The Art of Workshopping: Editing Your Own Literary Translation by Shanna Tan

A strong literary translation is shaped through revision, feedback, and careful editing. In this two-hour hands-on workshop, Shanna will share practical approaches to editing literary translations, giving and receiving constructive feedback in peer workshops, and preparing translations for publication through effective pitching.

Suitable for translators with little or no previous workshopping experience, the session combines practical guidance with collaborative discussion to help participants develop greater confidence in refining and presenting their work.

Participants are required to submit an approximately 200-word literary prose translation (into English) by 21 September 2026, 11.59pm to programmes@bookcouncil.sg after getting tickets to the workshop. Translations may be from any language into English. Literary prose of all kinds (including novels, short stories, literary essays, travel writing, and creative non-fiction) are welcome. Unfortunately, poetry and non-fiction cannot be accommodated.

Please format your submission in Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced, and include your name, the title of the work, the author's name, and the source language at the top of the MS Word document.

Five submissions will be selected for live discussion during the workshop. All participants will receive individual written feedback from Shanna via email after the workshop.

About the Facilitator

Shanna Tan is a Singaporean literary translator working from Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and occasionally Thai, into English. She has translated more than ten Korean bestselling titles, including Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum and the feminist thriller Plant Lady by Minyoung Kang. This year, she's thrilled to be putting out translations from three languages, including the English edition of her all-time favourite novel: Café. Waiting. Love by Giddens Ko (九把刀) from Taiwan. She enjoys self-learning languages.