Posted: September 14, 2026
Best Literary Translations — Annual Anthology
Best Literary Translations (BLT) is an annual anthology of exemplary poetry and prose translations into English that have appeared in U.S.-based or U.S.-affiliated journals and magazines over the course of the calendar year. Published each spring by Deep Vellum, it has been formally endorsed by the board of directors of ALTA, the American Literary Translators Association. Each volume has a guest editor: Jane Hirshfield (2024), Cristina Rivera Garza (2025), U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze (2026), and Emily Wilson for the forthcoming 2027 volume.
Four series co-editors support the making of this anthology with their linguistic and cultural expertise. The current co-editors are Wendy Call (literatures of the Americas), Sara Elkamel (Middle Eastern literatures), and Kọ́lá Túbọ̀sún (African literatures). We are seeking a fourth co-editor, with expertise in Asian literatures. All four co-editors collaborate on reviewing translations from Europe.
This position will begin for the 2028 volume (scheduled for publication April 2028), with work starting in early November 2026. All applicants should self-identify as U.S. translators — participants in U.S. literary circles — but need not currently live or work in the U.S.
The four series co-editors review submissions of poetry, short prose (fiction and nonfiction), and hybrid-genre works, nominated by literary journals or translators. Each year, co-editors review approximately 500 submissions and create a longlist from which an invited guest editor chooses the anthology selections.
As full professional and creative partners, all four co-editors work with Deep Vellum on copyediting to book promotion; encouraging and evaluating submissions; and working with the annual guest editor and selected translators and authors. Co-editors also collaborate on all aspects of fundraising.
Interest in and commitment to promoting the anthology post-publication is an important qualification for this position.
Each series co-editor currently receives an annual honorarium of US$2,000 and small annual royalties from Deep Vellum. The honorarium is dependent on the generosity of an anonymous donor and is not guaranteed into the future.
Please submit all of the following via email to besttranslations@deepvellum.org:
1 — Letter of Interest (1–2 pages)
2 — Résumé or CV
Detailing your experience with literary translation, editing, and project administration, including a publication list.
3 — Translation Sample
A short sample of published literary translation work in English — suggested 5 pages for poetry or 10 pages for prose — along with the original text.
4 — References
Full contact information for two or three English-speaking professional references, with a short explanation of how they know you and your work.
We especially welcome applications from BIPOC and emerging translators. We encourage all applicants to be familiar with the project and to review previous editions of the anthology before applying.
Questions and inquiries are most welcome via email.
Apply: besttranslations@deepvellum.org