In writing, the most mistakes I have been pointed by native speakers are that the native speakers never say like what I wrote, when I translate in writing my thought from Korean to English, I have tried to translate every single word one by one in English. However, sometimes I encounter some expressions which don't exist in English but in Korean. So after I translate to English in my way, it sounds strange or seems not make sense of it.
I am 33 years old and still young but not too young. Since I have already learned and been used to Korean culture for 33 years, writing in English could be either crisis or chance to challenge a new world. In order to be a good writer here, I wonder if I need to translate my thought in English as well as possible or if I need to go to the Chicago library to learn English culture to communicate more smoothly as the author Annie Dillard advised. If I obtained a good skill to write in English, would it make me a new person as Yiyun Li? Once my own personal background, experience, and English skill are mixed up, would I be a good writer here as Firoozeh Dumas?
The most important thing in writing depends on why I am writing this now. It could be my own recorded expression for myself like a diary or a writing to be read by many other readers like an essay. Therefore, when I write something, I need to focus on who will read this writing. Endless possibility of writing in creation and freedom in expression are the reasons why I write.
- Sehoon Cheon
The problem with translating words one at a time is that it results in sentences that native speakers would not say. If you write in English to begin with, then it will be more smooth. However, I don't think you have to lose your Korean voice when writing in English. You have something to tell English speakers that they can't learn otherwise!
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