting the worlds current crises.
Cree Myles is changing the narrative of marketing Black authors with her powerhouse platform All Ways Black, {NPR} backed by Penguin Random House.
How to make a perfect quart of iced tea
4 cups cold water
~1 TBS of loose leaf black tea (like this Harney & Sons Decaf Apricot); ~2 TBS of your favorite herbal, OR 4 - 6 tea bags, depending on size/type of tea. Use more tea if you prefer a stronger brew.
Sweetener of your choice (optional)
Ice
Bring water to boil in a medium sauce pan. Add tea leaves or tea bags; steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags or strain tea into a clean jar. Add sweetener and stir to dissolve. Allow tea to cool for a bit at room temperature, then refrigerate until cold. Serve over ice. Unsweetened tea will last a week or more, sweet tea may last less. I bet you’ll drink it all in a day! (If you’re impatient like me, you can pour it straight over a full glass of ice or chill it using a cocktail shaker, just be prepared for it to be diluted).
Give your loved ones (especially any little ones) a super big squeeze. Then get to work.
~Allison
Writer & Marketing Coach
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*Bookshop.org affliate links! Check out our Bookshop for other recommendations.
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