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French Voices 2008. Third Year
Call For Submissions
Description

“French Voices”: what is it?

The French version of World Voices! To make contemporary French voices available to American readers through translation—books to be read and debated by American readers eager to explore new forms and ideas.

What’s the objective of this program?

To ensure that 30 contemporary French books are translated in the United States by the end of 2008.

Who can participate?

If you are a literary agent, editor, or translator, and you already have a translated sample of a French book—but you do not necessarily have a contract with an American publisher—, fill in the application form and send it back to us.

What’s to be gained by participating?

To help offset the financial risks associated with distributing translated texts in the American marketplace, the publisher of each selected project will receive $6,000. If a project without an American publisher is selected, we will do our best to support it by identifying and making overtures to a suitable partner. In 2006, one in three books that received grants had no American publisher; they found one thanks to the French Voices grant and through our efforts.

Who chooses the books?

A committee of French and American professionals meets several times a year to read and discuss the works submitted for consideration. The committee is headed by a representative from the Book Office at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy’s and comprises:
  • Esther ALLEN (Columbia, Center for Literary Translation)
  • Olivier COHEN (L’Olivier)
  • Emmanuelle ERTEL (translator, NYU)
  • Stéphane GERSON (NYU, Institute of French Studies)
  • Siri HUSTVEDT (writer)
  • A. KAISER (translator)
  • Suzanna LEA (agent)
  • Elisabeth PEELLAERT (translator)
  • Jeannette SEAVER (Arcade Publishing)
  • Frédéric VIGUIER (NYU, Institute of French Studies)
  • Alyson WATERS (translator, Yale)

Why speak of “a collection”?

The books will be published by different publishing houses, but there will still be a coherent thread.  To establish this coherence, a French Voices logo will appear on every book included in the series.  To attract as many readers as possible, especially those who may be more hesitant to choose translated texts, each book will contain a short preface by a notable American author who will explain the book’s main ideas and themes. 

In 2006, seven titles have been selected by the committee. In fiction, Jean Echenoz’ Ravel, Leonora Miano’s L’Intérieur de la nuit, Véronique Ovaldé’s Déloger l’animal and Abdourahman A. Waberi’s Aux Etats-Unis d’Afrique. In non-fiction, André Comte-Sponville’s L’Esprit de l’athéisme, Amin Maalouf’s Origines and Malika Zeghal’s Les Islamistes marocains.

In 2007, five titles have been selected by the committee. In fiction, René Belletto’s Coda, Céline Curiol’s Voix sans issue, Annie Ernaux’ La vie extérieure. In non-fiction, Pierre Bayard’s Comment parler des livres que l’on n’a pas lus ?, Maurice Blanchot’s Ecrits politiques.

Seven additionals titles for 2007 have been selected: Muriel Barbery’s, L’élégance du hérisson, Yasmina Khadra’s, Cousine K, Lyonel Trouillot’s, Les enfants des héros, Tanguy Viel’s, Insoupçonnable, Marie Darrieussecq’s, Le bébé, Frédéric Pajak’s, Le chagrin d’amour, Jean Starobinski’s, Les enchanteresses.


Selection criteria
  • The quality of the translation
  • It must be a French book published no earlier than 2000
  • The quality of the French book
  • Innovative content and literary forms
  • Possible reception in the American book market (i.e.: would an American reader buy this book in translation?)
Terms & Conditions
Application for support may be submitted by publishers, agents, or translators, until February 22, 2008, after which the Committee will make its selection of the projects to be supported in 2008.

Please note that once grants are awarded, projects must have both contracts (French publisher/American publisher and American publisher/Translator) signed within three months of notification in order to receive payment.

Contacts
Requested documents
1. A 10-12 page, double-spaced sample of the translation
2. The same passage in French
3. A one page statement outlining the work and describing its importance
4. A bio/bibliography of the author
5. A CV of the translator
6. A copy of the contracts between:
    The translator and the American publisher
    The French publisher and the American publisher.

If the project is not yet under contract: a letter from the copyright holder stating that English-language rights to the book are available.

If the book has already an American publisher, please indicate the planed release date for the book in english.

Applicants should submit two copies of this documentation, two copies of the book to be translated, as well as an electronic version of the complete application file saved on a CD or a floppy disc, to:

French Cultural Services,
French Voices
972 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10075

Please specify on the envelope whether the project is Fiction or Non-Fiction. Electronic submissions cannot be accepted.

Download the application form: Pdf file | Doc file
 
 
 
 

The Hemingway Grant Program

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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Description
Financial assistance for American publishers is available through the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States. The assistance program for publishers registered in the United States was launched by the "Sous-direction du Livre" of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and is now administered by the Book Office at the French Embassy in the United States. It assists projects, which are not already supported by the Centre national du livre, and allows publishers whose applications have met our selection criteria to receive financial help. The grant awarded for each work varies from $1,000 to $6,000.
Terms & Conditions
This program supports books that have not yet been published and which are not supported by the "Centre national du livre" (French Ministry of Culture). The application should be addressed by February 15 each year for the first session, or by July 15 for the second session to the following address:

Literary attaché
Cultural Service of the French Embassy
972 Fifth Avenue,
New York, NY 10075,
USA
 
! The deadline for submitting an application is July 15th, 2008.

Contact Fabrice Gabriel, Literary Attaché, at:
fabrice.gabriel@diplomatie.gouv.fr

Anne-Sophie Hermil (non-fiction) at:

anne-sophie.hermil@diplomatie.gouv.fr

Mathilde Billaud (fiction) at:

Mathilde.billaud@diplomatie.gouv.fr
Requested documents
    1. The amount of the translation grant that you would like to obtain in order to implement your publishing program.
    Please specify expected date of publication on your application.

    2. An evaluation of the total cost of publication specifying the cost of translation, and expected income and expenses. Please include the expected grant amount in the income column. It must be a balanced budget. A sample budget may be provided upon request.

    3. A presentation of the work to be translated

    4. A copy of the book in French

    5. A copy of the contract with the translator

    6. A copy of the translator’s résumé

    7. A copy of the contract with the French publisher regarding assignments rights

    8. A copy of the latest catalogue of your publishing house

    9. A copy of a document proving the for-profit or not-for-profit status of your publishing house (including an extract of the 501(c) 3 IRS form)

    10. A copy of the by-laws (not-for-profit institutions only)

    11. A document vouching for your capacity to talk in the name of the publishing house

    If you have already received a Hemingway grant you will need to provide as well:

    12. A balanced budget with the amount of the received grant appearing in the income column for the previous recipient of the grant

    13. A copy of the book translated or a copy of the catalogue mentioning that book

    If you are selected to receive a Hemingway Grant the following documents will be requested:

    14. A document containing all relevant banking information (preferably a cancelled check) in order to issue the check to the correct bank account

    15. A contract signed between the Cultural services and your publishing house ***


    And if the amount awarded does not match the original request:

    16. A letter from your publishing house asking for the amount of the grant that has been decided upon

    17. A corrected balanced budget with the amount of the grant appearing in the income column



    ***The contract mentions the following information:

    –The financial support of the French Cultural Services for the publication for the


 


 
CNL Support for translation of French books into English
Ministry of Culture
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Description
Designed to support translation of French books into other languages, it does not cover works in the public domain, scholastic books, practical manuals and handbooks, or periodicals. The grants cover the cost of translation per se, not costs incurred for production or promotion. The commission meets twice a year, in March and September. For those works, which it selects, the commission proposes a subsidy ranging between 20% and 50% of the cost of translation.
Terms & Conditions
French publishers who hold rights to the works in question submit the application to the French Ministry of Culture. Subsidies range between 20% and 50% of the cost of translation. Applications are filled out in French and in liaison with the French publisher who holds the rights. The translated work must be remitted to the Centre national du livre (CNL) within thirty six (36) months of the decision to grant the subsidy. The grant is paid upon receipt of a copy of the published translation and of an acknowledgement of payment signed by the translator.
The work in translation must appear with the following statement: "This work is published with support from the French Ministry of Culture/Centre national du livre."
Contacts Please contact the French publisher who will submit your application to the CNL and will inform you of the deadlines.
For further information consult http://www.centrenationaldulivre.fr/


 
 
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