Barriers to Publication and Translation

Why women are still being left out

The three percent rule

In a previous newsletter, I talked about some challenges women face getting translated. In the introduction of our current book The Door, it is written that the proportion of books published in the English-speaking world that are translations is only about 3%. It is also mentioned that the American edition of this novel came a whopping thirty years after its original publication and that very little by Szabó, one of Hungary’s most famous novelists, is available in English.

Just think of all the great literature we are missing out on unless we read other languages. Imagine not being able to read the great English-language authors of our time. Other countries have their own Louisa May Alcotts, Virginia Woolfs, Emily Dickinsons, Jane Austens, and Mary Shelleys; and I think it’s a shame the English-speaking world doesn’t know about them.

For some more information on translation of literature check out these additional resources:

• https://www.rochester.edu/College/translation/threepercent/about/ (This initiative by the University of Rochester was motivated by the belief that reading literature from other countries is vital to intercultural exchange.)

• Three Percent Podcast (If you like what you’ve been reading on my Substack, you’ll love this podcast about the publishing scene and international literature in translation.)

  

  Just a few of the greats from the English-speaking world

Red tape and glass ceilings

While it’s true that even the guys struggle to get their words read in other languages, in some countries women have a hard time getting published, period.

I want to briefly highlight some of the reasons behind this, as one of the main goals of this book club is to bring awareness to this issue.

Censorship and backlash

• In some countries, feminist books are outright banned or heavily censored.

• Authors who write about gender equality, reproductive rights, or LGBTQ+ issues often face online harassment, legal trouble, or even physical danger.

Misogyny in literary criticism

• Female authors and feminist themes are often dismissed as “too emotional” or “political,” while similar themes in books by men are praised as insightful or bold.

• Feminist literature is sometimes trivialized as “women’s fiction” rather than serious literature.

Publishing industry gatekeeping

• Many publishers (especially major ones) are still run by men, which affects what gets published and promoted.

• Books by women, especially those with explicitly feminist messages, often don’t receive the same marketing push as male-authored books.

Cultural and religious conservatism

• In many cultures, feminism is still seen as a Western or colonial import, leading to resistance from nationalist or religious groups.

• Women writing about their own experiences, especially about sex, autonomy, or violence, are often accused of “shaming” their culture.

More resources

I encourage you to check out this fascinating article from The Guardian about translated fiction by women. Katy Derbyshire, translator of contemporary German authors, writes:

“Translated novels by female writers are the palomino unicorns of the publishing world – not just unusual, but a small subset within a subset. Not only do translations make up a tiny fraction of the books brought out in the UK and US, but only about a quarter of them are by women.”

Since the article’s publication in 2016, some gradual progress has been made thanks to the tireless work of translators and indie publishing houses. (And readers like you!)

Small, independent presses like Tilted Axis, And Other Stories, and Deep Vellum have made concerted efforts to publish more women in translation. However, genre and region disparities still exist. Translations from Western European languages, like French and German, feature more women than those from Asian, Middle Eastern and African languages. Literary fiction (often focusing on trauma and violence) is more likely to include women authors in translation than genres like sci-fi, crime, or speculative fiction.

We still have a long way to go.

By reading, sharing, and discussing works by women in translation, we can help shift the tide.

Me in a room of my own in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic

Call to action 📣

Feel free to answer one or all of these questions:

1. Which country are you most interested in reading translated works from?

2. What are your preferred genres to read?

3. If you could read a novel in a foreign language which language would you choose and why?

Happy Reading!

Morgan