FAQ

Q: What is an 'asymptote' anyway? And what does it have to do with translation or world literature?

A: In analytic geometry, 'asymptote' refers to a straight line towards which a curve tends but never quite reaches. Similarly, we believe that, while all translation attempts to convey the meaning of an original text, a translation reaches for—but never truly meets—the original, taking on a life of its own. The metaphor also extends to our attempt to represent as many languages as possible in our pages, and the fact that as a gatekeeper of literary standards, we only publish works of the highest caliber.

Q: What kind of work does Asymptote publish?

A: Our criteria in selecting work for publication adhere, above all, to the principles of diversity and excellence. We aim to publish the very best in world literature. The work presented in our pages falls into the categories of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, drama, and criticism, and we are as invested in discovering emerging writers as we are in featuring celebrated authors. Each issue also showcases artwork that interrogates the very idea of language from a multimedia perspective, as well as introductions to non-English writers deserving to be better known in the Anglosphere.

Q: How often does Asymptote publish?

A: Asymptote is released quarterly: look for new issues on the third Thursday of January, April, July, and October. For more frequent dispatches from the world of literary translation, check out our daily-updated blog, stay up on our monthly Podcast, and be sure to subscribe to our Fortnightly Airmail newsletter.

Q: Are all of your pieces translated only into English?

A: One of our founding goals has always been to challenge the English-centered flow of information. We do this by actively commissioning translations into languages besides English. On average, one article per issue is translated into another language other than English. On occasion, we also spearhead initiatives like this one, wherein a volunteer team of translators helped Jonas Hassen Khemiri's send-up of racial profiling reach readers in more than 20 languages, or this “Say Ayotzinapa” project, in which we helped to draw attention to the plight of the 43 disappeared Mexican students by commissioning 20 translations of David Huerta's poem, as well as an exclusive introduction by celebrated novelist Valeria Luiselli.

Q: What distinguishes Asymptote in a literary landscape saturated with online journals?

A: Among a growing number of online journals with a focus on translation, Asymptote distinguishes itself with the diversity, the generosity, and the freshness of its offerings. This is made possible by a team comprising more than eighty staffers across six continents: we are a magazine of world literature edited by editors across the world. Actively plugged into their local scenes, our editors-at-large are continually deepening their knowledge of local literature by forging partnerships with literary institutions and bringing exciting new discoveries to the table. Having key editors from non-white, non-Western perspectives is unfortunately still a rarity in English-language literary publishing and we pride ourselves in being an inclusive journal—which is reflected in the names we feature on our covers, and across all of our promotional materials. Unlike some other publications, we have an open submissions policy, which means that anyone can submit to our magazine and stand a chance of being published and discovered. This is another crucial way in which we cast our nets far and wide. Finally, to better advocate for world literature, we have invested in a wide range of technological upgrades: not only is our website fully adaptable to whichever mobile device you choose to read us on, but we also feature an archive accessible via an interactive world map, mp3 recordings, and full-screen immersive slideshows. We are also the only literary journal that produces video trailers for every issue!

Q: Where is Asymptote based?

A: Short answer: everywhere, and also nowhere in particular. Our founder and Editor-in-Chief Lee Yew Leong lives in Taipei, Taiwan, but our far-flung team is based in six continents, keeping us plugged into literary communities throughout the world, and allowing us to deliver the freshest content, issue after issue. You can find our masthead here.

Q: How can I explore current and past issues of Asymptote?

A: You can access the current issue's entire table of contents by scrolling down our main page (www.asymptotejournal.com) or by exploring the various drop-downs in the boldface menu above categorized by genre (Poetry, Fiction, Nonfiction, etc.). You can access all past issues by clicking Archive to the rightmost of these menus.

Q: I am looking for work by a specific translator or author, but don't recall the issue in which the contributor appeared. How do I find it?

A: Use the search field at the top right-hand corner of the page to hone in on specific contributors, titles, and keywords.

Q: How do I search by language?

A: Easy! Just select the language from the drop-down menu in the top right-hand corner to see all of the work we have ever published in that language.

Q: How do I search for work by genre?

A: There are various ways of searching by genre. If you click any of the boldface tabs at the top of our page (Fiction, Drama, Poetry, etc.), you'll be brought to a list of relevant work in our current issue. However, you should also see a series of search and menu options. Our interactive map offers you the option of searching content for each genre by geographical area—just click “Map” in the top right-hand corner, and further refine your search by checking or unchecking the appropriate genre boxes in the “Content” tab of the legend.

Q: How do I search for work by country or region?

A: Our World Map feature makes searching for work by geographical area easy, and even fun! Clicking on “Map” in the top right-hand corner brings you to a map of the globe with pins denoting countries where Asymptote contributors originate. Once there, you can also filter options by literary genre, or even multiple genres all at once.

Q: I'm still not able to figure out how to navigate your website. Help!

A: Don't worry! This video primer will take you right through it.

Q: How do I listen to a piece read aloud in its original language?

A: For certain pieces, recordings of the text read aloud in the original language, oftentimes by the author, are accessible from the right-hand column of the page. Articles featuring audio recordings have a loudspeaker icon after their table of contents listings.

Q: How can I read a piece in a language besides English?

A: You can always read a translated work in its original language—or, sometimes, translated into another language besides English—by looking to the right-hand column, above the author and translator bios, and clicking “Read the original in [language].”

Q: I want to share the non-English text of an article directly on social media, bypassing the English translation that appears by default whenever I click to the article's page. How do I extract the URL?

A: Navigate to the alternate-language text of the piece (see above). This will cause the address in the URL bar to change. Copy this URL, including the language tag (e.g. .../italian/), into the social media platform of your choice.

Q: Where can I find Asymptote on social media?

A: Everywhere you look! Like us on Facebook , connect with us on Twitter , and follow us on Tumblr . Our Chinese-speaking fans gather on Douban and Weibo, and Spanish speakers shouldn't miss out on Asymptote en Español.

Q: I don't do social media. How can I tell others about the magazine?

A: We understand that social media isn't for everyone. If you believe in our mission to catalyze the transmission of literature, download the latest issue's postcard/flyer design here, and help us distribute it anywhere literature lovers might notice it. Some examples of places where these potential readers might congregate are: bookshops, cafes, comparative literature departments, etc.

Q: What can I find on Asymptote's blog?

A: Our blog posts exclusive updates every weekday, featuring columns such as “What's New In Translation,” a monthly roundup of hot new releases; “Publishers' Profiles,” which offer an insider's view of the presses behind some of our favorite translated books; and a variety of dispatches from our global team of contributors, such as Nina Sparling's posts on food, literature and translation, or Josh Billings's “Lives of the Translators” column, retracing the steps of notable translators throughout history.

Q: What can I find in Asymptote's newsletter?

A: Every two weeks, our Fortnightly Airmail brings you the latest events, recruitment calls, podcasts, educational guides, and other goings-on behind the scenes of the magazine, as well as popular columns such as Daniel Hahn's “Ask a Translator,” in which the 2016 Man International Booker Prize-shortlisted translator responds to readers' questions. You can also find interviews with Asymptote contributors, in addition to staff reading recommendations, plus highlights from our blog and past issues. For examples of Asymptote's newsletter, click here and here.

Q: How do I subscribe to the Asymptote newsletter?

A: Click here.

Q: What kind of events does Asymptote hold? Where can I read about past events or events that I cannot attend?

A: To date, we've hosted more than thirty discussions on four continents, with recent guests including Edith Grossman, Eliot Weinberger, Ann Goldstein, Natasha Wimmer, Susan Bernofsky, Lucas Klein, Xi Chuan, Adam Thirlwell, Reif Larsen, and Hamid Ismailov, just to name a few. Our Events page offers detailed documentation of every panel we've organized, including, where available, photos, podcasts, and even videos.

Q: How do I stay up-to-date on Asymptote events?

A: The best way to keep up is by subscribing to our Events on Facebook, but our main Events page also offers a glance at what's to come, in addition to offering a look back at past gatherings.

Q: Where does support for Asymptote come from?

A: Asymptote's financial support comes primarily from private donations. Despite winning the 2015 London Book Fair Award for Best International Literary Translation Initiative, our status as a Singaporean entity limits greatly our chances to access funds dedicated to the arts, such as grants awarded by the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts or the Lannan Foundation. In the past four years, we have been able to raise a total of $50,000 through three successful Indiegogo campaigns, which helped to partially cover our costs. However, for a long time our operating costs have been absorbed by our own Editor-in-Chief, an option which is no longer tenable. If you love Asymptote and value the work we do, please consider making a donation, becoming a sustaining member, or giving a sustaining membership to a loved one as a gift. Adding 1,000 sustaining members by the end of 2016 will ensure that we are able to continue publishing free issues in 2017. Every membership counts!

Q: How do I become a sustaining member of Asymptote?

A: Simply pledge an annually recurring donation of US$120 here. (This works out to just $10 a month.) We'll reciprocate your generous gesture with an Asymptote Moleskine notebook, which you'll receive within three months.

Q: Why does it ask for a figure in SGD (Singapore dollars) when I want to make a donation?

A: Asymptote is incorporated in Singapore, where our founder is from. Therefore, our Paypal is automatically set to receive money in Singapore dollars. Use this converter to figure out the equivalent in USD.

Q: How has the money raised so far been utilized, and how will my donation be used?

A: The money raised over the last five years has gone towards paying for web development, promoting Asymptote and our activities, and organizing more than thirty events in four continents. $7,500 of that money went directly into the pockets of twelve emerging translators who participated in our two translation contests. Throughout all of that, our founder and Editor-in-Chief has not only invested $50,000USD of his own funds to get the project off the ground, but has also gone unpaid for six years as the only full-time staff member of the project. Your donation will go toward covering the magazine's operating costs, which, from July 2016, will include a monthly salary for our Editor-in-Chief, as well as web hosting and software expenditures. All the money exceeding these operating expenses will be used to advocate for world literature, including marketing our quarterly issues and organizing the third edition of our international translation contest for emerging translators.

Q: Why don't you pay your contributors?

A: We ourselves are volunteers, and want to keep access to our site free, in line with our mission of catalyzing the transmission of world literature to as many readers as possible. We advocate for translators in many other ways, not least through our translation contests, which require us to undertake fundraising, in addition to promoting and administering the contest. It is also through appearing in Asymptote, for example, that many translators go on to sign book contracts with publishing houses. We are proud to provide such visibility to hitherto unknown authors and emerging translators. Should we eventually receive funding allowing us to cover operating costs, hire an accountant, and pay our staff members and contributors, we will certainly do so, and in that order. However, without the support to help us get there, our very own survival is at risk. Read a testimonial on “Why Asymptote Matters” from contributing editor Adrian West here.

Q: I'm a writer and/or translator. How can I submit to your magazine?

A: Our Submissions page contains all the information you need for submissions to our quarterly magazine—including fiction, poetry, drama, literary nonfiction, criticism, interviews, and ‘Writers on Writers’ essays. Be sure to check in for details on our wildcard Special Features, which may focus on Experimental Translations, Multilingual Writing, as well as specific languages and regions.

Q: I have an idea for a possible blog post or column. How do I go about pitching it?

A: We're always on the lookout for engaging, voice-driven, and timely content to highlight on our blog. We welcome regular and one-time contributors, and have published pieces on topics ranging from pop music to children's books to calls-to-action. If you'd like to pitch an article or an idea for a new column, contact us at blog@asymptotejournal.com.

Q: I have an idea for a possible Podcast feature. How do I go about pitching it?

A: Each month the Asymptote Podcast takes a sonic approach to themes related to world literature, from the topical to the timeless. Take some time to listen to some of our past episodes to make sure your idea would be a good fit before getting in touch with us at podcast@asymptotejournal.com.

Q: How can I pitch a new feature for your fortnightly newsletter?

If you have an idea for a new recurring newsletter column, we'd love to hear from you. Before writing us at newsletter@asymptotejournal.com, make sure you read our past newsletters (e.g. this and this), to see if your idea is a good fit for us.

Q: I'm a reader with a comment/question for the editors. Where can I send it?

A: We always welcome feedback on our magazine, blog, newsletter, or podcast. Write us at editors@asymptotejournal.com.

Q: I'm an artist and/or illustrator. How can I submit my work for consideration?

A: We're always seeking illustrators, photographers, or other visual artists to provide artwork for our upcoming issues. If selected, you will be given about 8 weeks to provide 14 to 18 artworks to accompany 14 to 18 articles. You may use already completed artworks of yours, provided you have not granted others the right to reproduce them, or produce new ones for the article (we much prefer the latter, however). The artwork, if not a literal illustration of the article's content, should at least relate strongly to its mood. You will be asked to read through the articles for inspiration. Click around our website (especially the fiction and nonfiction sections) to get an idea of what will be expected. Find all past issue covers here. Each illustration will be credited; your name will be prominently featured in our masthead and your portfolio website linked from our site, in addition to a care package assembled especially for you by our Editor-in-Chief. To submit your work, design a cover for the magazine (boldly stamped with your aesthetic) following these guidelines: (1) The cover, at 855px by 583px, must feature a Venn Diagram of two overlapping circles against a rectangular background. There should be no text anywhere. (2) Each circle should contain the same object in each, but in a different position, or form. (3) The circles must overlap interestingly. For the configuration of the circles, use our current cover as reference. All portfolios should be sent to editors@asymptotejournal.com.

Q: How can I join Asymptote?

A: We run several Recruitment Drives a year, publicized on our blog, newsletter, and social media platforms. Make sure to check our Join page regularly to see if any open positions might fit your interests and experience.

Q: How can I sign up to be a volunteer translator at Asymptote?

A: If you're a literary translator and can volunteer your time, we often organize projects of interest, such as our endeavor to translate Jonas Hassen Khemiri's inspiring piece on racial profiling into more than twenty languages. We maintain a running list of interested translator-supporters for projects like this.

Q: I love your magazine and I want to support your mission, but I can't really commit fixed hours a week to help. How else can I be of use to you?

A: Become a member of the Asymptote low-commitment support team, and help spread the word about upcoming issues! Find more details here.

Q: Tell me more about your journal partnerships.

A: Our many partner journals include Hong Kong's 字花 (Fleurs des Lettres) and Hungary's 2000 (Kétezer), which have published our work in Chinese and Hungarian translation respectively (in exchange for our publishing their work in our journal), thereby connecting our authors with new readers. For more information on potential journal partnerships, read this blog post about our partnership with Fleurs des Lettres.

Q: How can I advertise on Asymptote's website?

A: With its reputation and rapidly growing visibility, Asymptote can help advertisers strategically target a global audience of readers interested in languages, literature and translation—our website received over 65,000 page views, from more than 28,000 unique viewers, in January 2016 alone. We also offer promotional packages related to Translation Tuesday, leveraging our partnership with The Guardian Books Network, as well as advertising space in our blog and fortnightly newsletter. If you represent a publisher, journal, or institution connected to the world of literature and translation, please query via advertise@asymptotejournal.com.

Q: Why is Asymptote an online magazine instead of print?

A: Providing free access to the best in world literature for everyone, regardless of geography or language, is the main reason Asymptote exists in an online format and not in print. However, while our web presence allows us to avoid the cumbersome costs of printing and distribution, maintaining and hosting a website like ours presents considerable expenses. For this reason, any support we receive from generous readers like you helps offset our costs and continually expand our mission to proliferate world literature to as wide an audience as possible.

Q: Asymptote is a journal of the written word. What about languages used in a predominantly oral context?

A: While it's true that we primarily publish written work, we also host audio recordings of texts in their original language whenever possible. We're also interested in the possibility of presenting predominantly spoken tongues in translation—if this is your area of expertise, we'd love to hear from you!

Q: Can I ask you to translate this for me?