Resolved Taking Over Translation for SAYE (撒野) BL

Hello, I want to try taking over the translating for the book 撒野 by 巫哲 (also titled SAYE in novelupdates).

Although I have been using novelupdates for two years now, I have only been using it to read instead of posting any translations of my own so I'm not quite sure how the rules work around here... I don't want to get into any unnecessary drama for simply wanting to share more of something that would hopefully make people happy.

From what I know, any book that hasn't been updated for over 30? 60? days are free for the taking and SAYE hasn't been updated since September of 2019... so it has been over 5 months. However, am I still supposed to inform the original translator of my decision？Or ask for permission？If so, do I ask through the forum or directly？I don't want to seem rude as the current translator really does do a good job... I just want to be able to bring more updates to my favourite book faster.

If I am free to simply start posting, please tell me.

 

There’s no real ‘rule’ on time since the site isn’t administering novels. But I would suggest the below:

Try contacting the original translator then if they don’t respond(reply to you or post new translations) after a while go ahead.

Keep in mind the translator might have the authors permission separately or a deal to share money. Checking on that is worth your time.

 

I am not sure of the specifics but as a long time member I do know that it is considered that 3 months is a deadline and other people are allowed to pick up your work afterwards. If you want to you can tell the previous translator but I do not think its that necessary. Nothing is, of course, Its just being polite to each other as translators

 

If you could do it it'd be amazing!! I just started recently but this novel is amazing and it deserves to have an english fandom and translation because mtl gives horrible results!! Please update us about your decision
I lurked around NU and there're no "official rules" when it comes to fan translations and usually there're a lot of twitter fan projects and even 2+ separate active groups who translate some novels on NU. Novelupdates does state that in order to request a novel to be translated, the previous translators must be inactive for at least 3 months and that's it.
As for SAYE, the translators' wattpad seems to be deleted and their tumblr hasn't been updates since summer. So I think it's okay to take over the translation

 

I agree! I honestly really looked forward to seeing the English translation of the novel and was incredibly sad when it stopped. Though I do understand that the translator must have a life of their own... it's still disappointing.

If it really is okay for me to take over the translation, I think I should be able to release them sometime within the next two weeks (depending on whether or not my application to Chrysanthemum Garden goes through).

I do hope to receive official permission from the previous translator if possible (for peace of mind more than anything else...) but as we know, the previous translator hasn't been online since last summer... I have no idea how I'm supposed to contact her (any ideas?).

 

I'm looking forward to that!! Stable releases or alive translations of Saye and Plum Blossom Debt are my dream In any case if they are busy I don't think they'd mind someone taking over even if they were the first ones to pick it up. I went on twitter and used different combinations of saye + the name of the author in chinese and english and I didn't find anything about the translators. I must be a horrible detective

 

Hahaha, no I'm sure it isn't your problem. It seems as if the translator has completely disappeared off the internet... if that is the case then I suppose I should just start the translations (ahhhh I am so sorry Sae TvT)....?

 

If the novel hasn't been translated for over 30 days, you're free to grab it.

Also, the usual consensus (of course some people disagree, but the majority agrees) among translators, is that waiting 90 days without releases is ideal before picking anything up. Because like... Sometimes RL happens and the person needs to take a break and stuff.
It's also ideal to at least check the site of the previous translator to see if they left a hiatus notice with a clear date of when they expect to return or if they just disappeared... Because in the former case it would be quite rude to take the novel over.

It's been more than 90 days anyways, so you're free to pick it up with a clean mind.

If you want, you can contact the previous translator to see if they don't mind it. But I honestly think that's unnecessary, I'd just check their site to see if they left any hiatus notice or anything.

 

Thank you, I have already checked their account and messaged them on both their Tumblr and Wattpad. I'm currently waiting for them to reply for around a week. If they don't then at least I have a peace of mind knowing that I've already left a heads up. (´∀｀)

 

Dont stress too much about it, if they havent been online since summer, there's a almost nil chance of them coming back, and even if they did, you are perfectly justified in taking over their translation!

 

Best of luck!