The American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) is a non-profit organization that supports and promotes literary translation and translators.
ALTA awards five major prizes at the annual ALTA conference: the National Translation Awards in Poetry and Prose, for exceptional books of translated literature published within the previous year; the Lucien Stryk Asian Translation Prize, for an outstanding work of Asian literature published within the previous year; the Italian Prose in Translation Award (IPTA), for an exceptional work of Italian prose in English translation published within the previous year; and the Spain-USA Foundation Translation Award (SUFTA) for an exceptional work of prose by a Spanish (Spain) author published within the previous year. We also offer the ALTA Travel Fellowships for emerging translators to attend the annual conference, including the Peter K. Jansen Memorial Travel Fellowship for an emerging translator of color or a translator working from an underrepresented diaspora or stateless language.
Submissions are accepted from mid-January through mid-April via Submittable only.
Any questions about awards may be directed to Communications and Awards Manager Rachael Daum at rachaeldaum@literarytranslators.org.
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ALTA administers the ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program, which is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. Learn more about the program on our website.
Submissions are accepted from early September through late November via Submittable only.
Please find answers to your questions about ALTA's Mentorship Program on our program FAQ page! If you don't see the answer to your question there, you may write to Program Manager Kelsi Vanada at kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Find out more about us on our website. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and our Wordpress blog.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working with literature from Taiwan into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected during the first nine months of the mentorship. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding.
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in literature from Taiwan with Steve Bradbury.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages (double-spaced if prose), along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT. Prose, poetry, hybrid work, and drama are all welcome.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with the Taiwan Academy of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
Steve Bradbury translates the work of contemporary Chinese-language poets. His last book-length publication, Raised by Wolves: Poems and Conversations (Deep Vellum), won the 2020 PEN America Poetry in Translation Award.
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working with literature from Québec into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected during the first nine months of the mentorship. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding.
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in literature from Québec with Madeleine Stratford.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages (double-spaced if prose), along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT. Prose, poetry, hybrid work, and drama are all welcome.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with Québec Édition.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
Madeleine Stratford is a poet, a literary translator and an associate professor at Université du Québec en Outaouais. Her translations have been shortlisted for the Governor General award in Canada (2016, 2019, 2021), as well as for the Young Readers Kirkus Prize in the US (2017). Her recent work includes Québécois classic Swallowed [L’Avalée des avalés] by Réjean Ducharme (Véhicule Press, 2020) and Canadian bestseller Chasseurs d’étoiles [Hunting by Stars] by Métis writer Cherie Dimaline (Boréal, 2023).
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working from Korean prose into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected during the first nine months. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding.
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in Korean prose with Janet Hong.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages double-spaced (prose), along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with LTI Korea.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
Janet Hong is a writer and translator based in Vancouver, Canada. She received the TA First Translation Prize and the LTI Korea Translation Award for her translation of Han Yujoo’sThe Impossible Fairy Tale. She’s a two-time winner of the Harvey Award for Best International Book for her translations of Keum Suk Gendry-Kim’s Grass and Yeong-shin Ma’s Moms. Recent translations include Kwon Yeo-sun’s Lemon and Ha Seong-nan’s Bluebeard’s First Wife.
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working from Korean poetry into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected in the first nine months. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding.
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in Korean poetry with mentor Jack Jung.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages, along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with LTI Korea.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship reading at ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the mentor
Jack Jung studied at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where he was a Truman Capote Fellow. He is a co-translator of Yi Sang: Selected Works (Wave Books 2020), the winner of 2021 MLA Prize for a Translation of Literary Work. His poetry and translations have been published in Washington Square Review, Bennington Review, BOMB Magazine, The Paris Review, Poetry Magazine, Chicago Review, Guernica Magazine, The Margins, Denver Quarterly, Poetry Northwest, and elsewhere. He teaches at Davidson College.
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working from Japanese into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected during the first nine months. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding.
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in Japanese with Takami Nieda.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages (double-spaced if prose) from the proposed project, along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with the Yanai Initiative at UCLA.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
Takami Nieda is a two-time winner of the Freeman Book Award for YA Literature for her translations of GO by Kazuki Kaneshiro and The Color of the Sky Is the Shape of the Heart by Chesil. She is currently working on Travelers of a Hundred Years by Lee Hoesung, forthcoming from University of Michigan Press in 2024. Nieda teaches writing and multilingual translation at Seattle Central College.
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working from Catalan into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected during the first nine months. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding.
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in Catalan with Julia Sanches.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages (double-spaced if prose) from the proposed project, along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with the Institut Ramon Llull.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
Julia Sanches translates literature from Portuguese, Spanish, and Catalan into English. Her recent translations include Boulder by Eva Baltasar, which was shortlisted for the 2023 International Booker Prize.
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working from Polish into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected during the first nine months. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers ALTA conference registration, as well as travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding.
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in Polish with Bill Johnston.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages (double-spaced if prose) from the proposed project, along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with the Polish Cultural Institute New York.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
Bill Johnston received the 2019 National Translation Award in Poetry for his rendering of Adam Mickiewicz’s epic narrative poem in rhyming couplets Pan Tadeusz (Archipelago Books, 2018). He translates from Polish and French; his recent translations have included work by Julia Fiedorczuk, Kaja Malanowska, Jean Giono, and Jeanne Benameur. His numerous honors include the PEN Translation Prize, the Best Translated Book Award, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. He teaches literary translation at Indiana University, where he is currently serving as Michael Henry Heim Chair in Central and East European Letters.
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working from Tamil into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected in the first nine months. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the ALTA conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding. SALT-funded mentees receive an additional $1,000 travel stipend to attend the London Bookfair from March 12-14, 2024. Receipt of travel stipends ($1,500 for the ALTA conference and $1,000 for the London Bookfair) is contingent upon travel to and participation in these events. Confirmation of your intention to travel will be due to ALTA in advance. (ALTA understands that actual travel plans may be subject to visa restrictions or other factors.)
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in Tamil with N Kalyan Rahman.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the nine-month mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages (double-spaced if prose) from the proposed project, along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with the SALT Project.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
N Kalyan Rahman is a translator of Tamil fiction and poetry into English. He has published 15 works of translated fiction and over 200 poems by leading Tamil poets in journals and anthologies in India and abroad. The Story of a Goat, his translation of Perumal Murugan's Poonachi, was longlisted for the National Book Award for Translated Literature in 2020. He was recipient of the Translation Prize (English) for 2022 given by the Central Academy of Letters in India. He lives and works in the port city of Chennai in south India.
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working from Nepali into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings during the rest of the mentorship year, either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected in the first nine months. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding. SALT-funded mentees receive an additional $1,000 travel stipend to attend the London Bookfair from March 12-14, 2024. Receipt of travel stipends ($1,500 for the ALTA conference and $1,000 for the London Bookfair) is contingent upon travel to and participation in these events. Confirmation of your intention to travel will be due to ALTA in advance. (ALTA understands that actual travel plans may be subject to visa restrictions or other factors.)
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in Nepali with Manjushree Thapa.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages (double-spaced if prose) from the proposed project, along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with the SALT Project.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
Manjushree Thapa is the author of eight books of fiction and nonfiction centred on contemporary Nepal. She has also translated Nepali literature into English, most recently Indra Bahadur Rai’s modern classic There’s a Carnival Today, set in Darjeeling’s separatist movement. She translated the works of 49 Nepali poets and writers in The Country is Yours, and has guest edited collections of Nepali literature in translation for Manoa, La.Lit, and Words Without Borders. She has a Master’s in English from the University of Washington, where she was a Fulbright fellow, and a DLitt (Honorary) from Western University. She is currently working on a novel.
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working from Bangla into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected during the first nine months. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding. SALT-funded mentees receive an additional $1,000 travel stipend to attend the London Bookfair from March 12-14, 2024. Receipt of travel stipends ($1,500 for the ALTA conference and $1,000 for the London Bookfair) is contingent upon travel to and participation in these events. Confirmation of your intention to travel will be due to ALTA in advance. (ALTA understands that actual travel plans may be subject to visa restrictions or other factors.)
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in Bangla with Arunava Sinha.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages (double-spaced if prose) from the proposed project, along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with the SALT Project.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
Arunava Sinha is a literary translator, working from Bengali into English and English into Bengali. More than 80 of his translations have been published so far across India, the UK, the US, and Australia. He teaches in the Creative Writing Department of Ashoka University in India, and is Co-Director, Ashoka Centre for Translation. He lives and works in New Delhi.
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working from Hindi into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected during the first nine months. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding. SALT-funded mentees receive an additional $1,000 travel stipend to attend the London Bookfair from March 12-14, 2024. Receipt of travel stipends ($1,500 for the ALTA conference and $1,000 for the London Bookfair) is contingent upon travel to and participation in these events. Confirmation of your intention to travel will be due to ALTA in advance. (ALTA understands that actual travel plans may be subject to visa restrictions or other factors.)
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in Hindi with Daisy Rockwell.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages (double-spaced if prose) from the proposed project, along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with the SALT Project.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
Daisy Rockwell is an artist and translator living in Vermont, USA. She has translated numerous twentieth century classics into English from Hindi and Urdu, including Bhisham Sahni's Tamas, and Khadija Mastur'sThe Women's Courtyard. Her translation of Krishna Sobti's A Gujarat Here, a Gujarat There was awarded the 2019 Aldo and Jeannie Scaglioni for Translation of a Literary Work, and her translation of Geetanjali Shree's Tomb of Sand was awarded the 2022 International Booker Prize as well as the 2022 Warwick Prize for Women in Translation.
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working from Malayalam into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected during the first nine months. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding. SALT-funded mentees receive an additional $1,000 travel stipend to attend the London Bookfair from March 12-14, 2024. Receipt of travel stipends ($1,500 for the ALTA conference and $1,000 for the London Bookfair) is contingent upon travel to and participation in these events. Confirmation of your intention to travel will be due to ALTA in advance. (ALTA understands that actual travel plans may be subject to visa restrictions or other factors.)
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in Malayalam with Jayasree Kalathil.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages (double-spaced if prose) from the proposed project, along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with the SALT Project.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
Dr. Jayasree Kalathil is the author ofThe Sackclothman, a children’s book which has been translated into Malayalam, Telugu, and Hindi. She has received the V. Abdulla Memorial Translation Prize (for Sheela Tomy’sValli), the JCB Prize for Literature (for S. Hareesh’sMoustache), and the Crossword Books Jury Award for Indian Language Translation (for N Prabhakaran’sDiary of a Malayali Madman). She has published widely in the area of anti-racism and human rights in mental health, including Recovery and Resilience: African, African-Caribbean and South Asian Women’s Stories and the co-authored textbookValues and Ethics in Mental Health. Originally from Kerala, India, Jayasree lives in the New Forest in England.
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working from Urdu into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected in the first nine months. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding. SALT-funded mentees receive an additional $1,000 travel stipend to attend the London Bookfair from March 12-14, 2024. Receipt of travel stipends ($1,500 for the ALTA conference and $1,000 for the London Bookfair) is contingent upon travel to and participation in these events. Confirmation of your intention to travel will be due to ALTA in advance. (ALTA understands that actual travel plans may be subject to visa restrictions or other factors.)
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in Urdu with Musharraf Ali Farooqi.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages (double-spaced if prose) from the proposed project, along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with the SALT Project.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
Musharraf Ali Farooqi is an author, novelist, and translator. He is an international authority on Urdu classical literature, and the founder of the Library of Urdu Classics (urduclassics.com) and Urdu Thesaurus (urduthesaurus.com). He is also the founder of Storykit, a program that uses stories to educate children. Web: micromaf.com.
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working from Panjabi into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected in the first nine months. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding. SALT-funded mentees receive an additional $1,000 travel stipend to attend the London Bookfair from March 12-14, 2024. Receipt of travel stipends ($1,500 for the ALTA conference and $1,000 for the London Bookfair) is contingent upon travel to and participation in these events. Confirmation of your intention to travel will be due to ALTA in advance. (ALTA understands that actual travel plans may be subject to visa restrictions or other factors.)
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in Panjabi with Nirupama Dutt.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages (double-spaced if prose) from the proposed project, along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with the SALT Project.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
Nirupama Dutt is a well-known poet, journalist, columnist, and translator, writing in both English and Punjabi, as well as occasionally in Hindi. She received the Punjabi Akademi Award for her anthology of poems, Ik Nadi Sanwali Jahi (A Stream Somewhat Dark). Her poetry anthologies in English and Hindi are: The Black Woman and Buri Auraton Ki Fehrist Se. Her poems have been translated into many languages and included in several anthologies. Her books include Stories of the Soil (translation of 41 stories from Punjabi, published by Penguin) and Poet of the Revolution (translation of the memoirs and poetry of Lal Singh Dil (Penguin).
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working on poetry from a South Asian language into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected in the first nine months. The mentorship program will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding. SALT-funded mentees receive an additional $1,000 travel stipend to attend the London Bookfair from March 12-14, 2024. Receipt of travel stipends ($1,500 for the ALTA conference and $1,000 for the London Bookfair) is contingent upon travel to and participation in these events. Confirmation of your intention to travel will be due to ALTA in advance. (ALTA understands that actual travel plans may be subject to visa restrictions or other factors.)
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in poetry from a South Asian language with Khairani Barokka.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages from the proposed project, along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with the SALT Project.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
Khairani Barokka is Editor of Modern Poetry in Translation (MPT), and a writer and artist from Jakarta, with around twenty-five years of professional translation experience. Okka’s work has been presented widely internationally, and centres disability justice as anticolonial praxis, and access as translation. Among her honours, she has been MPT’s Inaugural Poet-in-Residence, a UNFPA Indonesian Young Leader Driving Social Change, an Artforum Must-See, and Associate Artist at the UK’s National Centre for Writing. Okka’s books include Indigenous Species, Rope, and Stairs and Whispers: D/deaf and Disabled Poets Write Back (as co-editor). Her latest is Ultimatum Orangutan, shortlisted for the Barbellion Prize.
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging BIPOC translators working in any genre from any language into English (open to translators who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or a Person of Color).
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected in the first nine months. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding.
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. This mentorship is open to translators who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or a Person of Color. Preference will be given to those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the non-language-specific, non-genre-specific BIPOC mentorship with Kareem James Abu-Zeid (open to translators who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or a Person of Color).
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages (double-spaced if prose), along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with anonymous individual donors.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
Kareem James Abu-Zeid, PhD, is an Egyptian-American translator of poets and novelists from across the Arab world who translates from Arabic, French, and German. He has received the Sarah Maguire Prize for poetry in translation, an NEA translation grant, PEN Center USA's translation prize, Poetry Magazine's translation prize, a Fulbright research fellowship, and translation residencies from the Lannan Foundation and the Banff International Center for the Arts, among other honors. He is also the author of the book The Poetics of Adonis and Yves Bonnefoy: Poetry as Spiritual Practice. The online hub for his work is www.kareemjamesabuzeid.com.
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.
Accepting applications for emerging translators working from Swedish into English.
The ALTA Emerging Translator Mentorship Program is designed to establish and facilitate a close working relationship between an experienced translator and an emerging translator on a project selected by the emerging translator. The mentorship duration is one year. The emerging translator is expected to choose a project that can be completed in that time, and they will only be advised on that particular project. ALTA's Emerging Translator Mentorship Program was founded by former ALTA board member Allison M. Charette.
All mentors and mentees meet via video conference at the beginning of their mentorship in February, and continue their work through individual meetings either in person, over Skype, or by phone. A minimum of six meetings is expected in the first nine months. The mentorship will feature a presentation of the mentee’s work in a reading at the annual ALTA conference in the fall.
ALTA's mentees also have the option to take part in our "First Look" program, which allows participating publishers to be the first to read excerpts of the translations mentees have worked on throughout their mentorship, for possible publication. The $1500 travel stipend covers travel to the conference location and on-site accommodations. ALTA conference registration is also covered for both mentors and mentees. Please note that each of our program funders may have different stipulations regarding travel funding.
The program is open to emerging translators at no cost to them. An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of translation. While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK). Though English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States. The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability (applicants are not expected to secure rights for their proposal).
This program is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for a Mentorship. Applicants may apply to both programs in the same year, but only may only receive one award.
While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, etc), please note that successful applicants will only be allowed to pursue one mentorship at a given time. In other words, applicants selected for more than one mentorship will need to choose one to accept. This allows our programs to support the greatest number of emerging translators.
For more information, please see our website for details, as well as introductions to former mentees and their accomplishments.
Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2023 at 11:59pm PT. The selected mentees will be announced in February.
Please use this form to apply to the mentorship in Swedish with Rachel Willson-Broyles.
Applications must be submitted online through our submission platform, and must include:
- CV
- A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Projects must be reasonably expected to be completed within the scope of the mentorship. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.
- A sample translation of 8-10 pages (double-spaced if prose), along with the corresponding source text IN ONE DOCUMENT.
This mentorship is being offered by ALTA in partnership with the Swedish Arts Council.
The timeline for the mentorship program application process is:
September 1, 2023: Submissions open
November 30, 2023: Submissions close
Late January, 2024: Selected mentees notified
Early February, 2024: Selected mentees announced
Early February, 2024: Mentorship program begins with a virtual meeting
Fall 2024: Mentorship program reading at the ALTA47 conference (likely October 25-28 in Milwaukee, WI, but dates and location are TBC)
December 2024-January 2025: First Look Program
About the Mentor
Rachel Willson-Broyles is a freelance translator specializing in translating contemporary literature from Swedish to English. She received her BA in Scandinavian Studies from Gustavus Adolphus College in 2002 and her PhD in Scandinavian Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2013. Recent translations include Stolen by Ann-Helén Laestadius and Blaze Me a Sun by Christoffer Carlsson. Rachel lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
-------------- Please contact ALTA's Program Manager Kelsi Vanada with any questions: kelsi@literarytranslators.org.