Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · 29d

I grew up in rural KY in the eighties, the same place where my dad grew up in the fifties, and my grandpa grew up in the twenties, where most people own guns for hunting and there is a school riflery club and NO ONE was ever allowed to bring a gun to school. This is an insane thing for him to say.

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Saeed Jones @theferocity.bsky.social · Sep 6

When I see people online, even in jest, suggest that people living in Republican-controlled states should be abandoned because of their politicians, I feel a deep heartache. New York CREATED Donald Trump and none of y’all are ever talk about it the way you disparage Alabama or Mississippi.

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Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · Sep 5

Translators: where could I submit an almost 8,000 word story by a prize-winning author? Lots of journals seem to emphasize a 4-5k word limit.

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Brian Bergstrom @brianbergstrom.bsky.social · Aug 31

Jeremy Tiang really hits the nail on the head here (as would be expected).

Translation is caught between two forms of capitalist exploitation: using a per-word freelance structure to provide a bare minimum fee, and playing on its artistic nature to compel free ancillary labor alongside

Tiang: As Maureen alluded to, when we sign a contract, we get paid for our translations. But, in fact, we’re also doing a lot of other labor that is expected but not compensated. This can start way before the contract is signed. Many of us are pitching books to publishers, and to do that, we have to be reading wisely. We have to be making contact with authors and publishers to make sure that the rights are available. We have to do sample translations and synopses, for free, and we have to email them to publishers that we have taken care to build relationships with. All of this is unpaid until a publisher accepts the book, at which point you are negotiating for money after having done a lot of labor. And then there is, as Adam has pointed out, a power differential where the only power the translator has is to say, “This is what I would like.”

Beyond that, all you can do is accept what you’re offered or walk away. In one sense, you’re being paid for the labor of your translation. But in another sense, you’re an all-around concierge who, in my case because many of my authors do not speak English, is expected to translate emails between the author and the publisher, to act as a kind of go-between: an agent, a rights agent, and a publicist all in one. We do what has to be done in order to get the translation to market, and often we are the only person in the equation with access to both languages and both cultures and both literary scenes, so we’re the only person who can do this work. But it’s not in our contracts, and we’re not getting paid for it. But it’s what has to happen to keep everything running.

Tiang: Honestly, any kind of disruptive solution would be great. I am someone who makes the majority of my income from literary translation, even though my language isn’t particularly in demand. I do this by pitching a lot, generating a lot of my own work, never taking a day off, not sleeping. And that’s not really sustainable. The question for someone like me, who is relatively established and working constantly translating three to four books a year, is: Should I not be making a living? The fact that I am not suggests a problem with sustainability in the industry. It can’t just be people with outside sources of income. But I will say that this conversation has been hugely generative, and I’m going to suggest we start a group chat and continue it.

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Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · Aug 26

I want “AI” to know no peace

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Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · Aug 1

Since I'm seeing a lot of talk about covers and what's on them: I love a good cover (maybe more than most!) But from my own experience, and the lived experience of many translators I know, wildly unethical practices can lurk behind a pretty cover, too. Good on the grid ≠ good labor practices

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Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · Aug 1

I get that it's become a kind of shorthand for respect, but just because a publisher puts a translator's name on the *front cover* (Fitzcarraldo does name translators on the back cover) doesn't mean they pay well/on time/negotiate in good faith/are honest/act like professionals (the list goes on).

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Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · Aug 1

Naming the translator is admirable, but worth remembering that it can also be used to hide myriad sins behind the scenes.

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Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · Jul 16

After you establish that niche, please write that Lexington narcotic farm novel.

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Ashley Lynch ✂️🎞️ @ashleylynch.bsky.social · Jul 14

WeTransfer just changed their TOS giving themselves permission to train AI on any content you transfer and produce derivative works based on content you transfer that they are allowed to monetize and you are not allowed payment for.

Stop using WeTransfer.

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American Literary Translators Association @littranslate.bsky.social · Jul 10

New & emerging BIPOC lit translators! Apply for the Building Our Future 2-Day Virtual Workshop, meant to empower lit translators of color as they begin navigating the field. Led by poupeh missaghi & Sawad Hussain, w/ a business talk by Anni Liu. Free to participate! Apply by Monday:

ALTA

A L T A

literarytranslators.org

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Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · Jul 10

It’s hot out and I would rather be by some body of water sipping this new pawpaw Ale-8 with @wrongsreversed.bsky.social

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So Mayer @suchmayer.bsky.social · Jul 7

Writers! Note that AI translation (under the guise of "global access") is being seen/used as the weak point to get AI into publishing (possible bc Eng lang publishing is weak on translation). Stand with translators & for more human translation, fairly paid!

The Bookseller @thebookseller.com · Jul 7

The founders of independent publisher Bloodhound Books have launched a new AI fiction translation service, Globescribe.ai 👇 #BookSky

Bloodhound Books founders launch AI fiction translation company

ebx.sh

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Lauren Groff @legroff.bsky.social · Jun 17

Every time someone writes a smug poorly-argued AI article like this, they’re simply demonstrating how swiftly AI has already transformed said writer’s critical thinking into a rotten log on the forest floor, studded with grubs and slime mold, gently disintegrating into humus even as we watch.

Kevin Roose @kevinroose.com · Jun 17

The NYT Magazine asked me and @caseynewton.bsky.social to open their AI issue by talking about how we use AI, why it's not going away, and how you can't be a serious critic if you're in denial about how useful it is. Bluesky's gonna love this one!

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/m...

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Jay Boss Rubin @jaybossrubin.bsky.social · Jun 17

It's pub day for Rosa Mistika—and here is a lengthy interview about the novel (and much else!) with @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social chireviewofbooks.com/2025/06/17/t...

The Translator’s Voice — Jay Boss Rubin on Translating Euphrase Kezilahabi’s “Rosa Mistika” - Chicago Review of Books

The Translator’s Voice is a column from editor Ian J. Battaglia, dedicated to global literature and the translators who work tirelessly and too often thanklessly to bring these books to the English-re...

chireviewofbooks.com

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Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · May 27

When we negotiate fair terms for ourselves, we negotiate fair terms for all translators. Be wary of work-for-hire, and of working with editors/authors/agents who don't believe translators are part of a book's success.

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Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · May 27

Today's "we're all in this together" lesson: while negotiating a translation contract this morning, I was told they couldn't offer a royalty clause because the last time this author was translated, TEN years ago, the previous translator had only agreed to a a flat fee.

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Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · Apr 9

Get Edgar Wilson and Bronco Gil on the case.

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · Apr 9

In Colorado, nearly 200 missing cows set off an unprecedented state investigation involving sheriffs, a multiagency task force, search planes, a $10,000 reward and more. Months later, the case remains cold.

Nearly 200 cows disappeared. The case remains cold.

The missing Colorado cattle set off an unprecedented state investigation involving sheriffs, a multiagency task force, search planes, a $10,000 reward and more.

wapo.st

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Tom Cox @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social · Mar 22

While researching my novel 1983, which is based on the Nottinghamshire mining village where I grew up, I had a weird memory of a man who used to take his cow for a walk around the village, like it was a dog.

"Have I made that up?" I wondered.

So I checked my mum and dad's old photos.

I hadn't.

An old man walking his cow through the Nottinghamshire countryside on rope during the early 1980s.

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Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · Mar 20

Every. Single. One. 🤬

Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · Mar 16

Also, editors: if we ever talked about Nihonjin, that was probably long enough ago that you’re now at a new job, so I’m happy to start fresh 🫠

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Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · Mar 16

Made it home from LBF with a few new additions. Nobody does cover design like Brazil, and nobody appreciates craft and attention to detail (matching bookmarks! embossed logo!) like the amazing Fósforo. Sample or pitch or some combination thereof available for all three.

Front cover of Ojichan by Oscar Nakasato

Front cover of new edition of Nihonjin by Oscar Nakasato

Front cover of Três camadas de noite by Vanessa Barbara

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Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · Mar 13

You clearly don’t know anything about North Carolina.

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Zoë Perry @zoeperry.bsky.social · Mar 3

Spending the week at Looren, where I’m surprisingly getting a lot done on my translation in spite of these distracting views

View from my desk at Looren Translation House

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Rob Myatt 🍉 @robtranslates.bsky.social · Jan 27

Give me ONE reason for us to use AI (in any industry) that doesn't ultimately come down to 'because it saves rich people and big corporations' money...literally just ONE and I'll listen...if it's about improving OUR productivity then it should be OUR choice AND should come at no cost to us

Ayça Türkoğlu @aycatur.bsky.social · Jan 27

How depressing. Was contacted about a possible book translation last year. Today they got back in touch to ask if, instead of translating the book, I'd be interested in editing the machine translation.
I am SO BORED of talking about AI. It's BORING. Give me work and cash!!!!!!

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