5 Authors Who Found Remarkable Success Through Language Translation

Translating your book into other languages might seem like a daunting undertaking, but several internationally renowned authors have discovered that the effort was worth the reward. Although these authors found success with their books that were originally written in a single language, they learned that they could reach a much larger audience through translation. With the help of language translation services and publication support, your book could be on the road to similar success. Additionally, the increased use of machine translation ensures that your book translation would be achieved efficiently and accurately.

If you need some inspiration to reach out to translation services to get started, here is a look at five authors who had great success through translation:

Paulo Coelho

Best known for his novel The Alchemist, Brazilian author Paulo Coelho wanted to become a writer since he was a teenager. He wrote the novel, which was first published in 1988, in just two weeks. After a year, the book’s publisher returned the book rights to Coelho, causing him to spend 40 days in the Mojave Desert to regroup. When he returned, he decided that he needed to start knocking on doors to find a publisher. In doing so, he found a publisher who was willing to publish his book, and an international sensation was born. Originally written in Portuguese, the book has since been translated into 80 languages and has sold more than 65 million copies across the globe.

Haruki Murakami

Like many authors, Haruki Murakami found inspiration to write a novel in a unique way. The year was 1978, and Murakami was watching a baseball game at Jingu Stadium; it was American Dave Hilton’s turn at bat. In the moment that Hilton hit a double, Murakami immediately knew he could write a novel. That night, he went home and began his writing career.

Overall, Murakami’s works have been translated into 50 languages and have been bestsellers across the globe, especially in Japan. His dystopian novel 1Q84 was originally written in Japanese and published in three volumes in 2009-2010. The novel was immediately successful, selling more than one million copies in the first month. Translations of the books have been just as successful, with 70,000 copies of the French translation selling out in only one week. Translated into 42 languages, the book has been on bestseller lists worldwide.

J.K. Rowling

Mention the name J.K. Rowling almost anywhere in the world and you will likely strike up a conversation about her Harry Potter series of books, especially since it is one of the most translated series across the globe. Each book in the series was originally written in English, then translations followed. The first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was published in the United Kingdom in 1997; it has been translated into more than 74 languages, including Welsh, Malayalam, Latin, and Ancient Greek.

In 2012, Rowling’s success continued, as she published The Casual Vacancy, her first novel for adults. The book, which has been translated into 44 languages, sold more than one million copies worldwide within three weeks of its release.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was a writer, poet, and aviator who wrote one of his most successful works, The Little Prince, while in the United States. The novella, originally published in English and French in 1943, has become of the most bestselling books worldwide. Translated into 300 languages and dialects, the book’s sales average about two million copies every year. Interestingly, the book has been translated numerous times in the same language, including 47 editions in Korean.

Stieg Larsson

When Stieg Larsson was 12 years old, his parents gave him a typewriter for his birthday, kicking off his focus on science fiction writing. Later, he became a bestselling author with his Millennium series of crime novels. Published posthumously in 2005, the first book in the series, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, was quick to receive great acclaim. The novel, which was originally written in Swedish, became an international bestseller following its translation to several other languages. More than 80 million copies of the book and its two sequels have been sold worldwide.

Along with these authors, countless others have had similar success, especially with the help of translation companies. By working with a highly skilled translator, as well as ensuring your book has universal appeal, you could be well on your way to an international bestseller. Book translation services can help you to seamlessly convey the essence of your work to readers from across the globe in the language they understand.