Translator Tea Times Two: Jenny McKeon and Stephen Paul

Translator Tea Times Two

Show Notes

1:09: Jenny McKeon and Stephen Paul introduce themselves. 3:21: Jenny and Stephen explain how they got their start in the industry; how the Manga Translation Battle has proven to be important. 9:07: Each explain how long it took to make a living doing translation. 13:10: Suggestions on ways to avoid burnout (ex. following a schedule, knowing when editors might want the work submitted). 19:13: Stephen’s first professional work and the story around that, and how he got to work on One Piece. 25:09: Handling simulpubs, the pros and cons of weekly manga (ex. dealing with foreshadowing, gender ambiguity, checking the graphic novel version). 28:56: How to approach the “surprise gender reveal” that can occur in manga and light novels. 38:03: Dealing with singular vs. plural nouns, settings in manga and light novels. 45:23: Both explain how they handle criticism from fans, peers, or people they're working for. 51:00: How light novel translation is completely different from manga translation. 54:27: Jenny and Stephen share their revision/rewriting process for manga/light novels. 1:06:00: Both give some advice on how to break into the industry (ex. reading English prose, being a good writer).

Jenny McKeon is a full-time freelance translator and artist from Massachusetts. She primarily translates manga, such as Nichijou, Blank Canvas, Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid, Bloom into You, and New Game!, as well as light novel series like So I'm a Spider, So What?. In her spare time, she also draws comics of her own, or watches anime with her husband and two cats.

Stephen Paul has been a Japanese-to-English translator for over 15 years, with his credits ranging from BECK to the simulpub of Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru. His other translations include the Sword Art Online manga and light novels, Vinland Saga, Yotsuba!&, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Battle Angel Alita, Durarara!!, and One Piece. He is a contributor to the One Piece Podcast, a fan run podcast that talks about the Weekly Shonen Jump manga and the anime by Toei Animation.