03/03/2026
MO HABIB TRANSLATION PRIZE IN PERSIAN LITERATURE
CALL FOR TRANSLATIONS FROM PERSIAN
MELC calls for submissions for the third cycle of the Mo Habib Translation Prize in Persian Literature. Established in partnership with the Mo Habib Memorial Foundation and Deep Vellum Publishing in 2022, the prize seeks to enable the publication and dissemination of Persian literary works that stand on their own in engaging English translation.
Hajar Hussaini won the last cycle for translating a collection of poems by Maral Taheri, to be published in May 2027. The inaugural winner was Dr. Michelle Quay whose translation of Reza Ghassemi’s Woodwind Harmony in the Nighttime is forthcoming on March 17. Order your copy now!
The third cycle will focus on prose (any genre or period, from the 10th century CE to the present day).
The winning translator will receive a total prize of $10,000, awarded as follows:
$2,000 upon announcement of the award (December 2026)
$8,000 upon submission of the completed manuscript (by March 2027)
In addition to the monetary award, Deep Vellum Publishing commits to publishing the winning translation. Please submit the following materials in a single PDF file by September 1, 2026:
A two-page cover letter that describes the work to be translated and speaks to its larger import. Has this work been translated into English before? How does your translation compare to previous translations? The cover letter should also contain a short commentary (no more than 300 words) on the applicant’s approach to the translation of the work: expected obstacles, your plans for rendering the formal aspects of the original text in English, etc.
An up-to-date CV (no more than 3 pages)
A bilingual sample of the proposed translation (between 10 and 15 pages, double spaced, in both languages, total of 20-30 pages)
Proof of copyrights
All applicants must obtain translation permission from the author (if applicable) and receive proof of copyright from the rights holder (if not the same as the author)
Note that sample translations as well as the final manuscript must be the unique creation of the applicant and should not replicate or significantly mirror other translators’ work or computer-generated automatic translations, such as Chat-GPT. All translations are scrutinized for plagiarism, and the award administrators retain the authority to disqualify any submissions suspected of including plagiarized material.
Important deadlines
Submission deadline
September 1, 2026
Award announcement
December 2026
Final manuscript due
March 2027
Publication (projected)
Spring 2028
The Mo Habib Memorial Foundation celebrates the life and legacy of Mohammad Habib by supporting education, culture, and the arts in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Born in Tehran in 1952, he moved to the U.S. in 1970 to attend college, eventually obtaining his BS and MS in Engineering and Construction Management from the University of Washington. For forty years, he worked as a project manager and structural engineer. Mohammad is survived by his wife, Superior Court Judge Susan Amini, and his son, Cyrus Habib, who served as the state’s 16th Lieutenant Governor prior to leaving public life to become a Jesuit.
Deep Vellum is a nonprofit publishing house and literary arts organization with the mission to bring the world into conversation through literature. Founded in 2013, Deep Vellum has expanded to encompass five distinct publishing imprints, including Dalkey Archive Press, and is now the largest publisher of translated literature in the United States (see here).
FAQ
- I already have a contract with a different publisher, could I still apply?
No. The winning translation is to be published by Deep Vellum, so you may not have entered into a contract with a different publisher.
- My project will not be complete by May 2027, may I still apply?
We warmly encourage you to apply for another cycle. Our projected timeline for this cycle is submission of the final manuscript by no later than May 2027.
- Could I propose a prose anthology in translation?
Yes, we welcome anthologies.
- What will the fourth cycle focus on and when will it be announced?
We are currently in the inshallah phase of the fourth cycle.
All inquiries should be directed to Aria Fani ([email protected]). Artwork by Amelia Ossorio, Seattle based illustrator and MELC graduate.
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