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For Emerging & Aspiring Translators

Welcome! This page is for emerging literary translators from all over the world who are asking questions like: How do I get started? Where can I find training or mentorship opportunities? Are there events where I can meet other translators or publishers? Here you’ll find a collection of resources, events and learning opportunities - from workshops and mentorships to useful video content and articles - designed to help you grow your skills and find your place in the literary translation community. Wherever you are in your journey, we aim to offer guidance, encouragement and a sense of connection.

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Opportunities at National Centre for Writing

National Centre for Writing (NCW) is a contemporary literature house in the heart of England’s first UNESCO City of Literature, committed to the transformative power of stories for personal, social and community development. Through its mentoring and residency programmes, NCW aims to reduce barriers to access to the literary translation profession for those currently less represented in the UK.

NCW's Emerging Translator Mentorships programme is an annual programme designed to develop successive new cohorts of literary translators into English, particularly for languages whose literature is currently under-represented in English translation. Applications open in the summer, and each selected mentee receives six months of personal mentoring with a mentor in their language or field.

Through its Visible Communities programme, NCW provides professional development opportunities for UK-based Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse literary translators, as well as translators working from heritage, diaspora, and community languages.

There is a wealth of support and information for translators at all stages of their careers is available through NCW’s Writing Hub.

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Enter the John Dryden Prize

BCLT co-sponsors the The John Dryden Translation Competition alongside the British Comparative Literature Association. Prizes are awarded annually for the best unpublished literary translations from any language into English, subject to finding a reader (entrance fee is refunded if no reader is available). Literary translation includes poetry, prose, or drama from any period. The competition is currently hosted by the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies at the University of Leeds.

Find out more

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Attend London Book Fair

If you’re an emerging literary translator, the London Book Fair is a great place to learn how the publishing world works and to start building connections. Alongside the wider Fair, the Literary Translation Centre offers talks, panels and networking events focused specifically on translation, covering practical questions, industry insights and current debates such as access and decolonising translation. Co-programmed by the British Centre for Literary Translation and partner organisations, these sessions are designed to support translators at all stages, making the Fair a valuable opportunity to learn, meet others in the field, and take your next steps as a literary translator.

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The Sebald Lecture

The Sebald Lecture is given annually on an aspect of literature in translation. Originally called the St. Jerome Lecture, it is now named after W.G. Sebald, who set up the BCLT in 1989. It is presented by the British Centre for Literary Translation in partnership with The British Library in London.

Previous speakers have included Elif Shafak, Emily Wilson, Arundhati Roy, and Margaret Atwood, among many others. Discover more and watch past Sebald Lectures here.

Explore Past Events for Emerging & Aspiring Translators

Visit our library

The BCLT Library, housed within the British Centre for Literary Translation at UEA, is a resource available to literary translators, researchers, UEA staff and students and the general public. Almost all of the library’s collection is available for readers to explore. Within the BCLT Library are books written in a wide variety of languages, as well as books translated into English from various languages. The library also contains reference works for the practice of literary translation, translations of poetry collections, dual-language poetry texts, journals relevant to literary translation, anthologies of translated works and biographies of writers.

Visit the BCLT Library on Tuesdays, 10am — 4pm. Find us in the Lakshmi Holmström Room, AHB 1.19, on the first floor of the Arts and Humanities building.

Browse our library online

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Volunteer with us

We are always seeking UEA students to volunteer to help with an ongoing cataloguing project of the BCLT Library. Volunteers have also been helping develop social media content for our various platforms. No previous experience is needed as training will be provided.

Interested? Email the BCLT team

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Join our Alumni Network

Sharing news, achievements, and updates from our literary translation community.

The BCLT Alumni Network is open to anyone who has previously collaborated with us — whether you’ve taken part in our Summer School, completed the MA in Literary Translation course, written a commission, been a resident, intern, or volunteer, or participated in any BCLT event or project.

It’s a great way to stay in touch with fellow literary translators and writers. As part of this vibrant community, you’ll receive quarterly updates featuring news, opportunities, and achievements from across the network. You’ll also have the chance to share your own stories and successes for inclusion in the Alumni Newsletter.