By Laurie Bennett
At the ATA conference last October, I presented on one of the best parts of my work as a book translator: my twice-monthly meetings with a peer-review group called the Quicksilver Collective. Since 2022, this little crew of literary translators has kept me sane and provided invaluable professional opportunities. I’d like to tell you a bit about the experience because I think all translators would benefit from participating in a peer-review group at some point in their career.
What exactly is a peer-review group?
A peer-review group, or a rev club, is a small, collaborative group in which members regularly meet to exchange feedback on each other’s translations.
Why should you join a peer-review group?
Translators tend to work alone, often from home. It’s quiet—in fact, many of us intentionally sought out this solitude. But the model has its limitations. Over time, I’ve found I receive little feedback on my work, have few organic opportunities for mentorship, and rarely interact—let alone collaborate—with colleagues. Regularly meeting with a peer-review group can help you grow as a literary translator, whether you’re emerging or established.
So, who is the Quicksilver Collective?
The Quicksilver Collective is a group of eight literary translators all working into English from French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and Italian. Most of us met through the ALTA Multilingual Workshops, and a few other colleagues joined along the way. Members live in the US, Canada, and the UK. Together, we’ve worked on flash fiction, memoirs, speculative fiction, horror, graphic novels, and essays, to name a few.
We meet twice a month over Zoom, for about an hour, where the group focuses on one member’s excerpt. Pieces, typically under 1,000 words, are most often the opening pages of a book. We spend the first 15 minutes or so catching up and celebrating each other’s good news! (With 8 members, there’s usually someone signing a new contract, getting published, or submitting work.) Next, we start to discuss the piece from a distance and ask: Why this text? What was tricky about it? What kind of feedback does the translator want? This ensures we don’t spend practically the entire meeting on a single thorny sentence—it has been done!—when the real issue is voice or pacing.
What we’ve found works
Our diverse backgrounds: Our group includes full-time, established literary translators, commercial translators, translation editors, professors in translation, language, and literature, and emerging literary translators, each with their own area of expertise, such as the Victorian era, Malagasy culture, and even farming.
Streamlined logistics: At the start of every semester, we agree on a standing meeting time, so there’s no back-and-forth needed to schedule every session. Attendance is not mandatory, and members can show up even if they haven’t had time to read the piece in advance. In a shared spreadsheet containing the meeting link and upcoming dates, members can sign up for a slot to share their work. This spreadsheet has significantly reduced the number of logistical emails sent out. We also created an Outlook email group to make communication easier.
Trust and relationships first: Sharing your work with colleagues can be intimidating! The same goes for providing feedback. We are always kind and aim to be gentle and playful in our suggestions to create a safe space. Our meetings are informal, and they’ve become more familiar with time. Members show up however they can—with their lunch, with a knitting project, in a cozy bathrobe…whatever works! We have our cameras on but skip screen sharing, which I think makes the whole thing feel more like a casual conversation.
How the collective has helped me
We have all improved our craft as literary translators through this group. During our sessions, members sharing the first pages of a book have often gotten a better sense of their voice, and we’ve tackled a few tricky translation puzzles—one of my favorites was figuring out how to translate a narrator with a speech impediment and an idiosyncratic use of language resulting from trauma! Each conversation shows us new perspectives and allows us to better understand our own processes. Now, we think about each other while we work. When pondering a sentence, I ask myself: Would that one colleague say I’ve flattened the text? Would the other find the dialogue too stiff? So often, our conversations have also left us divided on how to translate a given phrase, thus normalizing the sense of self-doubt that all translators inevitably feel at some point when making a tough call.
The group’s feedback has also gone beyond literary excerpts. Occasionally, we’ve helped each other polish grant applications, pitches, and ATA conference presentations.
What I hadn’t expected, back in 2022, was that we would become friends. Many of us have now met in person when passing through each other’s cities. In 2024, some of us attended the London Book Fair together and shared a house—it was invaluable to have a safe “home base” during such an overwhelming industry event.
Of course, in an industry that runs on referrals and networking, this group has provided countless opportunities. We regularly share potential resources with the group (grant and residency announcements, competitions, calls for submissions) and occasionally have put colleagues in touch with new clients.
Thinking of starting your own group?
Starting a group is easier than you might think. A few things we’ve found useful:
- Group size: I think 5-8 people is the sweet spot. Small enough that you can find a meeting time that works for everyone, but big enough to generate an interesting discussion even when a few people can’t make it.
- Frequency: we like meeting twice a month best because it keeps the group connected and maintains momentum.
- Setting intentions as a group: make sure to periodically have meetings about what group members want. This will help address issues as they arise and prevent conflict.
- Nurture relationships and create a safe space: lead with kindness, assume good intentions, and make it easy for people to show up as they are. Of course, not every combination of personalities will work—it’s okay if the first group you form isn’t a hit!
If any of this resonates with you, I’d encourage you to find your people. The right crew can become an invaluable asset and source of joy in your work. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to talk about starting your own peer-review group.
Bio:
Laurie Bennett is a Canadian certified French-to-English freelance translator with a background in agricultural engineering. She has translated books about regenerative farming and gardening, rock climbing, and true crime for repeat clients with whom she has built lasting relationships. She strives to share tools and experience with colleagues, so that—together—they can build sustainable and fulfilling freelance businesses.