AmazonCrossing expands translation efforts

[fjtorres]

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix....cle&ID=2096520

In celebration of its fifth year, AmazonCrossing, the literary translation imprint of Amazon Publishing, today announced a $10 million commitment over the next five years to increase the number and diversity of its books in translation. AmazonCrossing is one of the largest publishers of translated literature in the United States, with 77 titles from 15 countries and 12 languages to be published in the United States in 2015. Today’s announced investment will go toward fees paid to translators over the next five years and increasing the countries and languages represented on the AmazonCrossing list, which since 2010 has included more than 200 titles by authors from 29 countries writing in 19 languages.

To support this growing commitment to books in translation, AmazonCrossing editors today opened a new website for authors, agents and publishers to suggest titles for translation at translation.amazon.com/submissions. AmazonCrossing is now accepting submissions in mystery, thriller, women’s fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction, memoir, science fiction and fantasy categories. In addition to this new streamlined process for submissions, AmazonCrossing editors will accept submissions for translation consideration in person at the Frankfurt Book Fair on October 14th from 11:00 am-1:00 pm in Hall 3.0, K31.

“We launched AmazonCrossing five years ago to introduce readers to voices of the world through English-language translations of foreign-language books. While we are now one of the largest publishers of translated literature in the United States, translated fiction is still a tiny fraction of new publications. Today we are committing $10 million to translations to bring more international writers to new audiences,” said Sarah Jane Gunter, Publisher of AmazonCrossing and General Manager of International Publishing. “Our new website for submissions will help us cast a broader net in finding great books for translation, with the hope of increasing the number of acquisitions from countries that are traditionally underrepresented in translation.”

More PR speak and brags at the source.

[GERGE]

AmazonCrossing is actually a great house. I read many books I couldn't find in my language with them. Very good selection and translation.

Sometimes, there is a right to bragging, they definitely have it.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by GERGE

AmazonCrossing is actually a great house. I read many books I couldn't find in my language with them. Very good selection and translation.

Sometimes, there is a right to bragging, they definitely have it.

I've picked up more than a few myself.
They show up regularly in the Kindle first listings so not only do they bring them over, they actively promote the authors.

The sad thing is that such a modest output ranks them at or near the top of "imported" books for the US. When bigger publishers that are already established in those countries and dish out books by the thousand but don't bother to bring in translations or promote them.

[HarryT]

It's a great pity they don't also translate the other way, to bring classics of English literature to readers of other languages.

[ATDrake]

AmazonCrossing does translate from English into German and other languages. But what they translate is bestselling indie titles.

Anyway, I'm glad that they're doing well and that we'll be getting more translations into English from reasonably well-known popular and/or prize-winning foreign authors.

They've introduced me to a number of authors I really enjoy, especially the Nordic ones whose works I'd otherwise have to brush up on my French or learn German to read, as those seem to be the major other languages that their books are translated into. (Although it might come to that eventually, as French publishers are several books in advance for a number of series and authors whose more recent volumes haven't shown up in English quite yet, or apparently just didn't sell well enough to continue the AmazonCrossing translations, unfortunately.)

[mitford13]

Don't think there's ever been much of a problem in spreading/translating the English canon, it's the other way around, where major English-language publishers have been hesitant to invest in translated works--the notorious (inglorious?) three percent (about 3% of all books published in the United States are works in translation.)

Well that's a hell of a run-on sentence, anyway...

[Freeshadow]

The classics are not the problem.
There is a lot of good genre fiction never translated from english into other languages.
As you are familiar with what Baen published Harry, let me give some examples from there (because I believe you'll - knowing them already or being able to check- share my opinion these books would be worth the effort.)

The Paksenarion books, Rick Cooks Wizardry or Doc Travis' Warp Speed and Quantum Connection have never been translated to german.
That the first are plainly great is clear for both of us.
The second is fantasy with very solid computer science background and humour - not a common occurrence and definitely not a countless iteration of a known topic.
The third would IMO qualify as hardSF quantum physics - again definitely not a "Yet Another <insert fad here> Book"

Why leave such gems unnoticed?

Gudy put it in a nutshell in the german subforum here: "I turned to english books because there's too much great stuff I'd otherwise miss out."

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

The classics are not the problem.

Sorry - poor choice of words. When I said "classics" I wasn't restricting myself to "literary classics", but "classic works" in all genres.

[Freeshadow]

No poor choice perceived; I actually got it the way you meant it Harry.

[fjtorres]

Turns out AmazonCrossing isn't just one of the bigger transltion publishers in the US but as of now, the biggest. (If a few dozen titles a year can be considered big.)

This and a few other (grudging) nuggets can be found here, in a rather sniffy piece from the NEW REPUBLIC:
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/1...slation-amazon

And what about that $10 million? Where exactly is it going? In a press release, AmazonCrossing announced that the money would go “toward fees paid to translators over the next five years and increasing the countries and languages represented on the AmazonCrossing list.” When I reached out for comment that somewhat cloudy statement was reiterated, though with an indication that AmazonCrossing also intends to increase the number of titles it publishes, something it’s done every year since its inception. The money for translators will presumably pay more translators, given the increase in production, but as Susan Bernofsky notes on her indispensible blog Translationista, there’s no reason for translators to expect a sudden windfall as a result of this announcement—rates are just as likely to decrease, she argues.

Given the wiggle room and the timing—it was clearly engineered to garner attention at Frankfurt, where Amazon has struggled to get meetings before—it’s entirely possible that the announcement is significantly less significant than it appears. For all we know, AmazonCrossing committed a similar amount of money to acquiring and translating international literature last year. $10 million, after all, is a rounding error for Amazon. What does seem to be significant, however, is that AmazonCrossing is proving that Amazon can run a publishing house its way—based on data analysis and staggeringly low prices—and succeed.

[mitford13]

Another article on Amazon Crossing:

http://www.theguardian.com/books/201...crossing-sales

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by mitford13

Another article on Amazon Crossing:

http://www.theguardian.com/books/201...crossing-sales

Good one.

I found this snippet amusing:

“Although they do publish a handful of high-minded titles, most of the books they’re doing are genre fiction, which is great,” says Post. “They’re sort of filling in gaps, since most of the presses doing translation are focused on the Very Literary. Amazon is going after books the common reader wants to read, and they know how to reach these people..."

[mitford13]

Ha, somehow I missed that bit--my 'common' eyes must have glazed over!
Still, overall, more positive awareness for the program.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by mitford13

Ha, somehow I missed that bit--my 'common' eyes must have glazed over!
Still, overall, more positive awareness for the program.

And from the Guardian, no less.
Baby steps.