Podcast Summary: The Art And Business Of Literary Translation With Dani James

The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers, Episode #824
Host: Joanna Penn
Guest: Dani James
Aired: August 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on the journey of Dani James—a writer and first-time translator—who translated Return to the Place I Never Left, a Holocaust memoir by Tobias Schiff, into English. The conversation explores both the emotional and practical aspects of literary translation, with insights into the personal motives driving such work, the creative challenges, and the complex legal and business processes required to bring translated works to new audiences. Through Dani’s story, listeners gain a behind-the-scenes look at the labor of love that is literary translation, as well as the business realities facing translators in today’s publishing landscape.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Dani’s Personal and Linguistic Background

• [21:23–24:14]
  • Dani is a writer based in New York City, raised in Antwerp, Belgium.
  • Fluent in several languages; educated in Flemish/Dutch.
  • Translating this memoir was her first experience as a literary translator.
  • Motivation stemmed from deep personal connection to the book, which she had reread many times over the years.
  • “I found a lot of joy in it. And I’ve actually learned a lot about how translation…can really enhance a creative practice in ways I wouldn’t have expected.” – Dani, [21:55]

2. Family & Cultural Connections to the Memoir

• [24:14–29:29]
  • Dani’s grandparents were Holocaust survivors; the Holocaust is an integral part of her family’s history.
  • Personal ties: Grew up in a Jewish community of survivors in Belgium; Tobias Schiff’s granddaughter was a childhood acquaintance.
  • Memoir’s setting (Antwerp) and subject matter resonated with Dani’s own lived experience.
  • The book is written in verse with direct, accessible language originating from a documentary interview.
  • Quote: “What stood out about Tobias Schiff’s book was the style…it’s written in verse…very direct language…he’s speaking to you as a friend…” – Dani, [27:00]

3. Complex Journey of the Original Manuscript

• [29:29–32:13]
  • Original memoir was derived from a French documentary interview, then published as transcripts in French.
  • Editors worked with Schiff to develop a Flemish/Dutch edition in the 1990s; later translated into French (2012) and republished in Flemish (2017).
  • Dani’s translation (2025) is the first English language version.

4. The Legal & Business Side of Translation

• [32:13–42:37]
  • Dani approached the estate/family for verbal permission before starting translation—formal rights not secured until later.
  • She shopped the completed manuscript to publishers before realizing the need for official rights agreements.
  • Advice: Legal counsel is crucial for managing rights, as translation is a subsidiary right (not just author/estate approval—also previous publisher, local laws, etc.).
  • Quote: “The best decision I had made...my lawyer had more experience...helped me navigate not just the publication deal with the publisher here...but also with the rights in Belgium.” – Dani, [38:13]
  • Challenges in cross-border rights: Required coordination between US and Belgian copyright law, formal bilingual contracts, and determining current rights holders.
  • All legal costs (and much of the process) were personally borne—a genuine labor of love.

5. Creative Challenges in Literary Translation

• [50:05–56:48]
  • Dani’s approach: Longhand literal translation as first draft; then iterative editing to balance loyalty to original and resonance with English readers.
  • The memoir’s poetic, sparse style prompted creative decisions about line breaks and emphasis.
  • On the nature of translation:
    • “No two translations are the same…when you read a translation...you are reading the product of two—the original author and the translator...” – Dani quoting Mark Polizotti, [53:30]
    • “A translated book [is] a sibling of the original, but not a twin.” – Dani quoting Katrin Ogard Jensen, [54:00]
  • Dani found the process unexpectedly generative for her own writing practice.

6. Publication and Marketing Experience

• [42:37–49:21]
  • First major publication for Dani beyond literary magazines/anthologies.
  • Published by Wayne State University Press—collaborative on design and marketing, but much of promotional effort fell to Dani.
  • Insights:
    • “The majority falls on the author or translator, in this case, themselves, to really push it out into the world.” – Dani, [46:39]
    • Video marketing: Dani created a book trailer with the help of a creative collaborator, finding value in the outsider editorial perspective.
  • Acknowledgment that such a labor may not yield significant financial return, but the deeper connections and personal fulfillment outweigh the economics.

7. AI-Assisted Translation: Dani’s Perspective

• [56:48–59:42]
  • Dani did not use AI for her translation; is cautious about relying on AI for literary texts due to nuance, word choice, and the intimacy of manual translation.
  • Sees possible utility for legal or formulaic texts, but literary work demands the translator’s direct creative engagement.

8. Future Creative Plans

• [59:42–62:20]
  • Open to future translation projects and has another Holocaust survivor memoir (shorter) to consider.
  • Currently focusing on an original English-language novel with lighter themes for creative change and personal balance.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On Personal Motivation:
  “I just knew I wanted to translate the book. And so before I even got started, I asked the family for permission.”
  — Dani, [32:41]

• On the Translator’s Creative Role:
  “It means that you are reading the product of two—the original author and the translator, who has to read the text, interpret it, and regenerate it…”
  — Dani quoting Mark Polizotti, [53:30]

• On the Rights Process:
  “It was a complex process...I had no former knowledge of the process when I started...I had to formalize permission, find out who owned the rights...navigate Belgian copyright law.”
  — Dani, [36:47]

• On Marketing Reality:
  “The majority [of marketing] falls on the author or translator, in this case, themselves, to really push it out into the world.”
  — Dani, [46:39]

• On the Nature of Translation:
  “A translated book [is] a sibling of the original, but not a twin.”
  — Dani quoting Katrin Ogard Jensen, [54:00]

• Advice to Listeners:
  “It is important to get [rights] done before you start…if you hadn’t known them, they could have just said, ‘well no, you have the rights’ or they could have had an offer for an English translation as well and your work would have been wasted.”
  — Joanna, [40:33]

Segment Timestamps Guide

| Segment | Timestamps | |------------------------------------|--------------| | Dani’s background & motivation | 21:22–24:14 | | Family ties to the memoir | 24:14–29:29 | | The memoir’s publishing journey | 29:29–32:13 | | Securing translation rights | 32:13–42:37 | | Publishing & marketing experience | 42:37–49:21 | | Translating as a creative act | 49:21–56:48 | | AI and literary translation | 56:48–59:42 | | Dani’s future creative plans | 59:42–62:20 | | Wrap-up and Dani’s contact info | 62:20–63:46 |

Additional Resources

• Dani James’s Website: danijames.co
• Return to the Place I Never Left – available wherever books are sold online.
• Wayne State University Press – publisher of the new English translation.
• YouTube Book Trailer: (Link on Dani’s site via danijames.co)

Tone & Language

The conversation is warm, thoughtful, and deeply personal. Dani shares practical, sometimes challenging realities with humility and candor. Joanna provides nuanced, industry-informed follow-up questions and contextualizes Dani’s journey for fellow writers, translating professional complexity into clear, supportive guidance.

For Listeners

This episode is a must-listen for writers interested in translation, memoir, and the intersection of literary art and business. It will especially resonate with those navigating international publishing and anyone committed to bringing meaningful, lesser-known works to new audiences.