Other Specialists

Translators

Translators render your book into other languages, adapting style and idiom rather than word-for-word.

When to hire: Translators come in once the manuscript is fully edited in its original language. Expect meaningful timelines — a novel-length translation often takes 3–6 months plus editing in the target language.

How this differs from related services

  • vs. Copyeditors: Translators render your work into another language. Copyeditors polish it in the original. After translation, you'll often want a copyeditor working in the target language. See copyeditors →
  • vs. Line Editors: Translators make style and voice decisions in the new language, which overlaps with line-editing work. The best translators do both, effectively line-editing the translated text. See line editors →

Find Translators

8 listed. Open full directory with filters →

translator

Ann Goldstein

New York, NY, USA· Remote OK
Rate: Varies

Ann Goldstein is a distinguished Italian-to-English literary translator best known for her translations of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Novels, which brought Ferrante's work to global recognition. She has also translated works by Primo Levi, Alessandro Baricco, and Jhumpa Lahiri's Italian writings. A longtime editor at The New Yorker, she combines editorial precision with deep literary sensitivity.

Italian-to-English literary translationauthor collaborationeditorial reviewseries translation
Literary FictionContemporary FictionWomen's FictionMemoirHistorical Fiction
translator

Anthea Bell

Cambridge, United Kingdom· Remote OK
Rate: Varies

Anthea Bell was a celebrated German-to-English translator renowned for her translations of Stefan Zweig, W.G. Sebald, and the Asterix comic series, demonstrating remarkable range across literary and popular genres. She was widely praised for her ability to recreate an author's voice in English with exceptional naturalness and fidelity. Her decades of work made German literature more accessible to English-speaking audiences worldwide.

German-to-English literary translationauthor collaborationchildren's book translationcomic and graphic adaptation
Literary FictionHistorical FictionMemoirGraphic NovelChildren's+1 more
translator

Deborah Smith

London, United Kingdom· Remote OK
Rate: Varies

Deborah Smith is a Korean-to-English literary translator who taught herself Korean and went on to translate Han Kang's 'The Vegetarian,' which won the International Booker Prize in 2016—a landmark moment for Korean literature in translation. She is the founder of Tilted Axis Press, a nonprofit publisher dedicated to bringing literature from Asia and Africa to English-language readers. She advocates strongly for translator visibility and fair compensation.

Korean-to-English literary translationauthor collaborationmanuscript evaluationpublishing consultation
Literary FictionContemporary FictionSpeculative FictionWomen's FictionShort Story Collection
translator

Edith Grossman

New York, NY, USA· Remote OK
Rate: Varies

Edith Grossman is one of the most celebrated Spanish-to-English literary translators, best known for her landmark translation of Gabriel García Márquez's 'Love in the Time of Cholera' and Miguel de Cervantes' 'Don Quixote.' She has worked closely with major Latin American and Spanish authors throughout her career, bringing nuanced prose and poetic sensibility to her translations. Her work spans literary fiction, magical realism, and classic literature.

Spanish-to-English literary translationauthor collaborationmanuscript reviewprose adaptation
Literary FictionMagical RealismHistorical FictionPoetry
translator

Jay Rubin

Cambridge, MA, USA· Remote OK
Rate: Varies

Jay Rubin is a leading Japanese-to-English literary translator and Professor Emeritus at Harvard University, best known for his translations of Haruki Murakami, including 'The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle' and 'Norwegian Wood.' He has worked directly with Murakami and other contemporary Japanese authors to ensure cultural and tonal accuracy. He is also the author of 'Haruki Murakami and the Music of Words,' a critical study of Murakami's work.

Japanese-to-English literary translationauthor collaborationcultural consultationacademic critique
Literary FictionContemporary FictionMagical RealismSpeculative FictionMystery
translator

Linda Coverdale

New York, NY, USA· Remote OK
Rate: Varies

Linda Coverdale is a highly regarded French-to-English literary translator who has translated more than 80 books, working with authors such as Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio, Patrick Chamoiseau, and Marie Darrieussecq. She is known for her collaborative approach with living authors and her sensitivity to voice and cultural context. Her translations span literary fiction, memoir, and postcolonial literature.

French-to-English literary translationauthor consultationcultural localizationstyle preservation
Literary FictionMemoirHistorical FictionSpeculative FictionEssays
Norwich, United Kingdom· Remote OK
Rate: Varies

Margaret Jull Costa is a prolific Portuguese-to-English and Spanish-to-English translator who has worked with authors including José Saramago, Fernando Pessoa, Javier Marías, and Eça de Queirós. She is recognized for her ability to preserve the rhythmic complexity and philosophical depth of Iberian and Latin American prose. Her translations consistently win major awards and are considered models of the craft.

Portuguese-to-English translationSpanish-to-English translationauthor collaborationpoetry translation
Literary FictionHistorical FictionSpeculative FictionPoetryShort Story Collection+1 more
Miami, FL, USA· Remote OK
Rate: Varies

Sofia Reyes-Montoya is a freelance Spanish-to-English and English-to-Spanish literary translator with over a decade of experience working directly with debut and established authors on bilingual editions, dual-market releases, and rights-ready manuscripts. She specializes in contemporary fiction, young adult literature, and narrative nonfiction with a focus on Latin American voices. She is an active member of the American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) and works with authors at all stages of the publishing process.

Spanish-to-English translationEnglish-to-Spanish translationbilingual edition preparationcultural sensitivity review
Contemporary FictionYoung AdultLiterary FictionNarrative NonfictionWomen's Fiction+1 more

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