10 Things I Love about My Translations Editor
10 Things I Love about My Translations Editor
For those of you who have been following our work and this blog for a while now, this article will surely come as no surprise. After all, you’ve already read me preaching about the importance of translation editors on several occasions. Like when I discussed whether you should hire several translators for your series or my life as a literary translator. My favourite, though, is the last article, a success story that would likely not have happened without my amazing editor’s skills.
You might be here because you’re curious about the translation world, or you’re an indie author wondering whether it’s time to navigate a new market. Alternatively, you could be a translator (or a translation student) who’d love to make a living translating books. Regardless of the situation, read on to learn more!
In this article, I’d like to speak from my personal experience working with my peer and colleague Ayelen Lapettina, whom I met at university more than a decade ago and who has been editing my translated books for the last two years.
No doubt, the experience of working together on the translations and editing of a best-selling time-travel author who’s killing it in the Spanish market has been enriching for both of us. But far from talking about that experience, today, I’d like to focus only on her: my quality-seeking translations editor. Her work might go unnoticed to the average reader, but without her fantastic feedback and careful notes my translated books wouldn’t be half as good.
Without further ado, let’s go over the ten things I love most about my translations’ editor, Ayelen:
1. Her communication skills
As with most things, the way Ayelen and I work has changed and evolved naturally over the course of the last two years. The one thing that remained constant? The fact that we’ve always had great communication from the very beginning. Upon receiving a project, she would read the whole translated manuscript and come back with notes and questions for me to answer. Once she gets these answers – they help avoid assumptions and mistranslating – she goes over the translation twice more and continues with her editing process.
2. Her ever-so-curious mind
If you ask me, this is a skill any translation editor should have: the need to question and research even the things you think you know.
3. Her comments always full of information and explanations
Every time I get a manuscript back from my editor, it’s a delight to find out just how detail-oriented and precise she’s been. She doesn’t just point out corrections, but she also makes suggestions on ways to improve the quality of the translated book, and whenever necessary, she adds relevant links in her comments to sources of valuable information.
4. Her way of challenging me to research further, learn more or refresh old lessons
Following point 3, it’s through this meticulous feedback that I find myself learning new things or revisiting old lessons from university. And it’s largely due to this I feel my work as a literary translator has improved significantly.
5. Her language knowledge and available resources
My editor not only possesses great knowledge, which she’s been cultivating since a young age, but she also has a well-equipped library with lots of academic textbooks, and she knows where to go to research different topics.
6. Her sharp eye
In addition to all that, Ayelen is amazing at spotting repetitions (which pose a big problem for Spanish readers), borrowed words or phrases from the original text (something even most trained translators can sometimes struggle with), making the right adjustments to give the translated text a natural flow and (my personal favourite) she’s excellent at spotting inconsistencies either in a book or in a series. Did I mention the importance of working with a translators team in a previous article? Read all about it here!
7. The fact I can fully trust her knowledge and criteria
Since I met my translations editor in college and we spent five years studying together, taking the same classes, sitting for the same exams, and exchanging notes and knowledge, I’ve known for quite some time what kind of person she is. So, qualities such as her curiosity, her thirst for knowledge, and her detail-oriented eye never came as a surprise to me. But it wasn’t until we started working together that I realised just how reliable she is and how lucky I am to be working with such a devoted professional.
8. She’s down-to-earth
Sometimes, it’s very easy for a translator to get lost in the text and to lose sight of certain things. This is when a down-to-earth translations editor comes in handy. Being more detached from the source text allows editors to provide accurate and objective feedback, which Ayelen simply excels at.
9. She loves her profession and is always up to date with the latest debates and happenings in the academic world
Living in different countries, Ayelen and I do regular video calls to catch up, discuss our projects and obstacles we might be dealing with, share things we’d like to achieve in the short and long term, the books we’re currently working on, and life in general. Being well-read, an avid researcher and always on top of the latest news, she rarely fails to mention what’s happening in the academic world, which topics are being discussed, and what her opinion is on the matter. As I usually get caught up in whatever book I’m translating and life itself, I truly love this about her.
10. She’s a huge nerd and loves to learn about whatever topic we’re translating
My translations editor doesn’t just focus on the correct grammar of the translated text and its natural flow for the native Spanish readers, but also on the veracity and consistency of its contents, something even the authors I’m translating for appreciate.
To sum up:
To be honest, and in case you haven’t noticed by now, I could probably go on and on about how amazing my translations editor is. However, I’d like to know what you, as an author or as a translator, love the most about your editors. Is there anything particularly outstanding about the professionals you’re working with? Don’t be shy and praise them in the comments!
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