Submissions

Applications for ALTA's Mentorship Program are accepted annually from September 1 - November 30.

All applications for all mentorships are accepted through our online form and must include:

• A cover letter explaining your interest in sharing your work with the ALTA community
• Your current CV (List all translation credits, including forthcoming works under contract.
• 8 to 10 pages of translated work (single-spaced for poetry or double-spaced for prose) along with the corresponding original language text in one document.)
• A project proposal of no more than 1000 words. Proposals should include information about the original author and importance of the source text, as well as how the emerging translator would benefit from mentorship.

Eligibility

Emerging Mentorship (and First Look) Programs

• An emerging translator is someone who has published no more than one full-length work of literary translation.
• Though contemporary English is the target language, the emerging translator need not live in the United States.
• While ALTA’s Mentorship Program is open to all applicants, we especially encourage applications from translators of color, translators with disabilities, LGBTQ+ translators, and those who don't have an MA, an MFA, or some other equivalent type of training, such as a mentorship from the National Centre for Writing’s Emerging Translator Mentorships (UK).
• The selected mentee’s proposed project will be worked on based on availability. (It's good practice to secure the rights before beginning a project, but applicants are not expected to secure rights in order to submit their proposal. We do encourage applicants to check on the status of the rights).
• While applicants are encouraged to apply simultaneously to multiple mentorship programs (such as those offered by the National Centre for Writing, LTAC/QWF, SELTA, etc), applicants are not eligible to participate in ALTA's Mentorship Program if enrolled in a concurrent mentorship.
• Please note: While this program includes a stipend for travel to the annual conference, it is is distinct from the ALTA Travel Fellowships. Current mentees are not eligible to apply for an ALTA Travel Fellowship. Previous years' Fellows are welcome to apply for the Mentorship Program, however.
• All mentees are eligible for the First Look Publishers Program in the year of their mentorship

Mentorship Application FAQ