Telling the same story with a different soul.
01 — Intro
Literary translation isn’t about substituting words between languages. It’s about listening for what’s unspoken and recreating it in a way that resonates just as deeply with a new audience.
Whether it’s a comic book, a short story, a novel or non-fiction, the real task lies in capturing the rhythm, tone, and emotional core of the original and letting it bloom again in the target language.
02 — Objective
My goal is to make your story feel native to the reader. Not foreign, not translated, but authentic.
I strive to create a version that mirrors the voice, mood, and meaning of the source text while still sounding like it was written for a local audience.
Sometimes that means reworking metaphors. Other time, finding a different punchline. And often, it means knowing when to let a sentence breathe differently than the original.
03 — Creative process
Understanding author’s voice
Before I translate a single sentence, I study the text’s style, cadence, and emotional texture.
Is it lyrical? Witty? Spare and simple? Or ornamental and multi-layered?
I aim to channel the author’s intent and style, not just their sentences.
Cultural transposition
Some references, wordplay, or nuances simply don’t sound well or understandable for other cultures.
When needed, I adapt or localize — making sure the scene still works, the line still hits, and the story still flows for the target reader.
Working with form
Each format brings unique challenges:
Comics need space management, natural speech style, and punchy dialogue.
Short stories rely heavily on tone and pacing.
Books demand consistency over hundreds of pages, a deep connection to narrative & character arcs, as well as flexible adaptation of structure and idioms.
Editing and polishing
Once the draft is done, I read the text not as a translator but as a reader. I fine-tune the flow, cut what sounds off, and smooth out any lingering stiffness. The final result should read like an original — not a mirror.
Then, with my trusted editor, we go through multiple rounds of editing, before we deem the text ready to be sent out.