logo

SCBWI Opens Work in Progress Grants to Translators of Children’s Literature

For the first time, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) has opened its Work in Progress (WIP) grants to translators of children’s literature. 

Beginning this year, translators can follow the instructions here and here to submit to the WIP Translation category. Submissions will be accepted March 1–March 31, Midnight PDT 2019.  Translators should apply in the Translation category of the Work in Progress (WIP) program. They should submit a translation into English of a text that fits one of the following categories: Picture Book, Chapter Books/Early Readers, Middle Grade, Young Adult Fiction, Nonfiction. As part of the cover page/synopsis, they should identify the text’s category. In addition, they should give its genre, original author and language, original publisher and publication date (if published), and rights status (if known). Finally, they should describe why the text needs to be translated into English for young readers now. What is its relevance for the market?

Two other notes, based on questions that have come up:

  • Translators must be members of SCBWI to be eligible.
  • Despite the word “completed” here, where it says to send in “The first 10 pages (US letter size) of your completed manuscript,” translators need not have translated the full book on spec. All a translator needs to, or can, submit is 10 pages.

Any questions can be directed to Avery Udagawa by emailing: itc[at]scbwi[dot]org.For reference, just as in adult lit, translations make up only a tiny sliver of US kidlit, with representation of the world’s languages quite skewed within that sliver. Avery has two companion posts published in 2018, here and here, about the numbers.



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.