This $5,000 grant will be awarded to a proposed
work of literary translation from Swedish, Norwegian, Danish or Icelandic
into English and is open to anyone under the age of 30. The translation
must fall under the category of fiction or letters, and the applicant
will propose his or her own translation project. The project should
be manageable for a five-month period of work, as the grant will be
awarded in May 2010, and the translation must be completed by October
2010.
Acceptable proposals include a novella, a play, a collection of short
stories or poems, or a collection of letters that have literary import.
Preference will be given to works that have not been previously translated.
(Previously translated works will be considered, however applicants
should include an explanation for why they are proposing a new translation.)
Applicants wishing to translate significantly longer works should
contact the Foundation before sending in their applications so that
supplementary materials can be included. The prizewinner will be notified
on May 14, 2010 and results will be announced online at www.susansontag.org.
The recipient will be expected to participate in symposia on literary
translation with established writers and translators, as well as public
readings of their work once the translation has been completed.
Application Requirements (Please download the application
here.)
All applications must include three copies of the following:
• Application Cover Sheet (available here)
• Personal Statement (2 pages maximum) explaining your interest
and background in literature and the source language (Swedish, Norwegian,
Danish or Icelandic)
• Project proposal (2 pages maximum) outlining the work and
describing its importance
• 5 page sample translation of the proposed work from the source
language into English
• The same passage in the original language
• A bio-bibliography of the author (including information on
previous translations of his or her work into English)
• One academic letter of recommendation
• Official transcript from your current or most recent academic
institution
All applications must be submitted via regular mail to the address
below (no messenger services, please). All application materials must
be received by February 13, 2010.
Susan Sontag Foundation
790 Riverside Drive, #2F
New York, NY 10032
The fine print: Applicants must be under the age of 30 on the date
the prizewinner will be announced: May 14, 2010. By submitting work
to the Susan Sontag Foundation, the applicant acknowledges the right
of the Foundation to use the accepted work in its publications, on
its website, and for educational and promotional purposes related
to the Foundation. Please note that application materials cannot be
returned to applicants.