Are you someone who works with words? Maybe you teach or translate, write copy in one or more languages?
Are deadlines something you’re familiar with? Do they add a certain rhythm to your days?
If so, you know that time to create, to express yourself, to work on your own projects is an issue.
And you’re probably intimately familiar with that feeling of working all day on a big writing, translating or teaching project…and the challenges that come with transitioning into your creative self at the end of a long day. Even if you love your work.
If that sounds like you. I think you’re going to really enjoy reading this interview with Sofia Polykreti. Sofia is an active and inspiring member of our Tip of the Iceberg Writing Community. She brightens our book chats with her insights, brings her energy to writing workshops and shares her unique work in our forum.
Sofia is a translator (English-Greek). You can find her website and blog here, her translated works here, and follow her on Twitter here. And you can also enjoy her photos and videos on Instagram where she regularly takes us on side street journeys or into the countryside in her new home: Italy.
Photos for this collage by Sofia Polykreti, printed with permission. May 2022.
This post is part of a series: What keeps you writing?
I’m asking writers in our creative writing community to share what keeps you writing.
And maybe I’m asking all of us to ask ourselves that question too.
I hope we’ll all start a conversation around the words of wisdom of people who I think know how to step out of time for a little bit and grab the essence of life as they write.
Welcome Sofia, could you tell us more about yourself? Where do you call home? Are there any places you find yourself thinking back to? What kind of work/creative work are you interested in doing?
Hi Trisha! Thanks for having me here. I was born in Athens, Greece, but now I live in Italy, immersed in beauty, in a very lively city which is now my home. I am interested in poetry and in painting as well as in discovering new meanings in everything that go beyond the visible.
As those of us in our community know, you’re a translator. Can you tell us about the art of translation as you see it? What does it feel like to you when you’re working on a big translation project? And when you finish one?
Yeah, that’s true. I am a Greek translator and technical translator with a strong background in engineering. I work mainly in IT, business, construction, entertainment. I also have a blog, Earthlang, where I write about translation, language, culture, as well as about geography, maps, and places. I also post practical advice on learning new languages.
Working in translation means that you have to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. This is not always a smooth process, naturally, but it needs to get done in the best way. That’s why you need to think outside of the box; recreating a text in another language can become rather complicated. This is the art of translation for me: always searching, always researching. And you learn so many new things on the way! Indeed, I must admit I enjoy the research as much as the actual work. Reading is also crucial for us: a translator that reads a lot, translates well.
I like to have a big translation project. It organizes my days, and it gives me a timeframe within which I can operate. Then I am able to juggle everything else around the project. When the project finishes, I sometimes miss it; but it’s good to move on to other projects as well. There is always something new. And you know, I am enjoying my job each step of the way, as it’s always very satisfying to produce a translation that speakers of your language can read, use, and appreciate.
Last year, I understand you finished a rather large project that you really enjoyed--on Frida Khalo. What was the experience like?
Last year I translated an interesting biography of Frida Khalo and I have to say that this project actually made an artist out of me! I was so inspired by her work and courage that I decided to give it a go and start a creative adventure myself. I am having so much fun! The thing is, when you get deep into texts such as biographies and literary texts, sometimes the emotions you experience can land you to unexpected places. And rewriting the text into your own language makes it all an even more sentimental journey…
Many of us know how challenging it can be to return to creative projects after a big day of translation, writing, or creating teaching materials. And I’ve heard you talk several times in our creative community about some strategies for staying creative even while working on a big project. Or finding time for your reading and self-expression. What are your thoughts on that?
I think I can achieve this by balancing the two hemispheres of my brain: language work is usually followed by painting or listening to music without words, focusing on the visible and on what remains invisible. Now, time, I think, is quite limited; but the answer for me is not trying to make more time. Us translators thrive on deadlines, you know. If we did have all the time in the world, I don’t think we would accomplish much… So, the answer is to cultivate time, at least that’s what I am trying to do. To make the most of it because, well, time, is what makes the universe unfold, isn’t it?
Is there any creative practice that you find particularly helpful for coming back to your own self-expression or creative writing? What do you enjoy? What helps you find your words?
I have recently started journaling and I have found that seeing my stream of consciousness on paper in black and white helps me become more balanced. It’s like having my thoughts spilled out onto something concrete, outside my brain. This gives me a kind of connection to myself, in a way, and prepares me to enter the more creative part of my brain, let’s say. It’s also a great way to practise self-care.
Is there anything else you’d like to share? Any sources of inspiration, or projects you’d love to undertake this year?
I’d love to explore more the art of journaling because I think it’s a major way we can unravel and explore our inner worlds. It’s a nice first step to enter the more profound realms of us, those places inside us that remain hidden, unspoken…
A big thanks to Sofia for helping us remember that we can cultivate time to create.
If you’d like to be inspired by other profiles of creatives from around the world who are out there writing, journaling and expressing themselves--even as they teach, translate, write copy and run businesses, you may enjoy these:
Find your creativity and your focus: Take a walk with Joanna Radomska.
How you can stay creative even with commitments: A writer profile with Ellen Bratsche
Making sense of life with writing--Linda Alley
What keeps you writing? with Elena Mutonono
If you’ve got 15 minutes, you can start writing and creating for yourself too.
It’s just a question of knowing where to start.
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