Potomitan

Site de promotion des cultures et des langues créoles
Annou voyé kreyòl douvan douvan

Otè, editè, tradiktè ayisyen...
konnen dwa ou e respekte dwa zòt

Haitian authors, editors and translators…
know your rights and respect others’

Emmanuel W. VEDRINE
Oktòb 2015 : October 2015
mizajou 11 oktòb2018 : updated Oktober18, 2018
otè Sezon Sechrès Ayiti (woman istorik) : author of Sezon Sechrès Ayiti (historical novel)

Selebrasyon MWA KREYÒL nan Cambridge

Photo E. W. Védrine. Creole Month Celebration. Cambridge, MA. Oct. 31, 2015.

 
Se ta tout yon plezi pou n ta fè seminè gratis pou otè, editè, tradiktè ak anseyan ayisyen, patikilyèman pou sa yo ki Ayiti. Men se pa yon bagay tèlman fasil pou nou menm ki nan dyaspora a, men nou rete kwè li enpòtan pou n chèche yon mwayen kanmèm pou ta mete espètiz nou o sèvi peyi natif natal la, Ayiti Cheri. Se konsa pami plizyè douzèn materyèl edikatif nou mete sou entènèt la, n ap jwenn Yon koudèy sou pwoblèm lekòl Ayiti (221 p., edisyon 2007), yon liv pou anseye Seminè pou anseyan ayisyen: Seminars for Haitian teachers (liv #1), annatandan dezyèm liv seminè a (liv #2) ki nan wout. Donk anseyan Ayiti kou nan dyaspora a pa ka plenyen pou resous ki disponib sou entènèt la pou ede yo jounen jodiya. Se jis pran yon ti tan pou dawounlod yo, epi enprime yo (pou diskite an gwoup, itilize yo nan klas, nan konferans, fè mini-seminè ak yo, elt.). It’s would be a pleasure to do free seminars for authors, editors, translators, and Haitian teachers, particularly for those in Haiti; but it’s not something easy for us who are living in Diaspora, however we still believe it is important to find a way anyhow to put our expertise at the service of the native country, Haiti our darling. So, among many dozens of educational materials we publish online, you will find Yon koudèy sou pwoblèm lekòl Ayiti (221 p., edition 2007), a book to teach Seminè pou anseyan ayisyen: Seminars for Haitian teachers (book #1) while waiting for the second seminar book (book #2). Teachers in Haiti as well as those in Diaspora can’t complain about resources available on the internet to help them today. It’s just a matter of taking a little time to download them, and print them out (to discuss them in group, use them in class, in conferences, do small seminars with them, etc.).
Pi ba a, se jis kèk kesyon trè enpòtan nou dwe reflechi sou yo, non sèlman pou pwoteje dwa nou (kòm otè, editè, tradiktè, e anseyan) men tou, pou n respekte dwa lòt moun (pou n pa kouri reklame dwadotè yo, triche nan sa yo ekri, san bay referans ki kote nou jwenn sa nou di a lè n ap ekri). Nou dwe bay tout sous ou referans nou puize (nan rechèch nou, nan tout sa n ap pibliye), enkli foto n ap itilize. Si nou panse ke nou pa ta nan nivo pou konnen yon enfòmasyon, li saj pou n ta konsilte lòt moun ki ta konn plis sou sa. Down below, it’s just some important questions upon which we should reflect, not only to protect our rights (as authors, editors, translators, and teachers) but also to respect others’ rights (not to rush claiming their copyrights, plagiarizing from their writings, giving no reference where we find what we say when we are writing). We should give out all sources or references we use (in our research, in all that we are publishing), including pictures we are using. If we think that we would not be at the level to know certain information, it would be wise to check with other people who may know more about it.
1. Ki valè enfòmasyon ou genyen oubyen konnen avan ou pibliye premye liv ou?
1. How much information do you have, or knowbefore publishing your first book?
2. Èske w te janm patisipe nan kèk atelye ekriven avan w pibliye (nenpòt bagay)? 2. Have you ever participated in any writers’ workshop before publishing anything?
3. Ki enpòtans atelye ekriven yo pou moun k ap pibliye pou premye fwa? 3. What’s the importance of writers’ workshops for people who are publishing for the first time?
4. Èske w te gen chans suiv yon seminè sou piblikasyon, kote mezondedisyon (editè) vin pale sou sa? 4. Did you have a chance attending a seminar on publishing (where publishers came to speak on that)?
5.Èske w okouran kèk atelye ekriven nan zòn, vil kote w rete a? Kijan yo rele? Kilè yo gen seminè? Ki jan literè yo kouvri (e.g pwezi, roman, istwa kout, teyat)…? Èske w ta renmen patisipe ladan yo? Èske w tradui zèv ou yo (an anglè dabò) pou jan literè ou ta renmen chwazi a)? 5. Do you know about any writers’ workshops in the area, city where you live? What’s their names? When do they have seminars? What literary genres do they cover (e.g. poetry, novel, short stories, plays)…? Would you like to participate in them? Have you first translated your works (to English) for the literary genre you would like to choose)?
6. Kilès ki pral reklame dwadotè a? Ou menm oubyen mezondedisyon an? Pou kisa? 6. Who is going to claim the copyright? You or the publisher? Why?
7. Pou kisa otè zèv la pa gen dwadotè pwòp zèv li pafwa? 7. Why does the author of the work doesn’t have the copyright of his / her own work sometimes?

8. Èske mezondedisyon k ap pibliye zèv ou a te chita pale ak ou an detay sou kontra piblikasyon an?

8. Has the publisher publishing your work sat down to talk with you in details on the publishing contract?

9. Ki papye legal, kontra ou te sisyen ak mezondedisyon an avan zèv la te pibliye? 9. What Legal paper(s), contract(s) did you sign with the publisher before the work was published?
10. Non kilès ou mete nan papye legal la, nan kontra a kòm eritye dwadotè ou (an ka mòtalite)? 10. Whose name did you put on the legal paper, in the contract as heir of the copyright (in case of death)?
11. E si yon mezondedisyon reklame dwa yon otè (san oken papye pa t siyen davans), epi plizyè milyon kopi zèv sa a vann, enkli tradiksyon li ki pral bay plis lajan toujou? Kilès k ap rich nan ka sa a? 11. And if the publisher claims the right of an author (without signing any document in advance), and many million copies of this work are sold, including its translation that’s going to bring more money? Who is going to be rich in this case?
12.Foto ou pral mete sou kouvèti liv la, anndan liv la… pou kilès yo ye? Kilès ki gen dwadotè yo? Èske ou te konsilte davans moun /òganizasyon ki gen dwadotè yo pou ba ou pèmisyon (alekri) pou pibliye yo? 12.Pictures that you are going to use on the book cover, inside the book … who has their rights? Who has their copyright? Did you check in advance with people /organization that have their copyrights to give you (written) permission to publish them?
13. Èske w te konnen lè ou pran (pou afè pa w) sa moun ekri, sa k apateni a yon moun se yon vòl? Li ka gen gwo pousuit legal dèyè l, ki ka tradui ou lajistis, epi ou ka pèdi tout sa ou posede. 13. Did you know when you take (as yours) what people write, what belongs to somebody is a theft? There can be big lawsuits following it, bringing you to court, and you can lose all that you possess.
14. Èske w tradui zèv lòt otè deja oubyen echantiyon zèv yo? Kilès ki gen dwadotè tradiksyon an? 14. Have you translated works of other authors already or samples of their works? Who has the copyright of the translation?
15. Gen kèk mezondedisyon ayisyen k ap vòlè dwadotè moun (pasipala) pou reklame l pa yo (san siyen oken papye ak otè zèv la). Èske yo konnen se yon vòl sa ye? Y ap triche nan sa otè ekri san bay oken referans. Se ak dife y ap jwe. Kòm pwovèb la di, “Lagè avèti pa touye kokobe”, jou yo pa tann, y ap asiyen yo, epi yo pral pèdi ni sak ni krab. 15. There are some Haitian publishers that are stealing people’s copyrights (here and there) to claim them as theirs (without signing any paper with the author of the work). Do they know it’s a theft? They are plagiarizing, taking what authors write, giving no references. They are playing with fire. As the saying goes, “Look before you leap”’ lawsuits can be brought against them at any moment, and they will lose everything.
DOKIMANTASYON (maniskri) –– Ki pwosedi ou itilize kòm otè pou dokimante zèv w ap pwodui yo (e.g, fichye elektwonik, fè kèk kopi l, voye kopi maniskri a bay kèk moun ou fè konfyans, anrejistre maniskri a avèk Library of Congress (Washington), pibliye plizyè moso ladan sou yon pajwèb? Èske w te distribiye kèk pati ladan l nan atelye ekriven pou moun kòmante sou li, epi remèt ou maniskri a (ak tout kòmantè)? Èske w te mete l sou yon ralonj wèb pou kritik gade l (voye kòmantè ba ou, site l nan rechèch y ap pibliye)?. Si ou te mete zèv la sou entènèt, èske li te an fòma pdf? Èske ou te mete yon kopi l nan yon anvlòp, epi w al lapòs, ou poste l bay kèk moun? DOCUMENTATION (manuscript) –– What procedure do you use as author to document the works you are producing (e.g., their electronic files, printing some copies, sending copies of the manuscript to some people you trust, register the manuscript with Library of Congress (Washington), publishing many chunks of it in a web site? Did you distribute some parts of it in writers’ workshops for people to comment on it, and then return them to you (with all the comments)? Did you have it in a web link for critics to look at it (sending you comments, citing you the research they are publishing?). If you put the work online, was it in pdf format? Did you put a copy of it in an envelope, and go to the post office to mail it to some people?
DOKIMANTASYON APRE PIBLIKASYON ––Kilès zèv ou a rive jwenn apre l fin pibliye? Èske l al jwenn kèk kritik (konpetan) nan domèn rechèch ou a? Nan ki bibliyotèk piblikbibliyotèk inivèsitè li anrejistre pou lemond antye lokalize l trapde? Èske gen kritik pibliye sou li (nan jounal, revi, revi literè e syantifik…)? Èske ou te voye yon kopi bay kèk sant dokimantasyon? Èske ou te anonse piblikasyon sa a nan yon jounal (pou moun konnen zèv la pibliye)? Èske w te anonse piblikasyon sa a sou entènèt la, pou enfòmasyon sa a sikile (sou facebook, nan fowòm, nan tout rezo sosyal)? Èske w prezante zèv sa a deja nan konferans pou moun konnen apwopo l? Èske w jwenn envitasyon pou pale de zèv sa a, oubyen lòt zèv, kote ou ka tou mansyone l? Konbyen moun ki gen imel kontak ou? Èske w gen yon gwoup imel kontak? Ki tip piblisite mezondedisyon an fè pou zèv la? Kilè? Kibò (nan jounal, revi, konferans, sou entènèt, nan televizyon). Èske tit zèv la parèt nan gwo liv MLA (pou sa ki pibliye pou yon ane presi)? DOCUMENTATION AFTER PUBLICATION ––Who did your work reach after its publication? Was it sent to some (competent) critics in the area of your research? In what public librariesuniversity libraries is it registered for the entire world to localize it in a wink of time? Are there criticisms published on it (in journals, magazines, literary and scientific reviews…)? Did you send a copy to some documentation centers? Did you announce this publication in a newspaper (for people to know the work has been published)? Did you announce this publication on the internet so that the information circulates (on facebook, in fora, in all social networks)?  Have you presented this work already in conferences for people to know about it? Have you received invitations to talk about this work, or other works where you can mention it also? How many people have your email contact? Do you have an email group contact? What type advertising has the publisher done for the work? When? Where? (In newspapers, magazines, conferences, on the internet, on television). Did the title of this work appear the big MLA book (for the publications of a particular year)?
KREYÒL ––  Kibò ou te suiv seminè sou lang kreyòl la? Ak kilès? Ki ane? Ki bon zouti referans ou gen lakay ou (e.g Bibliyografi, Diksyonè & Leksik, Gramè, Woman & Istwa kout, antoloji …)? Ki resous ou konnen ki disponib sou lang kreyòl sou entènèt la? Èske w te konnen kèk pajwèb ki gen referans sou lang kreyòl la? Èske w janm pibliye yon atik sou entènèt la dekwa pou lòt moun gen aksè li l trapde nan lemond? Lè nou pibliye sou entènèt la, sa vin rann li fasil e rapid pou chèrchè sou lang kreyòl atravè lemond jwenn referans, fè kòmantè sou zèv nou, elt. Èske tit zèv ou (ak rezime l) dokimante nan Bibliographie Haïtienne et Indices Bibliographiques), nan anyè Haiti’s Super Web Directory … pou jwenn referans yo trapde pou rechèch?

KREYOL (CREOLE) ––  Where did you attend seminars on the Creole language? With who? What year? What good reference tools do you have at home (e.g.bibliographiesdictionaries & lexicongrammarnovels & short storiesanthology…)? What resources do you know that’s available on the Kreyol language online? Do you know some websites that have references on Creole languages? Have you ever published any article  online in order for other people in the world to have access to it in a wink of time? When we published online, it makes it easier and faster for researchers on Creole languages around the world to find references, comments on our works, etc. Have the title (and summary) of your work documented in Bibliographie Haïtienne et Indices Bibliographiques, in Haiti’s Super Web Directory … to find their references right away for research?

LAJAN –– Èske mezondedisyon an pral siyen yon kontra ak mwen pou l peye m davans (avan zèv la soti)? Konbyen mwen pral peye ajan ki fè m jwenn mezondedisyon an? Ki distribitè ki pral distribiye zèv la? Ak kilès y ap siyen kontra? Ki pousantay y ap pran? Èske distribitè sa a pral voye yon papye envantè ban mwen, bay mezondedisyon an (nan fen ane a) sou konbyen ki vann nan zèv mwen an? Èske m gen pou peye yon tradiktè? Kòman? Konbyen? Èske se mezondedisyon an k ap aranje sa? Ak ki pousantay m ka achte zèv pibliye a (kòm otè l) nan men mezondedisyon an? MONEY –– Is the publisher going to sign a contract with me to pay me in advance (before the work is published)? How much am I going to pay the agent who helped me find the publisher? Who are the distributors who are going to distribute the work? With whom are they going to sign contracts? What percentage are they going to take? Is the distributor going to send me, my publisher an inventory (at the end of the year) how many of the work have been sold? Do I (the author) have to pay a translator? How? How much? Is the publishing arranging it? With what percentage can I buy the (published) work (as its author) from the publisher?
MANISKRI –– Kisa yon maniskri ye? Se zèv ekri a ki poko pran lari (ki poko pibliye). Chak otè travay diferan: genyen ki rapid (nan rechèch, ekri yo), genyen tou ki lan; genyen ki pran anpil ane (ap travay sou yon zèv, ap poli l) avan yo pibliye l; genyen ki pran anpil konsèy, kontinye fè rechèch sou sijè patikilye y ap travay sou li a (kit se fiksyon ou non-fiksyon). Donk, chak otè akselere ak yon vitès diferan. Li enpòtan pou otè a pran anpil prekosyon ak maniskri a (e.g, pa fè fichye elektwonik konfyans, toujou enprime omwen twa kopi maniskri a pou li l, ajoute sa n bezwen ak plim ladan avan n al korije vèsyon elektwonik lan). Li toujou bon pou gen omwen twa kopi bakòp elektwonik, anka nou ta gen pwoblèm. Vèsyon enprime yo pa ta dwe nan yon sèl andwa, anka dife, inondasyon... Si gen kèk zanmi nou fè konfyans, kite yon kopi lakay yo. Si w travay ak yon gwoup otè, ou ka di yo sou kisa w ap travay, an ka mòtalite, yo ka pibliye zèv la pou ou (si w te fin travay sou maniskri a); yo ka site w tou nan rechèch yo. What is a manuscript? It’s the unpublished written work that’s not yet in circulation. Each author works differently: some are fast (in their research, writings); some are also slow; some may take many years (working on something, polishing it) before publishing it; there are some who take many advice, who continue researching on the particular subject they‘re working on (whether it’s a work of fiction or non-fiction). So, each author accelerates with a different speed. It’s important for the author to be very careful with the manuscript (e.g., don’t trust electronic files, always print at least three copies of the manuscript to read it, to add what we need in pen before correcting the electronic version). It’s always good to have at least three electronic backup copies, just in case if we have a problem. The printed versions shouldn’t be in one place, in case of fire, inundation... If there are some friends we trust, leave a copy at their house. If you work with a group of authors, you may tell them on what you are working; in case of death, they can publish it for you (if you have finished working on the manuscript); they can quote from your work /cite you in their research.
PIBLIKASYON ELEKTWONIK –– Se yon bagay ki trè kouran ak monte entènèt la. Avan sa, se jako pye vèt moun te konn fè pou jounal, revi… pibliye zèv yo. Men trapde jounen jodiya, lemond antye ka li sa yon moun ekri, si otè sa a vle pibliye l sou nèt la. Gen otè tou, ki pibliye dabò (ak referans) atravè liv, nan revi, jounal …, epi yo mete piblikasyon sa a disponib sou nèt la annapre. Wi, nan kad rechèch syantifik, inivèsitè… moun pa kouri pibliye travay yo sou nèt la (sa ka mande revizyon gwoup kòlèg, kòmantè e kritk, e desizyon final pou pran avan l pibliye). Donk, n ap di sa depan kisa otè a ap pibliye. Èske otè a ap travay ak yon gwoup? yon enstitisyon? Èske se yon otè endepandan? (pou l pibliye fason li vle)? Pou rezon dwadotè yon seri rechèch, li pa saj pou yon otè ta kouri pibliye yo sou nèt la, san yo poko pibliye nan liv, revi… Remake tou, yon otè kapab vann vèsyon elektwonik zèv la (depi l gen dwadotè a). L ap gen pou ouvri yon kont elektwonik pou sa. Moun k ap achte zèv la (kèlkeswa kote yo ye) ap gen pou peye ak kat kredi, epi lajan an pral sou kont otè a. ELECTRONIC PUBLICATION –– It is something very common with the internet age. Before that, people would be patient praying so that newspapers, magazines… would publish their works. But today, with no delay, the whole world can read what a person writes, if that author wants to publish it online. There are authors also, who first publish (with reference) through books, in reviews, journals …, and then they make this publication available online. Yes, in the case of scientific research, university research… people don’t rush to publish their works online (it may require peer reviews, comments and criticisms, and final decision to be made before publishing it). So, we can say it depends on what the author is publishing. Is the author working with a group? With an institution? Is the author an independent one? (Who publishes the ways s/he wants?). For copyright reasons of some research, it would not be wise for an author to rush and publish them online, without publishing them first in books, reviews… Also, notice that, an author can sell the electronic version of the work (as long s/he has the copyright of it). S/he would have to open an electronic account for that. People who will buy the work (wherever they are) will have to pay with credit card, and the money will go to the author’s account.
RE-ENPRESYON ––Zèv la epuize ––. Kilès ki gen dwa repwodui l? Èske mezondedisyon an ka repwodui l san dizon ou pèmisyon otè a (si se otè a ki gen dwadotè a)? Èske se menm pri yo pral vann re-enpresyon an? Èske l ap pi chè ou mwen chè? Kilès ki pral peye pou enpresyon an? (Èske se otè a, mezondedisyon an?). Ki valè kopi yo pral enprime? Konbyen tan sa ap pran pou re-enpresyon an (an ka ta gen yon demann pate cho)? REPRINT –– The work is out of print (or no more copies left of it) –– . Who has the right to reproduce it? Can the publisher reprint (reproduce) it without the author’s permission (if this author has the copyright)? Is the reprint going to be sold for the same price? Is it going to be more expensive or less expensive? Who is going to pay for the printing? (Is it the author? the publisher?). How many copies are they going to print? How long will it take to do the reprint (in case there is a great demand)?
An rezime, nou swete enfòmasyon kle sa yo kapab non sèlman ouvri zye otè, editè, tradiktè, edikatè ayisyen pou youn respekte dwa lòt, men tou pou pran konsyans pou vin pi pwofesyonèl nan domèn yo. Nou pa la pou n denonse pèsòn ouvètman sou entènèt la, pase li pa pwofesyonèl pou n ta fè sa, men gen anpil plenyen otè yo ap fè sou kijan yo esplwate yo. Nou pa ta renmen sa kontinye. Si yon moun vle respekte tèt li antan pwofesyonèl, nou rete kwè gen etik pou suiv. Lè ou pran sa ki pa pou ou, kèlseswa nivo ou ta atenn, ou vin gen yon etikèt «vòlè» ki atache ak non ou. Donk si yon moun t ap mache kwochi, lè l fin li atik sa a, nou kwè fò l ta pran konsyans pou mache dwat. In short, we wish these key information may not only open authors, editors, translators, and Haitian teachers’ eyes to respect each other’s rights, but also to be conscious to become professionals in their areas of specialization. We are not there to accuse anyone publicly on the internet, because it would not be professional to do so, but there are a lot of complaints from authors on how they are being exploited. We’d not like that to be continued. If someone wants to respect him /herself as professional, we believe there are ethics to follow. When you taking something that is not yours, no matter what level you may attend, you get a “thief” label attached to your name. So, if someone was walking in the bad direction, after reading this article, we believe that person would be conscious to start walking on the right path.

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Ekri resan : Latest writings :
a) Materyèl pedagojik pou lekòl Ayiti : (Teaching materials for schools in Haiti).
b) Richès kiltirèl Ayiti: yon min ki poko esplwate : (The cultural richnes s of Haiti: an unexploited mine).

E. W. Vedrine Creole Project & Online Creole Publications

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 Viré monté