在台北学习时，郝玉青和朋友去敦化南路诚品书店，看到了一个书架摆放的都是金庸的小说，于是便买了一本中文版的《鹿鼎记》。初读时她感到十分纠结，但是随后便渐渐入迷了。
郝玉青最初翻译《射雕英雄传》是2012年，她花了几个礼拜试译了一部分发给了MacLehose出版社。出版社的编辑看了十分喜欢，并且惊喜地发现这本书尚未出版过英译本。于是签下了这三部曲的英文版权，计划未来一年出一本。
目前《射雕英雄传》的第一本已经翻译完成，郝玉青说，通常人们都认为最难翻译的部分是那些武功招数的名称，但她觉得那不是最关键的。
“A lot of people are curious about the way I have translated the names of moves or elements of martial arts, but these aren't really the most crucial features of whether or not a translation is successful.”
很多人都很好奇我是怎么翻译那些武功招数的名称，但这些其实不是决定一个译文是否成功的最关键因素。
“It’s all about whether the English reader will be drawn into the emotions and the characters, that he or she will be amazed by the prowess of the fighting or caught up in the political intrigues.”
重要的是译文能否让英语读者被书中的情绪和人物吸引，能否让读者被超凡脱俗的武打所震撼，能否将书中的阴谋诡计翻得扣人心弦。
那么郝玉青的译文究竟是怎么样的呢？
我们从出版社要到了样书，给大家分享一段，这是郭靖与女扮男装的黄蓉第一次相识：
A northerly wind was blowing fierce as they left the inn. The boy shivered. “My sincerest gratitude. Farewell.”
出得店来，朔风扑面。那少年似觉寒冷，缩了缩头颈，说道：“叨扰了，再见罢。”
But Guo Jing could not stand to see the boy head into such a cold night wearing such scant clothing. He placed his black sable coat on the boy’s shoulders. “Brother, I feel as if I’ve known you my whole life. Take this against the wind.”
郭靖见他衣衫单薄，心下不忍，当下脱下貂裘，披在他身上，说道：“兄弟，你我一见如故，请把这件衣服穿了去。”
He slipped two ingots of gold into one of the pockets, leaving himself two more for his journey. The boy left without even saying thank you, and began to trudge against the weather, before turning around for one last look.
他身边尚剩下四锭黄金，取出两锭，放在貂裘的袋中。那少年也不道谢，披了貂裘，飘然而去。那少年走出数十步，回过头来。
Guo Jing was standing beside his bridled horse, watching him. The young man waved and Guo Jing ran over to him. “Does my brother need anything?”
见郭靖手牵着红马，站在长街上兀自望着自己，呆呆出神，知他舍不得就此分别，向他招了招手。郭靖快步过去，道：“贤弟可还缺少甚么？”
“I didn’t ask you your name,” he said and smiled. “Yes, we forgot. My family name is Guo, my given name Jing, meaning Serenity. And you?” “My family name is Huang, my given name Rong, meaning Lotus.”
那少年微微一笑，道：“还没请教兄长高姓大名。”郭靖笑道：”真是的，这倒忘了。我姓郭名靖。兄弟你呢？”那少年道：“我姓黄，单名一个蓉字。”
