Zoë Perry
@zoeperry.bsky.social
Translator of books from 🇧🇷 Currently translating Juliana Leite, Natalia Timerman, Veronica Stigger; Kentuckian but also Canadian
zaptranslations.com
zaptranslations.com
Reposted by Zoë Perry
When I see people online, even in jest, suggest that people living in Republican-controlled states should be abandoned because of their politicians, I feel a deep heartache. New York CREATED Donald Trump and none of y’all are ever talk about it the way you disparage Alabama or Mississippi.
September 6, 2025 at 4:43 PM
When I see people online, even in jest, suggest that people living in Republican-controlled states should be abandoned because of their politicians, I feel a deep heartache. New York CREATED Donald Trump and none of y’all are ever talk about it the way you disparage Alabama or Mississippi.
Translators: where could I submit an almost 8,000 word story by a prize-winning author? Lots of journals seem to emphasize a 4-5k word limit.
September 5, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Translators: where could I submit an almost 8,000 word story by a prize-winning author? Lots of journals seem to emphasize a 4-5k word limit.
Reposted by Zoë Perry
Jeremy Tiang really hits the nail on the head here (as would be expected).
Translation is caught between two forms of capitalist exploitation: using a per-word freelance structure to provide a bare minimum fee, and playing on its artistic nature to compel free ancillary labor alongside
Translation is caught between two forms of capitalist exploitation: using a per-word freelance structure to provide a bare minimum fee, and playing on its artistic nature to compel free ancillary labor alongside
August 31, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Jeremy Tiang really hits the nail on the head here (as would be expected).
Translation is caught between two forms of capitalist exploitation: using a per-word freelance structure to provide a bare minimum fee, and playing on its artistic nature to compel free ancillary labor alongside
Translation is caught between two forms of capitalist exploitation: using a per-word freelance structure to provide a bare minimum fee, and playing on its artistic nature to compel free ancillary labor alongside
Since I'm seeing a lot of talk about covers and what's on them: I love a good cover (maybe more than most!) But from my own experience, and the lived experience of many translators I know, wildly unethical practices can lurk behind a pretty cover, too. Good on the grid ≠ good labor practices
August 1, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Since I'm seeing a lot of talk about covers and what's on them: I love a good cover (maybe more than most!) But from my own experience, and the lived experience of many translators I know, wildly unethical practices can lurk behind a pretty cover, too. Good on the grid ≠ good labor practices
Reposted by Zoë Perry
WeTransfer just changed their TOS giving themselves permission to train AI on any content you transfer and produce derivative works based on content you transfer that they are allowed to monetize and you are not allowed payment for.
Stop using WeTransfer.
Stop using WeTransfer.
July 14, 2025 at 11:05 PM
WeTransfer just changed their TOS giving themselves permission to train AI on any content you transfer and produce derivative works based on content you transfer that they are allowed to monetize and you are not allowed payment for.
Stop using WeTransfer.
Stop using WeTransfer.
Reposted by Zoë Perry
New & emerging BIPOC lit translators! Apply for the Building Our Future 2-Day Virtual Workshop, meant to empower lit translators of color as they begin navigating the field. Led by poupeh missaghi & Sawad Hussain, w/ a business talk by Anni Liu. Free to participate! Apply by Monday:
ALTA
A L T A
literarytranslators.org
July 10, 2025 at 4:45 PM
New & emerging BIPOC lit translators! Apply for the Building Our Future 2-Day Virtual Workshop, meant to empower lit translators of color as they begin navigating the field. Led by poupeh missaghi & Sawad Hussain, w/ a business talk by Anni Liu. Free to participate! Apply by Monday:
It’s hot out and I would rather be by some body of water sipping this new pawpaw Ale-8 with @wrongsreversed.bsky.social
July 10, 2025 at 4:50 PM
It’s hot out and I would rather be by some body of water sipping this new pawpaw Ale-8 with @wrongsreversed.bsky.social
Reposted by Zoë Perry
Writers! Note that AI translation (under the guise of "global access") is being seen/used as the weak point to get AI into publishing (possible bc Eng lang publishing is weak on translation). Stand with translators & for more human translation, fairly paid!
The founders of independent publisher Bloodhound Books have launched a new AI fiction translation service, Globescribe.ai 👇 #BookSky
Bloodhound Books founders launch AI fiction translation company
ebx.sh
July 7, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Writers! Note that AI translation (under the guise of "global access") is being seen/used as the weak point to get AI into publishing (possible bc Eng lang publishing is weak on translation). Stand with translators & for more human translation, fairly paid!
Reposted by Zoë Perry
Every time someone writes a smug poorly-argued AI article like this, they’re simply demonstrating how swiftly AI has already transformed said writer’s critical thinking into a rotten log on the forest floor, studded with grubs and slime mold, gently disintegrating into humus even as we watch.
The NYT Magazine asked me and @caseynewton.bsky.social to open their AI issue by talking about how we use AI, why it's not going away, and how you can't be a serious critic if you're in denial about how useful it is. Bluesky's gonna love this one!
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/m...
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/m...
June 17, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Every time someone writes a smug poorly-argued AI article like this, they’re simply demonstrating how swiftly AI has already transformed said writer’s critical thinking into a rotten log on the forest floor, studded with grubs and slime mold, gently disintegrating into humus even as we watch.
Reposted by Zoë Perry
It's pub day for Rosa Mistika—and here is a lengthy interview about the novel (and much else!) with @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social chireviewofbooks.com/2025/06/17/t...
The Translator’s Voice — Jay Boss Rubin on Translating Euphrase Kezilahabi’s “Rosa Mistika” - Chicago Review of Books
The Translator’s Voice is a column from editor Ian J. Battaglia, dedicated to global literature and the translators who work tirelessly and too often thanklessly to bring these books to the English-re...
chireviewofbooks.com
June 17, 2025 at 1:02 PM
It's pub day for Rosa Mistika—and here is a lengthy interview about the novel (and much else!) with @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social chireviewofbooks.com/2025/06/17/t...
Today's "we're all in this together" lesson: while negotiating a translation contract this morning, I was told they couldn't offer a royalty clause because the last time this author was translated, TEN years ago, the previous translator had only agreed to a a flat fee.
May 27, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Today's "we're all in this together" lesson: while negotiating a translation contract this morning, I was told they couldn't offer a royalty clause because the last time this author was translated, TEN years ago, the previous translator had only agreed to a a flat fee.
Get Edgar Wilson and Bronco Gil on the case.
In Colorado, nearly 200 missing cows set off an unprecedented state investigation involving sheriffs, a multiagency task force, search planes, a $10,000 reward and more. Months later, the case remains cold.
Nearly 200 cows disappeared. The case remains cold.
The missing Colorado cattle set off an unprecedented state investigation involving sheriffs, a multiagency task force, search planes, a $10,000 reward and more.
wapo.st
April 9, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Get Edgar Wilson and Bronco Gil on the case.
Reposted by Zoë Perry
While researching my novel 1983, which is based on the Nottinghamshire mining village where I grew up, I had a weird memory of a man who used to take his cow for a walk around the village, like it was a dog.
"Have I made that up?" I wondered.
So I checked my mum and dad's old photos.
I hadn't.
"Have I made that up?" I wondered.
So I checked my mum and dad's old photos.
I hadn't.
March 22, 2025 at 9:34 AM
While researching my novel 1983, which is based on the Nottinghamshire mining village where I grew up, I had a weird memory of a man who used to take his cow for a walk around the village, like it was a dog.
"Have I made that up?" I wondered.
So I checked my mum and dad's old photos.
I hadn't.
"Have I made that up?" I wondered.
So I checked my mum and dad's old photos.
I hadn't.
Made it home from LBF with a few new additions. Nobody does cover design like Brazil, and nobody appreciates craft and attention to detail (matching bookmarks! embossed logo!) like the amazing Fósforo. Sample or pitch or some combination thereof available for all three.
March 16, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Made it home from LBF with a few new additions. Nobody does cover design like Brazil, and nobody appreciates craft and attention to detail (matching bookmarks! embossed logo!) like the amazing Fósforo. Sample or pitch or some combination thereof available for all three.
Spending the week at Looren, where I’m surprisingly getting a lot done on my translation in spite of these distracting views
March 3, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Spending the week at Looren, where I’m surprisingly getting a lot done on my translation in spite of these distracting views
Reposted by Zoë Perry
Give me ONE reason for us to use AI (in any industry) that doesn't ultimately come down to 'because it saves rich people and big corporations' money...literally just ONE and I'll listen...if it's about improving OUR productivity then it should be OUR choice AND should come at no cost to us
How depressing. Was contacted about a possible book translation last year. Today they got back in touch to ask if, instead of translating the book, I'd be interested in editing the machine translation.
I am SO BORED of talking about AI. It's BORING. Give me work and cash!!!!!!
I am SO BORED of talking about AI. It's BORING. Give me work and cash!!!!!!
January 27, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Give me ONE reason for us to use AI (in any industry) that doesn't ultimately come down to 'because it saves rich people and big corporations' money...literally just ONE and I'll listen...if it's about improving OUR productivity then it should be OUR choice AND should come at no cost to us
Reposted by Zoë Perry
Reading the interviews of Gabriel García Márquez and this passage stands out to me, from the 1970s but relevant in this time, that in this era the fight must be for collective happiness, which as he astutely describes, is the only kind of just happiness
December 13, 2024 at 6:59 PM
Reading the interviews of Gabriel García Márquez and this passage stands out to me, from the 1970s but relevant in this time, that in this era the fight must be for collective happiness, which as he astutely describes, is the only kind of just happiness
Out of office reply
December 19, 2024 at 11:06 PM
Out of office reply
Reposted by Zoë Perry
🎉Many congratulations to Cercador '23 winner Of Cattle and Men! High five to the judges for all their hard work! 🐄🐖
November 13, 2023 at 7:28 PM
🎉Many congratulations to Cercador '23 winner Of Cattle and Men! High five to the judges for all their hard work! 🐄🐖
Reposted by Zoë Perry
Announcing the winner of the 2023 Cercador Prize: @zoeperry.bsky.social’s translation of Ana Paula Maia's OF CATTLE AND MEN.
The Cercador committee says OF CATTLE AND MEN "lays bare the brutal labor of the slaughterhouse trade," hailing the novel as a "new breed of western."
The Cercador committee says OF CATTLE AND MEN "lays bare the brutal labor of the slaughterhouse trade," hailing the novel as a "new breed of western."
November 13, 2023 at 6:44 PM
Announcing the winner of the 2023 Cercador Prize: @zoeperry.bsky.social’s translation of Ana Paula Maia's OF CATTLE AND MEN.
The Cercador committee says OF CATTLE AND MEN "lays bare the brutal labor of the slaughterhouse trade," hailing the novel as a "new breed of western."
The Cercador committee says OF CATTLE AND MEN "lays bare the brutal labor of the slaughterhouse trade," hailing the novel as a "new breed of western."
Reposted by Zoë Perry
So happy to announce the finalists of the Cercador Prize, the first literary prize for works in translation chosen solely by booksellers. Congratulations to all the finalists. Long live the Cercador!
October 16, 2023 at 3:34 PM
So happy to announce the finalists of the Cercador Prize, the first literary prize for works in translation chosen solely by booksellers. Congratulations to all the finalists. Long live the Cercador!