Today I talked with someone about being an author, e literary editor and a translator as well. All these roles give a very different view on the creative process but they also support each other well.

As an author I'm personally responsible for the text existence. Every little bit of the text comes through me. If the creative process is difficult, I'm the one suffering for it. At worst writing a novel has felt like pulling barbed wire out of my eyes. At best it feels like any good flow experience and even when it's difficult, writing provides a source of joy for me. It also provides the literary basis on which I've built my other professional roles.

The role of literary editor feels like taking a step back from the responsibility. I'm like a sparring partner, pointing out what I would improve, but the responsibility of actually doing the work rest on the poor author, who'll probably be pulling that barbed wire out of their eyes while I'm enjoying my life. I'm not responsible for their decisions, but I am responsible for giving the best possible feedback and helping the author reach their vision. Because of this, editing has helped me see the different story elements more clearly and given me tools to improve my own text.

As a translator I recieve a finished manuscript that is not to be changed, but the paradox of translating something means, it'll end up being changed anyway. It'll be re-created in a new language. I'm very aware of my responsibility towards the author and their intention, but at the same time I still get to have that same joy of creating I get from writing. And without all that hassle with barbed wires! Sometimes I see the text as an editor would while I'm translating, but in those moments I get this liberating feeling of not being allowed to change the text. I have to follow the original in style and tone. This has widened my range of expressions in my own writing.

I like all these roles for different reasons, but lately I've come to the conclusion I just might like translating the most.