The German translation of my novel Fracture Line has arrived, and it feels like Christmas. It’s exciting to read my novel in another language, but now the hard part begins.
Working with a translator is an interesting process. We plan to spend the week discussing the nuances of each sentence and whether the voice sounds like my writing.
Dialogue is an area that we need to be careful with. I may want the character to sound sad, but in the translation they come off as angry.
And then there is proofreading. I thought proofreading in English was hard. Ha! The joke is on me.
I have a good relationship with my translator and know enough German to read, but I wonder how an author knows their novel has been translated in the manner they intended to write it if they don’t know the language. I guess it’s just one more mystery in the publishing industry.
Creative Story Editors 
Wow, this is going to be an exhilarating ride for you! How exciting. Keep us posted on the process.
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Thanks for the support. It is exciting.
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The many subtle shades of meaning available in other languages fascinates me, as well as the extent to which language shapes how a culture thinks.
It must be so exciting to see your novel take shape in another language!
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Hi Kirsten, I just spend 2 hours with my translator and we are still on the prologue. There are sooooo many nuances to think of. Time of a coffee break and back to work.
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Your meticulous progress makes my revision work look like a walk in the park. 🙂 I’m inspired by this!
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Sorry, I’m a bit behind and this caught my eye. German? Wow. My grandparaents came from Germany. I think that would make my dad sime. Congratulations.
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Thanks Jennifer, We’ve just received it back from Germany with comments. Problems with commas in English and in German. Go figure!
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Ha! Doesn’t surprise me.
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