For the first time, BookExpo America - the United States' primary publishing event - focused its Global Market Forum on the topic of translation, rather than on a specific country. And from the beginning, the sessions rang with overlapping themes of missed chances, an ever-expanding marketplace, and the changing avenues toward translation.
The conference's keynote speaker was Rüdiger Wischenbart, director of International Affairs for BookExpo America, who noted, "This year, translations are a genre that are a true destination at BEABookExpo America, commonly referred to within the book publishing industry as BEA. The largest annual book trade fair in the United States, with approximately 30 events unfolding at the East Side Stage." His tone was optimistic, but as the chorus rang throughout the morning, the "genre" is not without its issues.
Here's the problem with translations: they're a challenge to produce; they're hard to sell and hard to market; audiences are hard to find.