Words of the World: Drawing Creative Inspiration from Other Languages

Sign up here for my five week online creative writing course!

Starts 4 November 2026, 7pm EST

What fascinates you about another language? It might be the lilting sounds of French, the way the Tibetan word for compassion means “noble heart,” or a Japanese word for a person who collects books without reading them. Or maybe you have a personal or ancestral connection to a language, whether or not you speak it yourself, or simply feel drawn to the sounds, histories, and meanings another language carries.

In this generative course, you’ll let those other languages—their sounds, rhythms, and the emotions they inspire—lead you somewhere unexpected. This is not a translation course, and you don’t need fluency or facility in a second language (although that is welcome!)—only a connection you’d like to explore. You’ll learn to draw inspiration from all the vocabulary English has borrowed from other languages, dig deep into the cultural history of foreign words, and explore the surprising, strange, uncanny effects produced when two or more languages meet on the page.

Each week, you’ll follow your curiosity into new creative territory, producing writing that surprises you. Along the way, you’ll deepen a relationship you already have with another language, or cultivate one you’ve long been drawn to. You will write with no preconceived idea of genre; in this course, you’ll let the language lead you to the final form.

Previous teaching experience

I have designed and delivered literary translation and creative writing courses at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (in Mexico City and in San Antonio, Texas), and have taught literature to undergraduates and masters students at Goldsmiths, University of London and Queen Mary University of London.

If you are an organisation, institution or university looking to book a literary translation workshop, please get in touch through the contact form. I can design a workshop suitable for different group sizes, experience levels, and backgrounds.

Jardín de Palabras: A Literary Translation Retreat

San Andrés Huayapam, Oaxaca

13-20 June 2027

Immerse yourself in literature and the Spanish language on this week-long literary translation retreat in the beautiful foothills of Oaxaca’s Sierra Juárez.

Find out more about the retreat and apply now here.

Mentoring

I also offer online one-to-one mentoring for literary translators starting out in the field and translating from any language. Please get in touch through the contact form if you are interested in finding out more.