Lost & Found in Translation: Changez Votre Vie!

Book: Changez Votre Vie! by Gary Wood

Seems like my book Don’t Wait For Your Ship To Come In. . . Swim Out To Meet It has been simultaneously published in French and ‘lost in translation’. In France it is known as  Changer votre vie ! (Change Your Life!)

Also, my Tools and Techniques for Positive Lasting Change have become ‘small exercises to take control’ (Petits exercices pour vous prendre en main).

Of course I’m delighted but also slightly bemused by it all.  It’s strange to see the book in such a different form. I kind of feels like I wrote a new book only someone forget to tell me.

When I found out about the Korean translation, I naively asked what the Korean people would make of my marine metaphors. So now,  I’m guessing they won’t make anything of them because they won’t get to see them. Now I’m wondering what it will be called. I’m just relieved it won’t be made into a Hollywood blockbuster. As much as I’d like to think Vin Diesel would play me, it would probably be Danny DeVito.

What Will the Korean People Make Of My Marine Metaphors?

What will the Korean people make of 'Don't Wait For Your Ship To Come In. . . Swim Out To Meet It?

I’m not sure what the Korean people will make of it but it’s been confirmed that a translation of my book ‘Don’t Wait For Your Ship To Come In. . . Swim Out To Meet It’ is going ahead.  It’s great news. I’ve never had a book published in Korea before although  I’m also not sure how my jokes will translate. . . seeing as some of them barely make it in English. Then there’s the poem, and the cocktail recipes and the playlist for the personal development party. . . then there’s the  goal setting acronyms (such as GO-FLOW) and all the puns, word play and marine metaphors? Will the title stay the same? This is even before I consider how the psychology and coaching approach will be perceived.

With a few other translations in the pipeline I foresee the online translation programs going into overdrive as I try to work out exactly what I’m advising people in far off lands.