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Chinese-English Translation, Editing, & Research

I’m available for hire as a Chinese-English translator, bilingual editor, and Chinese language researcher. (For projects related to sensitivity reading, click here.) If you’d like to discuss the possibility of working with me, please contact me and I’ll get back to you. 

Specializations:

As a literary translator, I specialize in translating speculative fiction, poetry written in modern and classical Chinese, children’s literature, and graphic forms from Chinese into English. I also have experience as a bilingual editor and have translated marketing and promotional materials for arts and non-profit organizations.  

I can help with:

  • Translation of various texts, especially in the literary, creative, arts and culture, and academic fields, with a specialization in literary and fantasy fiction, poetry, and children’s and YA literature 
  • Chinese-language research on topics like history, mythology, literature, social issues, and more
  • English subtitles for videos and films.  
  • Editing translations or bilingual projects, evaluating translations.

Qualifications:

  • A native speaker of English, Mandarin, and the Sichuan (Yibin/Luzhou) dialect of Chinese, with knowledge of both simplified and traditional Chinese characters
  • Experience as a translator/translation consultant for Chinese, Canadian, and American writers and creatives as well as arts and cultural organizations 
  • Graduate Creative Writing MFA coursework in literary translation and undergraduate coursework in Chinese history, film, and literature
  • A published writer of original work in English as well as a published translator of fiction and poetry
  • Experience as an editor, editorial board member, and contest reader for publications such as Room Magazine and Prism International 

Examples of projects completed:

  • Chinese-English literary translation: speculative fiction for The Way Spring Arrives anthology (Tor) and Pathlight; poetry translations for numerous literary journals, including Poetry Magazine, Guernica, and LA Review of Books China Channel
  • English-Chinese literary translation: translating the picture book Amy Wu and The Patchwork Dragon (Simon & Schuster), book-length poetry collections and individual poems, and reading guides and news articles related to social justice, community organizing, and activism
  • Chinese-English and English-Chinese translation for arts and non-profits organizations: marketing and promotional materials like posters and signage; public art projects; video subtitles 
  • Chinese-English interpretation for visitors traveling in Suzhou, China
  • Evaluating translations for literary contests and grants

Some Organizations and People I have Worked With

  • Simon & Schuster, TorDotCom / Storycom, Canada Council for the Arts, Dr. Sun Yat Sen’s Garden, Access Gallery, Pathlight Magazine, and various private clients.
  • My literary translations work have also been supported by a fellowship from the American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) and by a grant from the Access Copyright Foundation. 

Testimonials:

“In my experience, Yilin’s process of translation is incredibly intuitive, and considerate of contemporary and historical context. Yilin conducts herself with professionalism and efficiency, and I will gladly commission her again.”

– Brit Bachmann, Executive Director of UNIT/PITT Society of Art & Critical Awareness

“Yilin is very communicative and thoughtful in her approach to artwork and the translation of it. She asks the right questions to deliver core meanings and nuances of the original language. We highly recommend her!”

– Minah & Wrly, Art Action Earwig (via Access Gallery)

“I highly recommend the research and translation services of Yilin Wang. I hired her to do online archival research for a documentary film, which included finding news articles, academic articles, and photographs. She did an exceptional job at tracking down hard-to-find material and was also very helpful in translating both nonfiction articles and poetry, as well as providing literary/cultural context in relation to the project.”
 
– Sara Wylie, filmmaker and producer
 
“Yilin Wang is a thoughtful translator and an absolute pleasure to work with. She takes the time to understand the soul of my poetry, asking the right questions and reviewing her choices for my approval throughout the translation process. For such disparate languages as English and Chinese, this level of care is incredibly important. I would work with her again in a heartbeat.”

– Ellen Chang-Richardson, author and poet

“Yilin Wang did an amazing job copyediting the Chinese and pinyin in my father’s memoir. She was thorough, meticulous, and detail-oriented; compiled a comprehensive style sheet; and answered all my follow up questions. I highly recommend her work!”
– Sylvia Liu, author