When English Is Not Your First Language
Okay people, let's talk about this for a bit okay? I am an author born and raised in Malaysia. English is not my first language and I've never lived long-term in a community where English is the first language. To be honest, this was (and remains) my biggest fear when I published my first book.
What if my English is not strong enough to convey what's on my mind?
What if my readers call me out on spelling or grammatical errors?
What if I fail to capture the essence of what interests the English speaking world in my written words?
Yes, many are the questions an insecure mind conjures.
The truth is, my English is not bad (well, at least I'd like to think so :D) and I can get my points across quite effectively. I have had editors giving positive comments on my writing so I know I can't be that bad.
Even so, it's not easy for us.
For example, some editors are reluctant to take our work because there is a preconceived notion that our writing will not be up to standard. So we spend more time looking for an editor who will accept our work. The same goes for reviewers and readers. One look at the author's biography and they're not so sure about reading the book anymore. I am quite certain this is partly because of the amount of bad writing there is out there. I on my part, never publish a book without having it run through an editor at least twice. Fortunately for me, I have an English name (I've got to thank my parents for this) so I don't have it so bad. But I know of others who do.
There are other associated problems when English just cannot be your first language - we're just born somewhere far from the English speaking world and yet for some reason we gravitate towards English literature. Let me try and explain: I live in a very small country in Southeast Asia where the currency exchange rate is terrible against the US dollar. American editors & cover designers obviously charge in US dollars and I can't scrimp here because I need my book to have a certain standard. When I calculate the amount I spend in producing one book, it's way more than what a bank manager earns in a month here. It is NOT cheap. And what are the chances of ever recouping what I spent? Zero. And that is the reality.
So why do I do it?
Maybe someday I'll be able to answer this but for now, I'm just going to enjoy the experience.
P/S: Despite the struggles, there are people still giving me a chance, reading my work, encouraging me and trusting me. It is truly heart-warming and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. God bless!
Rose
What if my English is not strong enough to convey what's on my mind?
What if my readers call me out on spelling or grammatical errors?
What if I fail to capture the essence of what interests the English speaking world in my written words?
Yes, many are the questions an insecure mind conjures.
The truth is, my English is not bad (well, at least I'd like to think so :D) and I can get my points across quite effectively. I have had editors giving positive comments on my writing so I know I can't be that bad.
Even so, it's not easy for us.
For example, some editors are reluctant to take our work because there is a preconceived notion that our writing will not be up to standard. So we spend more time looking for an editor who will accept our work. The same goes for reviewers and readers. One look at the author's biography and they're not so sure about reading the book anymore. I am quite certain this is partly because of the amount of bad writing there is out there. I on my part, never publish a book without having it run through an editor at least twice. Fortunately for me, I have an English name (I've got to thank my parents for this) so I don't have it so bad. But I know of others who do.
There are other associated problems when English just cannot be your first language - we're just born somewhere far from the English speaking world and yet for some reason we gravitate towards English literature. Let me try and explain: I live in a very small country in Southeast Asia where the currency exchange rate is terrible against the US dollar. American editors & cover designers obviously charge in US dollars and I can't scrimp here because I need my book to have a certain standard. When I calculate the amount I spend in producing one book, it's way more than what a bank manager earns in a month here. It is NOT cheap. And what are the chances of ever recouping what I spent? Zero. And that is the reality.
So why do I do it?
Maybe someday I'll be able to answer this but for now, I'm just going to enjoy the experience.
P/S: Despite the struggles, there are people still giving me a chance, reading my work, encouraging me and trusting me. It is truly heart-warming and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. God bless!
Rose
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