Elettra Pauletto – Translator

I'm a translator from Italian and French into English. My books have come out with Amazon Crossing, HarperDesign and various imprints of Hachette. Additional translations of reporting and short stories have appeared in Harper's Magazine, The Dodge, and The Dial. The genres I translate have included art, music, true crime, fiction, cooking and general interest. I hold an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University.

My work style is very responsive: I am always checking my emails--even on weekends--and will respond in a timely manner, particularly in emergencies. As a translator, I like to deliver my work in batches by dividing a book into four or five equal parts, then schedule calls with an author to go over the work done so far and to address potential queries from the writer. Throughout a translation, I will also make a list of my own questions to make sure there are no miscommunications stemming from a text. I will then raise these with the author for clarification. Ultimately, my job is to portray an Italian or French text in English while remaining as close to the original intention as possible, which is why I think it's important to work closely with an author (where possible), and to ensure we're on the same page.