In my last newsletter, I introduced transcreation — the art of reframing a text for a new audience, not just translating it. This week I get more practical: four principles I’ve developed working between German and English, and across very different organizational contexts. The stakes vary. Sometimes it’s word choice. Sometimes it’s knowing which silence needs to be broken. There’s also an unexpected detour through my earlier life as a music historian.

If you spend a lot of time writing, you know that adjusting your text for a new audience can be daunting. In this week’s newsletter, I introduce a concept that I’ve found useful for thinking about this kind of writing: transcreation. The idea comes from the world of global marketing firms, but I find it offers a framework for anyone who writes across cultural or contextual boundaries.

A little over a year ago, I launched this newsletter with an essay describing the need for strategic planning during times of uncertainty. A lot in the world has changed since then, prompting me to revisit my initial advice and add another layer to it.