The Future of This Substack & Translation as Art

Found in translation

Exciting announcement‼️

As some of you may know, I have three publications under the umbrella of Morgan in Wanderland: this (The Globetrotting Bookworm), Musings & Meanderings, and Flash Flex. Up until now, this book club has been my main focus, but I’d like to branch out and cultivate more offerings. So, here’s what I’ve been working on:

· Musings & Meanderings

o I will be starting a series called “Women Who Wander”, in which I interview women (including some of you in this book club!) who are solo travelers or who have chosen to live outside their home countries as nomads, expats, or students. My goal with this series is not only to inspire and encourage others to break free of their comfort zones, but to also create a sense of community with other like-minded individuals. I got a lot of positive feedback on my last essay about the loneliness and isolation that can often be felt by those who chose to live these unconventional lives, and I want to create a space where the stories and experiences of these intrepid globetrotters can be shared and celebrated.

· Flash Flex

o Since I was a child, I’ve enjoyed writing fiction. I used to write stories, plays, poems, and songs just for fun. It’s one of the few activities I can get so immersed in that I completely lose track of time and even forget to eat! But it’s also a muscle I haven’t flexed in a long time, and I want to get those creative juices flowing again. Reading Reservoir Bitches is reminding me how much I love the short story form, and how much I admire an author’s ability to build a world, develop characters, and get readers emotionally invested in a story in less time than it takes your morning coffee to percolate. Because it’s been so long since I’ve had anything traditionally published, I’m more nervous about releasing my darlings to the world than I am about killing them. So, in a series called “Excerpts from Unfinished Works,” I have decided to share just snippets of things I’m working on—flash fiction, microfiction and short stories. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes, exclusive preview of my raw, unedited works-in-progress and a glimpse into my creative process. This will allow me to dip my toe in the water before attempting a full-on dive. I will grant myself the flexibility to dabble in different genres and play around with various themes and ideas without having to commit to any one story right away. Through comments and (hopefully) constructive criticism from all of you, I’ll be able to see what sticks and what flops. I will share any writing prompts I use in case anyone else wants to join me on this journey!

Stay tuned!

A conversation on the art of literary translation 👥💬

Translators don’t get a lot of stage time, so I was thrilled when I discovered fellow Substacker and literary podcaster, Brad Listi, interviewed Julia Sanches and Heather Cleary—the co-translators of our June book. This was an insightful conversation, and I encourage you all to give it a listen. They talk about their work on Reservoir Bitches as well as the importance of reading translated literature in general.

One thing I found interesting is that neither translator is a native Spanish speaker, and they discuss their training, how they got into the translation business, and how each of their unique backgrounds as non-native Spanish speakers impacted this work.

I did a short stint as a technical translator’s assistant when I lived in Peru, so I’m familiar with the challenges of translation, but it’s nothing compared to what novel translators deal with. I have talked with other technical translators who agree that literary translation is far more challenging than other types of translation. Not only are you trying to convey meaning, but also trying to capture the tone, style and emotion. That can be a particularly fine line to walk, balancing cultural context with readability and enjoyment. As English-speaking readers, we want to enjoy a story originally written in Spanish just as much as a Spanish-speaking reader would without the lack of cultural understanding getting in the way.

In the podcast, Listi says, “Languages are like living entities. They’re constantly mutating and adapting and responding to circumstances.” This adds another layer to the art of translation: keeping current with vernacular.

Literary translators have their work cut out for them, and I have a deep appreciation for all those who take on that work to bring us incredible stories from around the world that we otherwise wouldn’t have access to. Personally, I feel I have a richer literary experience for having read translated literature.

Give Brad Listi’s ‘Reservoir Bitches’ and the Art of Literary Translation podcast a listen here.

Call to action 📣

I want your input on my upcoming series Women Who Wander! What questions do you want me to ask the women? What stories are you most curious to know? Do you or someone you know want to be interviewed by me for this series? Drop me a line in the comments!

Happy Reading!
Morgan