First post: the why and the wherefore

Ok. First post. So. I've never blogged before, I figure maybe anyone who blogs does it at least in part to indulge their vanity, so that's maybe part of the wherefore. But here's what I'm up to:

I am translating a novel. From French to English. And as I go about this business, it occurs to me that it's not so easy to make the decisions required to create a finished piece of work that will be readable at the end. Create, you say? I understand your skepticism. Translation is hardly creating something out of nothing. But because I am translating a book that I like, it is important to me that the translation be not only faithful, but also good. Poetic. Rolling trippingly off the tongue, and all that.

So here's a forum for me to put out some of my ideas, and if people end up reading this, I can maybe get some feedback about how the book should be. In fact, maybe this translation can be a collaborative effort between you, dear blog-reader, and I.