Purely by Accident (纯属意外): Main Story Translation Complete

[douqi]

Fully three years and 41 days after I posted the first chapter, my translation of Purely by Accident (纯属意外, pinyin: chun shu yiwai) by Leng Qian Shan (冷千山) is finally complete. The translation can be read here. And here's the summary (which I wrote, because it didn't have one originally):

Through an unlikely series of events, bandit chief Wei Zisong — who was raised as a boy for Reasons — finds herself engaged to Chu Feichen, the emperor’s eldest daughter. Through an even more unlikely series of events, they fall in love.

I'm going to write more about the novel itself and why I chose it as a starter project at some point, but for now, one thing I'd like to note is: this book is, intriguingly, almost perfectly legible as an Anglo-published historical romance novel, up to and including the traditional third-act break-up and reconciliation.

There are of course still a number of things I need to do before I officially wrap up the project. The novel has two post-ending extra chapters, which of course I'm going to translate. Then I'm going to edit the whole thing one more time, ready for x_los (whom I'm extremely lucky to have as my editor) to look at. Once all the revisions have been implemented, I'm going to create epub/pdf/whatever digital format people are into versions of the translation, and if possible, talk a friend who knows about bookbinding into helping me with some physical versions (trying not to look meaningfully at momijizukamori). Oh, and I need to finish subtitling the audio drama adaptation as well. One thing that would help me immensely is if anyone could (or suggest someone who could) help me with a cover image for the eventual digital version. It wouldn't need to be complicated, or involve character art (although I would be delighted if someone decided to produce character art!), just a nice typeface and suitable background images would do.

In addition to general reflections on the project, I'm also planning to write at least one more post (similar to this one) focusing on selected technical aspects of the translation process.

And then, on to the next translation project, which I'm fairly sure no one can guess, and then on to the next next translation project, which I'm sure people who have been following my constant ramblings will have a pretty good idea about already (if not the book, then at least the author).

Comments

[aurumcalendula]

I've really enjoyed this - thank you for translating it! I'm looking forward to reading your notes on the translation process!

[douqi]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[hazevi]

Congrats on finishing!! Definitely an inspiration and huge service for all of the baihe community. Looking forward to those new projects (surely not Ning Yuan? 👀)

[douqi]

Thank you!

And, well...one of them isn't Ning Yuan, haha.

[silversea]

Congratulations on finishing, and thank you so much for the translation!

[douqi]

Thank you!

[geraineon]

Congrats~! Looking forward to reading this, and your translation process post! I really enjoyed your last one~

[douqi]

Thank you! I look forward to revealing how Even More Extra I have been in the upcoming process post.

[straightforwardly]

Congrats on finishing! I'm excited to check this out (though I'm probably going to wait for the epub). Also looking forward to whatever you may choose to translate in the future <3

[douqi]

Thank you!

A friend has said they're planning to make the current version into an epub for their own reading purposes and will share the file with me, so hopefully that will happen pretty soon.

[halfcactus]

Omg congrats!!!

Technically I could help with basic digital cover art (title only) but I have ongoing computer issues + haven't read the book (aka your translation) yet, so if someone else can do it, that'd be better haha.

[douqi]

Thank you!!!

The cover thing is a ways off yet, so I'll see how things are looking when I get there. Thank you for the offer!

[kwirkee76]

Ahh, I have been rather remiss in giving my thanks. I'll echo the others and offer my congratulations on you finishing the translation of Purely By Accident. What a journey it's been. Three years is a long time but it also doesn't seem that long ago either; funny how time works.

Thank you so much. I'm rather envious of anyone who hasn't read PbA yet. You're in for a nice treat ... especially if it's in epub/pdf form. (Great reading material on the plane, etc etc :-))

I do look forward to your next translations ... cannot wait! Especially the Ning Yuan one.

You have great insight and I thoroughly enjoy reading your "ramblings" about this or anything else for that matter.

Thank you and sorry for putting you through my own ramblings ;-)

[douqi]

Thank you for your support! Zisong is currently reporting to me that she has mixed feelings about the great love story of her life being great plane reading material, haha (I keep telling her it's a compliment).

I'm really looking forward to starting the next projects, and also to providing further ramblings!

[kwirkee76]

Please report back to Zisong that she should not have any mixed feelings because only the stories I really love get placed on the iPad for plane reading! It's the only time I actually get to read without being distracted (I'm really very easily distracted, btw).

[neuxue]

Congratulations on finishing the translation! I'm excited to see what you pick up next.

[douqi]

Thank you! I too am excited for the next project (which is, I think, a better book, though paradoxically will probably give me less room to do the kind of bravura, extra stuff like 'translate wenyan into Early Modern English' that Purely by Accident did).