Inchword translation logo

Reviewers offer improvements.

Reviewers are native speakers of the target language, and already familiar with the author’s work and “voice” in the original language.

They read and compare the original and translation, offering suggestions directly to the translator (in their native language) at the sentence level.

(this side is for reference)Click any sentence, below, to suggest an improvement.

Art doesn’t end at the edge of the canvas

Imagine you see a caged feather on a museum wall. The sign underneath says the artist is a political activist in jail.

Imagine that same caged feather again. But instead the sign says the artist is a high school kid in Florida.

Or imagine that the only way to see it is to crawl deep into a shrinking tunnel that opens into a room of mirrors, where the caged feather is suspended by a thread.

Same feather. Very different perceptions.

The way you present your art, and what people know about it, completely changes how they perceive it.

Therefore, your art doesn’t end at the edge of the canvas. Your creative decisions continue all the way to the end.

Now think of the way you create and release music:

  • You have a tiny idea for a song.
  • You flesh it out into a full song.
  • You give it layers of instruments.
  • You choose its texture when recording.
  • You come up with an album title, and the visual look of your photos and videos.

Every step so far has been a creative expansion of your original idea.

So now it’s time to put it out into the world. Do you turn off all that creativity? Just upload the song to the usual places, and announce it like everyone else?

No! Your creative process hasn’t stopped! Flaunt your artistic freedoms, and have some fun with it!

  • the way you communicate with the world
  • how you make your music available
  • the stories you tell about your music and yourself

These are all the continuation of your creation.

Marketing is the final extension of your art.

艺术并不只在画布上。

想像一下，你在博物馆的墙上看到一件笼中羽毛的作品， 下方的介绍说，作者是一名身陷囹圄的政治活动家。

再想像一下，同一件作品， 下方介绍说，作者是一名来自石家庄的高中生。

或者再想像一下，看到这幅作品的唯一方式就是爬进一条很深的隧道，越来越窄，尽头是一间被镜子布满的房间，这笼中羽毛被一根细线吊在房间中。

相同的羽毛， 却给人完全不同的感觉。

你展现自己作品的方式和人们对它的了解，将完全改变人们对这件作品的感受。

所以，你的艺术并不限于画布， 你的创意决策将影响整个过程。

现在，想想你创作和发布音乐的方式：

  • 你有一个很小的想法。
  • 你将其发展成为一首完整的歌。
  • 你编配乐器层次。
  • 你在录制时决定音乐的神韵。
  • 你想出了专辑的名字，安排图片和影像的视觉效果。

至此为止的每一步都是你最初那个小小想法的创意延伸。

现在，到了你向世界发布你的音乐这一刻。 你会在这时停止你的创意吗？ 你会仅仅是像他人一样，把歌曲上传到网上然后就宣布发布了？

不！ 你的创意过程还不能结束呢！ 展示一下你与生俱来的艺术细胞，去自由发挥，做些更有趣的事吧！

  • 你同这个世界的交流方式
  • 如何让你的音乐被人们听到
  • 讲述关于你的音乐和你自己的故事

这些都是你创作的延续。

市场营销是你艺术创作的最终延伸。

Business is creative

A famous record label executive was confronted by a musician who said, “You don’t value creativity!” The executive said, “Oh please! I’ve got accountants more creative than you!”

It’s meant as an insult, but it has a point. Don’t think of music as creative but business as not. Business is definitely just as creative as music.

Most musicians are wildly creative when writing, playing, performing, and recording. But as soon as it’s time to do business, they stiffen up and lose their confidence. They follow advice that tells them exactly how to promote.

But turning off your creativity — trying to play it safe — is the worst thing you could do. Just like with music.

So loosen up! Get confident, creative, playful, and experimental. Break the rules. Try some things that nobody else has done.

Think of how comfortable you are on your instrument — improvising, experimenting, and having fun with it.

Now be that comfortable when marketing. Improvise. Experiment. And have fun with it!

经商也需要创意

一位知名的唱片公司主管曾被一位音乐人质问，“你根本就不在乎创意！” 主管反驳：“得了吧！我的会计都比你有创意！”

尽管这是一种侮辱，但是却有它的道理。 不要认为只有音乐才需要创意而经商不需要， 经商和做音乐一样，都需要创意。

很多音乐人在写词，玩音乐，表演和录制唱片时创意十足， 但是，当让他们从事商业活动时，却失去了信心。 他们选择完全按照别人的建议去推广自己的音乐。

但是，停止自己的创意，只是谨慎行事，是你最不应该做的事。 经商就如同你做音乐一样，不应该抛开创意。

所以，请放开限制！ 重拾你的信心，创意，童心，和实验精神， 打破那些死板的商业教条， 尝试一些别人没有用过的方法。

回想你在玩音乐时的自信状态吧——即兴创造，勇于尝试，享受着音乐带给你的快乐。

现在，请把那状态放在营销上， 率性而为， 标新立异， 乐在其中！