Ambar Sahil Chatterjee 是來自印度德里的文學經紀人，他任職於 A Suitable Agency，在業界擁有十年以上的經驗；他也曾在印度一家知名的出版社擔任資深編輯，負責出版過一系列的經典名著以及風格多元的當代小說。多年來，他和許多背景不同的作家、譯者都有過密切的合作。

在倫敦書展期間，來自全球之聲的 Sangita Swechcha 結識了 Chatterjee。兩人隨後就文學經紀人的角色，以及像倫敦書展這樣的活動如何能協助南亞作家在國際文壇找到自己的定位，展開了以下的對話。

Sangita Swechcha（SS）：作為一個來自南亞的文學經紀人，你認為倫敦書展為何如此重要？它與法蘭克福書展，或者其他更有地緣關係的書展有何不同？

Ambar Sahil Chatterjee (ASC): The London Book Fair is important because London is a major hub of literary and publishing activity. The fair provides an excellent opportunity to meet publishers, and as literary agents we present the work of writers to the international publishing community.

In comparison, the Frankfurt Book Fair is much larger and has its own significance in the global publishing calendar. However, book fairs in general whether London, Frankfurt, or those closer to home, create valuable opportunities for connection. For instance, today I have several meetings scheduled with publishers, and the manuscripts we represent may soon find a home with the right publisher.

Ambar Sahil Chatterjee（ASC）：倫敦書展之所以重要，是因為倫敦本身就是文學和出版的重鎮。這個書展提供了一個絕佳的機會，讓大家可以和出版商直接交流；而我們這些文學經紀人，也可以藉這個機會把手頭的作品介紹給國際出版商。

相比之下，法蘭克福書展的規模更大，可說是全球出版界的一大盛事。但不管是倫敦書展、法蘭克福書展，或者南亞一帶的書展，都一樣能為我們帶來交流的寶貴機會。像我今天就和幾個出版商有約；我們所代理的書稿，也許很快就都能找到合適的歸宿、得以出版。

SS：你覺得過去幾年來，對於南亞作家，各國經紀人和出版商的看法是否有什麼實質上的轉變？還是說，他們對於南亞作家的關注仍然是一陣一陣的，時有時無？

ASC: From my understanding, there is definitely interest in voices from South Asia because publishers want their lists to be more diverse. However, there are also challenges. When publishers speak of South Asia, they often treat it as a single entity, while in reality the region has many facets — Nepali, Sri Lankan, Pakistani, and within India itself, which abounds in so much regional diversity.

I am also not referring only to South Asian literature written in English, but literature in regional languages that could be translated into English. For international publishers, however, there are limited slots, and South Asia is often seen broadly as one category.

Individual editors may recognize these differences, but decisions are rarely made by editors alone. Sales teams and acquisition teams are also involved, and questions about market suitability or logistics often arise. So while there is genuine interest, there are structural constraints as well.

ASC：就我所知，出版商確實對來自南亞的作品很感興趣，因為他們也希望自己的出版品可以更為豐富多樣一些。但這當中也不是全無挑戰。這些出版商在談到「南亞」的時候，往往將南亞看作一個整體；但事實上，這片土地面貌多元──尼泊爾、斯里蘭卡、巴基斯坦；光是印度，各地的文化風貌便大不相同。

我指的也不單是那些以英文寫成的南亞作品，還有那些用當地語言創作、可能被譯成英文的作品。但對國際出版商來說，他們手頭的資源有限，所以來自南亞的作品，就常被籠統地歸類到一起。

個別的編輯也許能夠察覺箇中差異，但〔要不要出版一本書〕通常不是編輯可以自行決定的。銷售團隊、選書團隊都會參與其中，市場接受度、物流安排等現實考量也會被拿出來討論。所以即使南亞作品確實受到關注，我們還是有許多結構性的問題需要克服。

SS：那麼你來參加倫敦書展，主要是想促成版權交易、尋找共同出版的機會，還是單純想和西方的出版同業打好關係呢？

ASC: I don’t think these priorities can really be separated because they tend to work together. Each aspect supports the others. One is always looking to discuss rights, explore collaborations, and strengthen professional relationships.

ASC：我認為這些都是相輔相成、環環相扣，沒有辦法切割開來的。我們都希望可以談好版權、尋求合作，同時也維繫好彼此的關係。

SS：南亞的新銳作家應該如何看待倫敦書展這樣的場合可能給他們帶來的機會？這真的是他們可以大展拳腳的地方嗎？還是說，其實多數的準備工作，都是早在他們飛往倫敦前就已經做好了呢？

ASC: The London Book Fair offers an opportunity for agents or publishers from South Asia to showcase the writing and literary talent on their lists to editors and publishers internationally. These opportunities remain important and continue to grow as participation expands.

ASC：對來自南亞的經紀人和出版商來說，倫敦書展給了他們一個機會，讓他們能夠把手頭作品和旗下作家推向國際文壇。這樣的機會〔對我們來說〕非常重要；隨著參展人數的增加，它的重要性更是有增無減。

SS：通常是什麼原因會讓你決定接下一部書稿？在把它介紹給國際同業之前，你又會對它進行多少的編輯與打磨？

ASC: I used to be an editor before becoming an agent, so my editorial instincts are activated when I consider signing a writer. It’s important that the work speaks to me in some way or makes an impact.

Because of my editorial background, I do look at whether a manuscript might need editing or polishing before it is sent to a publisher, whether in India or internationally. Ultimately, the work needs to speak to me because we all respond to stories as readers first. If something has a strong impact, it becomes something I want to explore further.

I don’t necessarily look for specific genres. Personally, I focus more on fiction than non-fiction, though we have another editor who works on non-fiction. As a literary agency, however, we are genre-agnostic. Writers can send us what they have, and if the writing or concept appeals to us, we are interested in taking it further.

We usually take on books where we see clear potential and where we feel we can do justice to the work. It would be unfair to take on something if we did not believe we were the right fit for that book.

ASC：我在轉任文學經紀之前曾經做過編輯；因此在考慮要不要簽下一位作家的時候，我的編輯本能自然而然就會被喚醒。一部作品能不能讓我產生共鳴、能不能打動我，〔對我來說〕非常重要。

因為我有這樣的背景，所以我在把一份書稿交給出版社之前──不管是印度出版商或者海外的同業──會先評估一下，看看它是否需要經過一些編修或潤飾。說到底，一部作品必須要先能引起我的共鳴，因為我們在故事面前，都首先是個讀者；如果那足夠打動人心，自然就會讓我想要再多讀一些。

我沒有什麼偏好的類型。雖然我個人主要關注的是小說，但我們也有專門負責非小說的編輯。作為一家文學經紀公司，我們對於書稿的類型並不設限；對於各種書稿，我們是來者不拒，只要它的文字或者核心概念足夠吸引我們，我們就有興趣和作者展開進一步的洽談。

我們通常只會簽下那些我們認為具有潛力，我們也能讓它發光發熱的書。如果在不確定能不能把一本書做好之前就貿然把它給簽下，其實對作品來說也不公平。

SS：可以說明一下你和文學譯者是怎麼互相配合的嗎？你認為「翻譯的價值」在南亞文學走向全球市場的路上，是否仍然被低估了呢？

ASC: I don’t think translation is undervalued. Increasingly, publishers and readers recognize its importance in bringing stories to a wider audience. Prizes such as the International Booker Prize (formerly Man Booker International Prize) have helped highlight translated works, and two Indian books have already won the award.

The mood around translation is optimistic. The primary challenge is finding the right translator for the right project. If they are not well matched, all other constraints and challenges, of which there are many, will be exacerbated.

ASC：我不認為翻譯的價值有被低估。出版商和讀者其實都漸漸意識到了，要能夠把一本書介紹給更多讀者，翻譯絕對是不可或缺。像是〔之前被稱為曼布克國際獎的〕國際布克獎，就成功地讓翻譯作品受到更多關注──之前就有兩部印度作品得到過布克獎的肯定。

整體上，大家對於翻譯的看法都還滿正面的。最大的挑戰其實是在為每部作品找到合適的譯者；一旦譯者與作品不夠契合，那些原本就存在的限制和難題，就很容易被放大。

SS：南亞作家在試圖打進國際出版市場的時候，主要會面臨到的結構性挑戰都有哪些？是行銷預算不足、欠缺人脈資源，還是西方出版商看待南亞作品的既定視角，這類更為基本的問題？

ASC: These challenges exist across publishing in many parts of the world. As agents, we try to remain true to the books we represent and present them as authentically as possible. At the same time, we try to understand what publishers are looking for through ongoing conversations. If there is a match, it works; if there isn’t, it doesn’t. In many ways, it becomes a process of trial and error. But one has to keep sustaining these efforts, because publishing can seem like one long endurance test and so determination is key.

ASC：你在出版界，不管走到哪裡，遇到的挑戰都是大同小異。我們作為文學經紀，只能盡量忠於自己所代理的作品，努力呈現出它們最真實的樣貌。同時，我們也會持續和出版商保持交流，嘗試理解他們到底想要什麼。如果我們剛好有他們需要的東西，那事情自然就成了；如果沒有，那就是沒有。很大程度上來說，這就是個不斷碰撞、摸索的過程。但你也只能持續努力，因為出版往往像是漫長的耐力賽，堅持就是勝負的關鍵。

SS：就你的觀察，有沒有哪些來自南亞的作品類型或題材，是當前在全球範圍內特別受到關注的？對於那些希望打開國際市場的作家，你有什麼可以提供給他們的建議嗎？

ASC: Fiction in translation has certainly received more attention than non-fiction, and within that, literary fiction tends to travel more easily than commercial fiction.

Publishing is a long game, and writers need patience. Conversations with publishers often take a long time before anything materializes. Sometimes, after months of discussion, a publisher may still decide they cannot take the project, and then the process begins again elsewhere.

Occasionally things fall into place more quickly, but that is not the norm. Writing a book itself takes a great deal of time, effort, and energy, and the publishing journey can take just as long. Patience and persistence are essential.

ASC：以翻譯作品來說，小說受到的關注確實比非小說要多；而在小說之中，文學小說又比大眾小說來得要更容易打進國際市場。

出版是場馬拉松，作家必須耐得住性子。我們往往要花很多時間和出版商來回溝通，才有可能取得一點進展。有時候，討論了好幾個月，出版商還是可能會決定不要簽下那本書，那我們也只好到別的地方整個從頭來過。

偶爾也會有那種一切都很順的時候，但那並不是常態。寫書本來就是需要投入大量時間、心力的事情；而一本書的誕生，往往也需要投注相應的努力。耐心與毅力，都是不可或缺的。