I have made a couple posts about the emotional and professional impact that Bread Loaf 2017 has had on me, but I also realize that I have missed out on describing the event in detail. I welcome you to now peruse the responses I put on the official evaluation form last week.
What did you like about the workshop?
I liked that the workshop had a mix of different genres. While I
workshopped poetry for this workshop, the fact that other people translated
prose had an impact on me, because I can take that back when I translate my own
prose. And yet there is more to it than that. I think the fact that we had a
mixed genre gave us different views about to approach our translations, and
while I say it has been helpful for me, I hope that it was also helpful for
others. The group was accepting and warm, but also one that could give
meaningful feedback that was carefully construed. The fact that we were a mix
of languages too helped us immensely. As a firm believer in the idea that
languages teach you how to think in diverse ways, it was a joy to work with
people who all had such different thoughts in their heads.
What about the workshop might have been better?
I would have liked to have more time with the people in my workshop. I
feel that it is a talented group of people to work with, and yet we had so
little time with one another we didn't quite get into the swing of things where
we were comfortable enough to express ourselves in a way that I think caused a
disadvantage towards the others. I think we could also benefit from something
that another workshop group in Orion that I heard about where everyone had to
read and comment a minimum of one sentence about each member's piece so that we
could be on common ground. Another thing that my workshop and I talked about is
the idea of everyone writing an accompaniment to our pieces describing what the
touchstones are and what we think about our works and our writers.
- ways for us to articulate what the traction was for the piece
- explain what the project means to the translator, and to the literary world.
- what we are hoping to discuss about the piece
- what we know we don't know.
Which lectures did you attend, and where they useful?
Unfortunately, I was ill for a portion of the conference and the only
lecture I attended was Idra Novey's "Writing While Translating." I
thought that this lecture was fantastic. After having gone to this lecture I
gained a much better sense of self and sense of comfort in the idea that I am
both a writer and a translator. Her advice also about switching genres and
going from translation to our own work has allowed me to conceptualize the fact
that I don't need to compartmentalize the different sides of myself.
Which classes/talks/panels did you attend, and were
they useful?
I attended the panel "On Publishing Literary Translation"
with Elaina Ellis, Tynan Kogane, Fiona McCrae, and Michael Z. Wise which I
thought gave a great deal of useful advice for the publication of books in
translation, but I feel left a gap in terms of what journal publishing is like,
which Idra stressed to us as also being equally if not more important.
Contrastively I loved the talk "Contracts and Copyright."
with Chad W. Post because I feel that it filled in many of the gaps left by the
panel, and the systematic way that he broke everything down for us was both
instructive and insightful, and he took to heart what the audience had to say
and what they wanted to know, which is the same case with the panel, however
that was a little less organized since they thought they would have a moderator
and without one everyone in the room was caught a bit off-guard I think, which
set the tone a bit lower than it otherwise might have been.
The class I went to, "Translation Heresies" was excellent for
many reasons, but mostly because Christopher Merrill has such a vibrant
presence it would be hard not to enjoy a class put on by him. The way that he
talked about translating languages one does not know was fascinating, and has
inspired me to try the same in the future once I have a more stable career and
a project that I am truly engaged in.
What did you think of the Bread Loafer Readings?
I absolutely adored these readings. Hearing so many voices, from the
translators' conference and Orion both together was an amazing experience
because these fields may seem distant, but when 18 people each go up and share
what they have to say it both brings in a focus and tells us all that we are
much more similar than we might think. I did a reading, and while I do have
some experience with public speaking I still found myself shaking and suffering
from imposter syndrome something fierce because how
could I compare to the amazing things other people have done and said?
But after I spoke and the readings that day were done I had people tell me that
they liked the job I had done with my translation and poem and throughout the
days after people were talking about my work, each time reassuring me that I
had a place in this community.
How were your editor meetings?
My editor meetings were excellent! I had an individual meeting with
Michael Z. Wise, and while I am early on in my project he gave me a great deal
of advice as to how to advance my work on Sor Juana beyond just writing my
thesis and how I can build myself up as someone just now starting in the field,
and overall, he was very helpful, being that he not only had knowledge but was
also supportive and friendly.
My group meeting was with Chad W. Post and he went into much more
detail than at the talk (previously discussed above) telling us about his work
and how our work can be built up. He showed interest in everyone's projects and
in helping us move forward with them, taking time to speak with all of us
equally and with sharp ideas.
Please comment on the special programing, such as the
bird walks, music night, and Frost picnic.
I did not go to any of these events, because I slept in most days until
breakfast, went to bed early the night we had music and since the rescheduled
Frost Picnic occurred during one of my editor meetings I did not go.
What did you think about the food, dining room, and
kitchen?
Everything about them was fabulous. The food was not only superb, but
their willingness to work with dietary restrictions was unparalleled when
compared to eating anywhere but my own home, and the cooking was far above my
skill level. The staff and chefs were all kind and helpful, and truly
delightful people all-around. The dining room was spotless, despite all the
people who were there and the kitchen was very sanitary. I thought overall it
was the best I have eaten in a while. I also appreciate the ready availability
of water and other beverages.
Did the Wi-Fi work for you? If not, what problems did
you encounter?
Yes, however as a college student I was using eduroam, as opposed to
what the rest of the conference was working with.
Where did you stay, and how were your accommodations?
I stayed in the inn itself, and it was a very convenient and
comfortable location, especially since it rained many times and I didn't need
to get caught in it to get breakfast. The room was consistently a comfortable
temperature, the sheets were clean, blankets and towels were soft, I had no
complaints. I additionally found that the key codes on the doors were genius
because it meant that if I remembered the numbers I never needed to worry about
locking myself out.
Please comment on the stock in the Bread Loaf
bookstore. Did you find what you needed? Are there items you would suggest
adding?
I only went once, and if was a quick browse. The stock was interesting,
but I had very little money so I didn't buy anything but a snicker's bar.
We would love to hear your thoughts on the shared
campus. What was your experience like sharing the campus with BL Orion?
I loved the shared campus atmosphere. The back and forth between the
two conferences as we explored our similarities and our differences was
excellent because the slightly shifted perspective allowed us all to learn from
one another.
How was the communication leading up to the
conference? Do you have any comments for us on the handbook, editor sign-up,
and manuscript packet mailings?
I thought that it all covered things well, apart from the fact that we
did not get as detailed instructions about what to present with our works and
what the works of others would be like since it was not necessarily
standardized. As a tiny detail, I think that when the manuscripts are all
complied into one PDF there should be an over-arching set of page numbers
beyond the individual pieces to make it easier to get on the same page when
discussing a work.
How did you hear about the Bread Loaf Translators'
Conference (if you could include some detail here, that would be great)?
I heard about Bread Loaf via a notice in the Comparative Literature and
Culture Listserv at Brandeis University. Since I am the Undergraduate
Departmental Representative for the program I pay a great deal of attention to
everything that gets sent out.
Please list any translation and/or writing groups or
organizations in the U.S. or abroad that you belong to or recommend that we get
in touch with to help spread the word about the conference.
I am not participating in any other translation writing groups or
organizations, it is however my focus of interest at Brandeis University
towards both my BA and MA degrees.
What social media do you use most often?
It is a split between Tumblr, blogger, LinkedIn and Facebook. My
personal blog is hosted on both Tumblr and blogger. Meanwhile I also use
Facebook and LinkedIn regularly, and Instagram and twitter a little less so. I
have a snapchat, but I almost never use it.
Would you recommend the conference to a friend?
Yes! I think anyone with an interest in translation would love this
conference.
Please take a moment to add any additional comments or
suggestions?
There are a few things I would like to suggest for the future:
- more people who work with Asian languages, as well as more people who work with indigenous languages to widen the discussion of translation between differing languages and cultures beyond the western world. There were a fair few at this conference, however not as many as those who worked with French or Spanish (including myself). The amount of people working with Spanish outnumbered Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Czech, Danish, Galician, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Norwegian, Russian, Urdu and Yiddish combined. Note that some of those people were in both that language and Spanish, but I am trying to prove a point here. Not that I want you to stop admitting people for Spanish, because that's my language, but I'm just putting it out there.
- Have people who are editors for journals just as represented and advertised as those for book publishing, as well as similar events.
- A bigger window for breakfast, at least in terms of continental bagels or cereal.
- Less exclusively late-night events. Some people must retire earlier than others, especially those with medical issues.
- An informal yet scheduled time for peer workshopping, possibly by language and cross-workshops.
- It seems short to only have 4 days of workshop to get to know and share with the group, so a longer time frame for the conference would be advantageous.
- Some light classes or talks about translation theory for those in manuscript workshops who are doing less theoretical work as compared to the introductory workshops.
- Discussions of how to choose a good writer and how to identify a project worth publishing.
So there you have it, my full evaluation of Bread Loaf. I hope that you enjoyed my critique of this awesome place.
Cheers,
Talia
