The Translator is a writer... and how to become a Copywriter
Corinne Wecksteen, in her article entitled Le traducteur : un écrivain refoulé ? Réflexions sur Les Nègres du traducteur, de Claude Bleton, et sur Vengeance du traducteur, de Brice Matthieussent ("The translator: a repressed writer? Reflections on Les Nègres du traducteur, by Claude Bleton, and on Vengeance du traducteur, by Brice Matthieussent"),
writes that
le rapport entre traduction et écriture est très étroit, au point qu’il est parfois difficile de différencier ces activités l’une de l’autre, tant elles semblent dialectiquement liées
("the relationship between translation and writing is very close, to the point that it is sometimes difficult to differentiate these activities from each other, so much so that they seem so dialectically linked"). Meanwhile, Georges-Arthur Goldschmidt, a French translator of German origin, said that
the translator is a writer who is lucky enough not to look for what he has to say.
But what if we are translators, and we want to be more? If we want to create our own "words"? Make our own luck! The answer from me is yes!
My next challenge is copywriting: Becoming a Copywriter for French and Romanian audiences.
How do you become a copywriter? Read, write, show and train... Read a lot: to write well, you need to read a lot. Reading is an excellent way to broaden your knowledge and general culture. For a copywriter, it's indispensable. He/She must constantly be able to find examples and references that are relevant to the person he is addressing.
Writing a lot: and there is no real secret to this! You have to prepare and get used to it. The easiest way to start is to start small. Write a little here and there on subjects that interest you. And this is where our blog plays an important role, and that's why I decided to devote more time to it. I will "force myself" to write articles at least 3 times a week, including articles related to the translation or localization industry, as well as scientific writing, and maybe some more personal articles about my status as a woman, a mother and a translator.
Show your work: I love writing, and a few years ago, I had even started writing a book on Wattpad, then in 2019, I started writing a French guide for researchers, but overwhelmed by translation/localization projects, I put the writing on the back burner. And I miss it! Train/Learn: to achieve success, and to combine my pleasure in writing with learning new skills, learning is the key. And why not create a new service for your clients in the future? So, in the last few weeks, I took several copywriting courses, especially for the marketing field, one of my specialization fields for translation/localization, and also read a lot.
All this new dynamic has been boosted by a test I did for a future project as a database utterance creator. I loved it so much! And seeing my work appreciated, gave me more energy and I said to myself: Come on, Gabi, go back to writing. In the next articles, I will share with you some book recommendations and also some free online courses to become a copywriter. Till soon, and don't hesitate to write me a comment, if you too have taken the plunge of copywriting, being a translator. Stay safe! Source article cited (in French language):
https://www.paralleles.unige.ch/files/9415/2839/0408/Wecksteen_Paralleles_25_pp51-64.pdf
Credit photo:
https://justpublishingadvice.com/is-being-an-seo-copywriter-the-right-job-for-you/