# Write in my native language or in English



## Dreeparn (Jan 28, 2013)

I've been thinking about if I should write in English or my native language which is Swedish. 

I'm leaning towards english mainly because of the fact that english is a broader language with more words and greater variety. I consider myself pretty good at english but I know that it will take alot of work to get it up to par because you need very good controll over a given language to be able to write well in it. 

The problems i have with writing in swedish is mainly that I don't find any good forums for fantasy novels or text and I know that the market for such texts are pretty limited in this country. I'm thinking that it will be harder to get good opinions on the novel if I write it in swedish and that it will be even harder if I ever want to publish it. 

I would like any opinions on this matter because I have a really hard time deciding on my own.


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## Steerpike (Jan 28, 2013)

English gives you a much wider market for potential sales. I think that's a big plus. Of course, writing in Swedish could help you stand out in Swedish-speaking countries, and if the book was a huge success it could be translated and sold in english. There are a handful of Swedish and Norwegian crime novelists who sell pretty well in the U.S., and I think their books were originally in their native languages.

Still, on the whole I'd say English provides the greater likelihood of success.


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## Anders Ã„mting (Jan 28, 2013)

Dreeparn said:


> I've been thinking about if I should write in English or my native language which is Swedish.



Du med, va? 

Honestly, I've written so much in English, I'm actually slightly better at it than I am at Swedish. o__O 

So, you know, that's something you might want to watch out for.

Basically, for me it depends on what I intend to do with the story. For something I don't consider very "serious", like stories I mean to publish online, I go with English. For my actual novel projects I write in Swedish because I don't see myself finding a publisher abroad unless I go for self-publishing, and I'm too old-fashioned and prideful for that.

Anyway, as a fellow Swede I recommend you write in our native language, if for no other reason than that we seriously need more decent Swedish fantasy authors, goddammit. I mean, _of course _the Scandinavian fantasy market is never going to get very big if we're going to adopt a defeatist attitude about it.

At the very least you can probably coast on my success after I revolutionize Swedish fantasy and make it big. 



Steerpike said:


> English gives you a much wider market for potential sales. I think that's a big plus. Of course, writing in Swedish could help you stand out in Swedish-speaking countries, and if the book was a huge success it could be translated and sold in english. There are a handful of Swedish and Norwegian crime novelists who sell pretty well in the U.S., and I think their books were originally in their native languages.



Well, that's mostly because crime literature _utterly dominates _the market over here. Seriously, sometimes it seems that is the only genre people around here ever write.


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## Feo Takahari (Jan 28, 2013)

Depending on your writing style, you may be able to write the same story in both languages. In fact, doing so may provide new insights, according to the different connotations words have in different languages.


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## Anders Ã„mting (Jan 28, 2013)

Feo Takahari said:


> Depending on your writing style, you may be able to write the same story in both languages. In fact, doing so may provide new insights, according to the different connotations words have in different languages.



Honestly, I have had nothing but trouble getting my Swedish writing to match up with my English writing. Just translating a chapter from one to the other is _a lot _of hard work, exactly because words and phrases don't mean quite the same thing.

Also, did you know there are actually words that exist in one language but not the other? Like when I found out there is no words for "memento" in Swedish? Our equivalent is, literally, "memory thing." Which is a _terrible _word.

The perfect title for my novel, out the window. ><


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## Steerpike (Jan 28, 2013)

Interesting, Anders, as there was a Swedish band called Memento Mori


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## Sheilawisz (Jan 28, 2013)

Hello Dreeparn, welcome to Mythic Scribes!!

Years ago I was really considering to abandon my native language, which is Castilian, in order to start writing all of my Fantasy stories in English... however, in the end I decided to keep writing most of my works in my own language, and only one of my stories is an English language work.

For some reason (I really don't know why) Fantasy literature is super strong in the English language while it is relatively rare and even unknown in others. I honestly feel that this is a disadvantage for Fantasy writers who do not belong to the English-speaking world, but still, I believe that we should embrace our own languages and keep writing in them =)

There was a time when I was considering to re-write my entire first trilogy in English and forsake the originals in Castilian, but I decided to be proud of my creation and my own language...

Yes, I have a story that is written in English, but it's about England and English characters so writing _that_ in my language would have been really inaccurate =)

Anyway, if you are really interested in the international market then you would have to go with English.


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## Roc (Jan 28, 2013)

Steerpike said:


> Interesting, Anders, as there was a Swedish band called Memento Mori



There's some pretty weird American band names, Steerpike. 

Besides, I'm quite sure many Swedish people speak English well. I may be thinking of another Northern European country, so don't beat me up if I'm wrong.


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## Steerpike (Jan 28, 2013)

Yeah, Roc, I think most people there speak English pretty well. Some of them I've met speak it better than a lot of Americans


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## Devora (Jan 29, 2013)

You could try having two manuscripts in each language. That way you have a chance to work with both Swedish and English language Publishers.


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## Dreeparn (Jan 29, 2013)

Anders Ã„mting said:


> Du med, va?
> 
> Honestly, I've written so much in English, I'm actually slightly better at it than I am at Swedish. o__O
> 
> ...



Maybe when I've had some practice we could exchange som Swedish texts so i could get some tips and possibly in the future also give you some tips? Guess it would be good for Sweden to get some fantasy writers, that genre is almost dead here.



Feo Takahari said:


> Depending on your writing style, you may be able to write the same story in both languages. In fact, doing so may provide new insights, according to the different connotations words have in different languages.



I might try that simply to try out both languages and see which i like to write in most.



Sheilawisz said:


> Hello Dreeparn, welcome to Mythic Scribes!!
> 
> Years ago I was really considering to abandon my native language, which is Castilian, in order to start writing all of my Fantasy stories in English... however, in the end I decided to keep writing most of my works in my own language, and only one of my stories is an English language work.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the welcome! I really hope that I will be able to contribute alot to this community over the years to come. The market is partly the reason why I want to write in English, I am writing for the sole reason that I find it entertaining and exciting but when I eventually finish a book i would like if it was possible to publish it too.


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## Graylorne (Jan 29, 2013)

Anders Ã„mting said:


> Honestly, I have had nothing but trouble getting my Swedish writing to match up with my English writing. Just translating a chapter from one to the other is _a lot _of hard work, exactly because words and phrases don't mean quite the same thing.
> 
> Also, did you know there are actually words that exist in one language but not the other? Like when I found out there is no words for "memento" in Swedish? Our equivalent is, literally, "memory thing." Which is a _terrible _word.
> 
> The perfect title for my novel, out the window. ><



Memento is latin. You can use that in Swedish as well as in any other language.




Feo Takahari said:


> Depending on your writing style, you may be able to write the same story in both languages. In fact, doing so may provide new insights, according to the different connotations words have in different languages.



This is very true. I write books both in Dutch and in English and translate them back and forth. It gives you a good insight in the mistakes you make.


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## Anders Ã„mting (Jan 31, 2013)

Sheilawisz said:


> Yes, I have a story that is written in English, but it's about England and English characters so writing _that_ in my language would have been really inaccurate =)



That approach really wouldn't work with me. One of my stories started out in England and then moved to a Mediterranean country I made up. My current project takes place in an alternate universe version of France. 

I basically never write anything that has anything to do with Sweden. I guess I just don't find this country very exciting.



Dreeparn said:


> Maybe when I've had some practice we could exchange som Swedish texts so i could get some tips and possibly in the future also give you some tips? Guess it would be good for Sweden to get some fantasy writers, that genre is almost dead here.



Maybe, but I would not recommend it. I'm honestly atrocious at that sort of thing.



Graylorne said:


> Memento is latin. You can use that in Swedish as well as in any other language.



No, see, I actually can't. I gave that some consideration but it just doesn't work out. We plain never use that word in Swedish, in any context.

If I tried using "memento" in the same context as the English word, it would be obvious to everyone that I'm throwing in an English word because the Swedish one doesn't sound right. It would be like how the Japanese put random English words and phrases into their songs, just because they think it sounds good. Only, more pathetic than that.

Anyway, working in a latin title would be counter-productive. "The Arcana Memento" is the perfect title because the titular arcana is literally the main character's memento of her mother, heritage and memory being kind of the main theme. Latin has nothing to do with it, so I would have to think of an excuse for why the title is randomly in latin which is almost as bad as using random English.

See, this is why it's dangerous to write too much in English. Eventually you start getting all your good ideas in English and then chances are they don't translate well.


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## pocketsoul1127 (Jan 31, 2013)

Anders Ã„mting said:


> No, see, I actually can't. I gave that some consideration but it just doesn't work out. We plain never use that word in Swedish, in any context.
> 
> If I tried using "memento" in the same context as the English word, it would be obvious to everyone that I'm throwing in an English word because the Swedish one doesn't sound right. It would be like how the Japanese put random English words and phrases into their songs, just because they think it sounds good. Only, more pathetic than that.
> 
> Anyway, working in a latin title would be counter-productive. "The Arcana Memento" is the perfect title because the titular arcana is literally the main character's memento of her mother, heritage and memory being kind of the main theme. Latin has nothing to do with it, so I would have to think of an excuse for why the title is randomly in latin which is almost as bad as using random English.



If you say that using a random English title for a book written in Swedish is pathetic, wouldn't the same hold true for a Latin title for a book written in English?  English and Swedish are both Germanic languages. And if a title is perfect for a book, no one is going to go "Oh, they put it in English because they're trying to be trendy." 

Sometimes one language doesn't have the words you need to get the nuance of your meaning across. There's nothing wrong or pathetic about looking to another language to pinpoint the exact nature of your story.


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## Anders Ã„mting (Feb 4, 2013)

pocketsoul1127 said:


> If you say that using a random English title for a book written in Swedish is pathetic, wouldn't the same hold true for a Latin title for a book written in English?



If it's a latin phrase that is never actually used in English, and the book has nothing to do with the latin language, and there is no specific reason whatsoever for why the title is in latin?

Yeah, kinda. 

Or, at least it wouldn't make sense. Though, it wouldn't be _quite_ as bad as giving a Swedish book an English title, because English is simply more modular than Swedish. Plus, they give different impressions. Using random Latin just makes you seem pretentious. Using random English actually makes you seem like a bit of a dork - it's the kind of thing children do to make things sound cooler. You may get away with it if you are naming a rock band or something, but not when writing serious literature.

Anyway, you have to keep in mind that "memento" isn't just a latin word, it is also an established English loan-word. Of course it makes sense for you to use foreign words if they are also part of your own language. 



> English and Swedish are both Germanic languages.



Er, so what? The fact that they have a common ancestry doesn't mean they aren't radically different languages with relatively little common ground. 



> And if a title is perfect for a book, no one is going to go "Oh, they put it in English because they're trying to be trendy."



Look, you only say that because English is natural to you. You don't relate to it the way a Swede does. Trust me, over here it would come across as silly.

Or, more to the point,_ I _think it's kinda silly. And I have too much pride as a writer to compromise on this.



> Sometimes one language doesn't have the words you need to get the nuance of your meaning across. There's nothing wrong or pathetic about looking to another language to pinpoint the exact nature of your story.



I disagree. If you write in a specific language, your mastery over that language is all that matters. For example, Swedish has different words for materal and paternal grandparents, because we think it's handy to know which of these two separate sets of grandparents we are actually refering to. 

But that doesn't mean I can switch to Swedish because I think "paternal grandmother" is kind of a clunky way to talk about your _farmor._


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## ThinkerX (Feb 4, 2013)

> The Arcana Memento



Hmmm...

I'm assuming you have an acceptable swedish word for 'Arcana'.

Closest equivilent to 'memento' in swedish is 'memory thing', which is unacceptable.

Hmmm...I see a couple possibilities here (though I know NOTHING of swedish)

First, change the emphasis:  is there a swedish word for 'mystical object' or 'magical object' (a substitute for 'Arcana') that is not rediculous?  If so, could 'memory' be incorporated into it somehow?

Second option: When I think 'memento', I think 'cherished object' (sort of).  Almost religious.  In fact, 'relic', in the religious sense, is a near substitute for 'memento'.  Is there a swedish word which would work here?


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## Sadie (Feb 5, 2013)

I find myself in the same predicament and I would say, definitely English. It's the language to write in if you're hoping to make some money as a writer. Also you're automatically reaching out to a much wider audience.

It is difficult to master a foreign language so thoroughly that you are able to write good stories in it, but do read a lot yourself and it should come naturally to you


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## Amanita (Feb 6, 2013)

I'm in this situation as well.
Germany has a relatively large fantasy market though, therefore it wouldn't be impossible to be succesful writing in German. Some of the more popular works such as The Neverending Story and Ink Heart have actually been translated and made it to an international audience.
From a purely business-like point of view, I think writing in your native language is more likely to bring success if you want to publish the traditional way. The number of English-language writers is much larger and I also assume that they're more likely to look into works by authors from their own countries.
In case of self-publishing, I think writing English is the reasonable choice. I don't know about other countries but at least Germany doesn't even have a real market for self-published e-books (yet). Given how easily these books are accessible via the internet, successs is much more likely this way.

Looking at it from the emotional side, I believe that the diversity of languages should be protected. I also know that most people in Germany don't have the necessary English skills to really enjoy an entire book written in that language. That would mean that I couldn't even reach most people around me that way which I don't want to do. 
I don't know about Sweden, but I doubt that is much different there.

I've written my novel in German but I've also done some shorter pieces in English. The two languages are different but I wouldn't say that one is better suited for writing fantasy than the other. When writing in English, I often have the problem that I fail to find words or idioms to describe exactly what I want to. My lack of sense for correct grammatical structures is a problem too. In German, I'm simply not making mistakes in this area, in English it's happening and sometimes I'm not even realizing it. This isn't that much of a problem on a forum (though I do always feel guilty when looking at the thread about correct spelling and grammar) but I can't hand in a book without being really sure about these issues 

To me, the different ways of expressing things are really fascinating though. English for example, has much more words to describe all things magical and mysterious. Which is quite helpful when writing fantasy of course.  There are other subject matters, where I can choose from a wider range of words in German. Trying to get the meaning across without having the word you'd have normally chosen is an interesting challenge.
When going through my stories in my mind, I very often tend to switch from one language to the other. This is probably because all the discussions and infos I'm using are in English.
I don't know about you but I have this tendency to narrate chapters to myself in my head before writing them down. When doing so, I almost always have some parts I need to translate first.


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