--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was in the second year of my PhD when I…" description: "\"I was in the second year of my PhD when I first had the idea - I'd recently started working as a translator, which meant firstly that I was hearing abo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f5/deborah-smith-13837_book_i-was-in-the-second-year-of-my-phd-when_3066300.png" --- # I was in the second year of my PhD when I first had the… ![“I was in the second year of my PhD when I first had the idea - I'd recently started working as a translator, which meant firstly that I was hearing about amazing-sounding books from other translators, and also that I was getting enough of an insider's view of the publishing industry to be aware of…” quote by Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f5/deborah-smith-13837_book_i-was-in-the-second-year-of-my-phd-when_3066300.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f5/deborah-smith-13837_book_i-was-in-the-second-year-of-my-phd-when_3066300.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f5/deborah-smith-13837_book_i-was-in-the-second-year-of-my-phd-when_3066300.png) > “I was in the second year of my PhD when I first had the idea - I'd recently started working as a translator, which meant firstly that I was hearing about amazing-sounding books from other translators, and also that I was getting enough of an insider's view of the publishing industry to be aware of all the implicit biases that made it so difficult for these books to ever get published, especially if they weren't from European languages (harder to discover, editors can't read the original, lack of funding programmes, authors who don't speak English).” [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She recognized publishing bias against non‑European works, limiting diverse voices. **In simple terms:** Publishing favors European languages, marginalizing others. Key Takeaway Advocate for inclusive publishing practices. Themes bias diversity literature publishing industry Mood reflective motivational Type industry advocacy When to use this quote - literary agencies - academic conferences - grant applications - editorial meetings Key Concepts cultural he market dynamics translation challenges Questions to Reflect On - What steps can editors take to discover non‑European works? - How can translators influence market openness? A Different Perspective Changing entrenched preferences takes systemic effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biases Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biases-difficult-5165802/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Translators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-translators-5165801/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editors/) [Editors Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/editors-read-5165803/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Funding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funding/) [Harder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harder/) [Hearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hearing/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Implicit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/implicit/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Insiders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insiders/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Made it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made-it/) [Originals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/originals/) [Phd Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phd-idea-5165800/) [Phds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phds/) [Programmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programmes/) [Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishing/) [Publishing industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishing-industry/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Speak english](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-english/) [Translators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/translators/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [And to improve access to the UK publishing industry - I'm hoping to set up an internship or work experience for someone from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/and-to-improve-access-to-the-uk-publishing-industry-i-m-hoping-to-set/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [I taught myself the first year course while I was on the dole, then moved to London to do an MA at SOAS, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/i-taught-myself-the-first-year-course-while-i-was-on-the-dole-then/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [Khairani Barokka is a writer, spoken-word poet, visual artist and performer whose work has a strong vein of activism, particularly around disability, but also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/khairani-barokka-is-a-writer-spoken-word-poet-visual-artist-and/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [The publishing industry is not immune to gossips.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-radziwill/the-publishing-industry-is-not-immune-to-gossips/) [Carole Radziwill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-radziwill/) > [It really gets me when the critics say I haven't done enough for the economy. 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Unfortunately, self-publishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-day/the-publishing-industry-provides-a-viable-channel-which-enables-a/) [Sylvia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-day/) > [There's been a growing dissatisfaction and distrust with the conventional publishing industry, in that you tend to have a lot of formerly reputable imprints…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/there-s-been-a-growing-dissatisfaction-and-distrust-with-the/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) ## More by Deborah Smith > [Happy people look young. You’re really afraid of getting older, aren’t you? You should only be afraid of getting less happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/happy-people-look-young-you-re-really-afraid-of-getting-older-aren-t/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [“I buried my grief for my son, not my memories, but my grief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/i-buried-my-grief-for-my-son-not-my-memories-but-my-grief/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [I read The Vegetarian and fell in love with it. A year later, I was invited to go and speak at the London Book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/i-read-the-vegetarian-and-fell-in-love-with-it-a-year-later-i-was/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [A chorus of tough southern belles whispered, You need a loyal husband around here. 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A sensualidade de respirar, de sentir, de querer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/a-vida-fugaz-a-vida-preciosa-temos-de-gozar-cada-momento-a/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [“The best sex takes us somewhere. Somewhere warm and expansive, a paradise of lust and happiness. Sex is and can be and should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/the-best-sex-takes-us-somewhere-somewhere-warm-and-expansive-a/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [Possibly the best thing about the whole experience is that Kang and I are now really good friends. It's as much of a pleasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/possibly-the-best-thing-about-the-whole-experience-is-that-kang-and-i/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [I've translated two of Bae's novels, A Greater Music and Recitation, which are coming from Open Letter and Deep Vellum in October and January…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/i-ve-translated-two-of-bae-s-novels-a-greater-music-and-recitation/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [Simon Collinson, of digital publisher Canelo and über-cool Aussie mag The Lifted Brow, is our digital producer; Sarah Shin, Verso's comms director, is helping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/simon-collinson-of-digital-publisher-canelo-and-ber-cool-aussie-mag/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [There's no linear narrative - the structure is more like a series of variations on a theme (how identity is shaped by language), with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/there-s-no-linear-narrative-the-structure-is-more-like-a-series-of/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [There’s something very freeing about losing the anchors that have always defined you. Frightening, sad, but exhilarating in a poignant way, as well. You’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/there-s-something-very-freeing-about-losing-the-anchors-that-have/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [Plus, publishing's inherent conservatism, means that what little did get through was weighted towards the commercial end of the scale, which is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/plus-publishing-s-inherent-conservatism-means-that-what-little-did/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) > [ Whenever I visit Korea she \[Kang\] buys me lunch and takes me to a gallery. As if all this wasn't enough, she has incredible… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-smith/whenever-i-visit-korea-she-kang-buys-me-lunch-and-takes-me-to-a/) [Deborah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) [Explore all 47 Deborah Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-smith/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. 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