Literary translators, like writers, come from many different backgrounds. Many literary translators are writers themselves. For them, translation is a natural extension of their work. Others may be academics or professional translators who do it to earn a living. But whoever they are, they all have one thing in common – they master at least two languages. If this sounds like you, have you considered literary translation as a form of writing?

Global literature is becoming more popular in the English-speaking world. What a pity it would be to never have read a masterpiece just because it wasn't available in English. If that were the case, we'd never have read Tintin or Asterix! Imagine that.

Can anyone become a literary translator?

The answer to that question is both yes and no. Literary translators are not ghostwriters. They're given credit for their work as they leave their mark on the written word. In giving the author a voice in another language, translators must duplicate style and intended effect and make it understandable for readers. For a translator to be able to do this, not only must she have impeccable command of both languages, but she must also be able to spin a yarn. Translation is, in itself, a work of art.

In theory, literary translation doesn't require any formal qualifications. Anyone who speaks two languages and who knows how to write can give it a try. But in reality, it's a little more nuanced. Literary translation requires a certain level of skill. The translated document must create the same image as the original work. A literary translator must first read thoughtfully and carefully and then, second, be able to write thoughtfully and precisely.

Literary translator Fahmida Riaz says, “Focusing on the detail makes you aware of this better than anything. If the writer has used word x, we need to know why that was the word he chose of all the options (what exactly does it mean, but also what’s it doing in the sentence, in the rhythm of the sentence and to the sound and register), and then we need to find a way of replicating that in English, again with the greatest precision possible.”

The nuts and bolts of literary translation

Translators have power of the outcome of the book, but they are not the authors. That said, they will develop a psychological attachment to the work they're translating – by the end, they'll either love it or hate it. But no matter their feelings, they must:

- read the entire work for pleasure before accepting the job

- make a trial translation of a few chapters or paragraphs to see if they are comfortable with the style of the writer

- commit to accuracy

- commit to the style of the original work

- respect the values of the original work even if it clashes with their own value system

- do a first draft – reread each paragraph and each chapter before starting the translation

- allow at least a day to pass between the writing and rereading of each chapter

- when finished, reread the entire book on the computer screen before printing it and rereading it again on paper

Rereading is important because it gives the translator the opportunity to concentrate on flow and style. This is the point at which they will eliminate awkward phrases or words that don't sound right, or idiomatic expressions they may have translated literally.

Literary translation is a long and lonely journey, but a beautiful one if languages make you thrum.The best literary translators work full-time while most also do commercial translating, teach languages or do writing of their own. The next article on literary translation will take a look at how to get started in the profession.