I'm wondering if anybody knows of any agents who would not experience utter confusion at receiving a query letter for a translation of a French classic. I'm having a hard time finding an agent that (from what I gather in my research on them) would have any interest in such a book. It's quite normal obviously that this would be the case with the vast majority of agents, seeing as such books target a specific audience and they are looking for books with general appeal. But I'm wondering if there aren't a few agents who are interested in books written for a smaller (but solid) niche audiences like the one my project is concerned with. Does anyone, by chance, have any knowledge of some such rare species of agent? I would be very appreciative of any "leads" or insights.
Agents interested in translations of classics
- Thread starter Matthew Rochon
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I'm not sure of any agents who handle this sort of project. Going from the US perspective (YMMV), they might not because while the book might be something of a classic title in France, you'll need the audience who have heard of this book or be able to back up a pitch with some serious numbers on how the title has sold over the years. Also consider some readers have no interest in reading translations, preferring to read the original text in its native language. Then there are French copyright laws at play here so are you positive you would have the rights to produce this work; have you been asked by the author or their estate, if they're deceased and it's not public domain? Another thing to consider is are there already translations of this work available outside of France? If so, what does yours off to set it apart from the others? Is it a completely brand new translation that was done from the original manuscript and does a better job of conveying the tone and meaning?
Again, this is from the perspective of a member in the US. And as far as leads on any agents, I really don't have any to recommend. There are just so many factors at play here, I wouldn't know if somebody would be willing to take on the project.
Again, this is from the perspective of a member in the US. And as far as leads on any agents, I really don't have any to recommend. There are just so many factors at play here, I wouldn't know if somebody would be willing to take on the project.
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You're not writing it though, you're translating, correct?
I'd wait for someone like Old Hack to weigh in.
As far as I know that sort of thing is usually commissioned or arranged at the publishing-house level, but, again, OH or someone with similar experience will likely know.
Agents and publishers don't work in the way you're expecting, Matthew.
They buy the rights to a book and then find a translator. They don't usually work with a translator who approaches them.
Have you checked if the book you're translating is still under copyright? Has it been published in translation? Who owns the rights now?
They buy the rights to a book and then find a translator. They don't usually work with a translator who approaches them.
Have you checked if the book you're translating is still under copyright? Has it been published in translation? Who owns the rights now?
I suppose I left out a fair amount of pertinent information (thanks for bringing that to my attention, BenPanced). The copyright is expired on the book. It is a re-translation of a classic—specfically, Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time. It is a work in progress, of which I've finished two (of seven) volumes—but these can be published on their own. I do recognize that for translations it is typically the case, as cornflake and Old Hack point out, that publishers will commission translators. For that reason, and because of other factors (notably, my absence of past writing credits and of relevant academic or professional credentials) getting it into print won't be any simple matter. Basically I'm relying purely on the merits of my work, and particularly its merits relative to the other translations (which to my view are made apparent upon comparing excerpts from my translations with the corresponding text from the others—and for this reason I have been providing the relevant materials for such a comparison in the queries I've sent out so far to agents). Initially I intended to proceed without an agent. However, the trouble is that this really is not the genre of book that small publishing houses typically publish. It makes more sense at a larger publishing house—which, of course, one needs an agent in order to get any kind of access to.
I figure that such a project would constitute quite unfamiliar territory for most agents. And that, moreover, most would be reticent towards a translator who has so little in the way of credentials. So, like I said, the odds are stacked against me somewhat. But I happened upon, for instance, this agent Lucinda Karter, who translates French novels herself and who has represented translations. That made me wonder whether there might be others like her, whose domain of interest and of competence isn't so far afield of my project. I had my recent discovery of this agent in mind when I asked my initial question (which I realize is a bit of a shot in the dark).
I figure that such a project would constitute quite unfamiliar territory for most agents. And that, moreover, most would be reticent towards a translator who has so little in the way of credentials. So, like I said, the odds are stacked against me somewhat. But I happened upon, for instance, this agent Lucinda Karter, who translates French novels herself and who has represented translations. That made me wonder whether there might be others like her, whose domain of interest and of competence isn't so far afield of my project. I had my recent discovery of this agent in mind when I asked my initial question (which I realize is a bit of a shot in the dark).
The question here isn't really the quality of your translations, although that is an important consideration.
The question to ask is, is there sufficient demand for the book in the English-speaking markets to warrant another translation? And in the unlikely event that the answer to that is yes, what makes you the person to be the translator?
If there was a significant anniversary coming up, or a drama or film adaptation of this book or something related, then I could see how publishers might want a newer, fresher take on the book.
If you are a well-known translator or expert on the works of Proust, then you might well have something to contribute which would enhance the value of your translation. If, however, you're not, then that's going to count against you. And in that case, you are right that you're going to struggle to get this translation into print via a trade publisher, but there's always self publishing.
But literary agents don't usually work with translators like this. They work with authors of new books.
Do you have any translation credentials? Any academic history with the works of Proust, or even of his contemporaries?
Ms Karter doesn't represent translations: she has sold foreign and subsidiary rights, which is another thing entirely.
Almost every good literary agency has a foreign rights team which works on foreign rights and translation deals. But again, they don't sell the translated works: they sell the rights to those translations to publishers, who then commission the translations themselves.
I'd suggest you attempt to participate in the scholarly community around Proust; I know there is one, I'm just not at all familiar with it. That could mean emailing courteous letters to scholars, attempting to publish excerpts of your translation, and engaging in online discussion.
That means reaching out to other people particularly scholars who read and love proust. This is in part one way to remove the issue of credentials.
Penguin Random House is the publisher of the most widely read trade translations of Proust, as far as I know (not my field at all).
University of Illinois has the Kolb-Proust archive; Kolb was a major Proust scholar.
They also offer this list of resources:
https://www.library.illinois.edu/rbx/kolbproust/
It's worth looking at who published translations of what.
I suspect your best bet is with an academic publisher. Be aware that there's not usually much money in scholarly publication.
That means reaching out to other people particularly scholars who read and love proust. This is in part one way to remove the issue of credentials.
Penguin Random House is the publisher of the most widely read trade translations of Proust, as far as I know (not my field at all).
University of Illinois has the Kolb-Proust archive; Kolb was a major Proust scholar.
They also offer this list of resources:
https://www.library.illinois.edu/rbx/kolbproust/
It's worth looking at who published translations of what.
I suspect your best bet is with an academic publisher. Be aware that there's not usually much money in scholarly publication.
Old Hack,
I don't doubt that what you say is more or less the case. I have been thinking for a while that self-publishing might be the way to go. I'm going to continue seeking out agents and publishers but will also explore that route some more.
I don't have relevant credentials. I believe, however, that my translation has a good deal of market potential, and particularly in comparison with the previous ones—and that through a comparison with them such as I provide in my submissions to agents and publishing houses I am able to make a good case for this.
Perhaps you know something I don't but from what it says on the Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency website, it would seem that Ms. Karter does work as an agent. In any case, I sent her a query a couple weeks ago.
Ms. Spangenberg,
I think that's quite good advice—to make myself known in the scholarly community surrounding Proust's work. Another route to explore.
Thank you for the link, by the way, I didn't know about that archive.
If it wouldn't mean giving over the publishing rights for an excessive period of time, I wouldn't be much opposed to having it published by an academic publisher. At the moment I'm mostly concerned with getting some exposure for the work. However, I would think that such publishers attach particular importance to a person's CV.
Thank you both for the helpful responses.
I don't doubt that what you say is more or less the case. I have been thinking for a while that self-publishing might be the way to go. I'm going to continue seeking out agents and publishers but will also explore that route some more.
I don't have relevant credentials. I believe, however, that my translation has a good deal of market potential, and particularly in comparison with the previous ones—and that through a comparison with them such as I provide in my submissions to agents and publishing houses I am able to make a good case for this.
Perhaps you know something I don't but from what it says on the Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency website, it would seem that Ms. Karter does work as an agent. In any case, I sent her a query a couple weeks ago.
Ms. Spangenberg,
I think that's quite good advice—to make myself known in the scholarly community surrounding Proust's work. Another route to explore.
Thank you for the link, by the way, I didn't know about that archive.
If it wouldn't mean giving over the publishing rights for an excessive period of time, I wouldn't be much opposed to having it published by an academic publisher. At the moment I'm mostly concerned with getting some exposure for the work. However, I would think that such publishers attach particular importance to a person's CV.
Thank you both for the helpful responses.
Your translation might be really good. But it's your credentials that will be used to sell it, from you to the agent, from agent to publisher, and from publisher to readers. So without them you're in a very difficult situation.
I have no doubt she's an agent. I didn't question this. I pointed out that her experience isn't in selling already-translated books, but in selling foreign and translation rights which is, as I have already said, a very different thing. Take a look at her LinkedIn profile if you want further information.