From self-publishing to traditional publishing: The Spanish Love Deception An alternative translation of a chapter

Abstract

Online-based publishing and distribution services have rapidly revolutionised the literary market amid the digitalisation of entertainment means such as literary products. In a process of widespread democratisation, the powers and roles of the different agents and groups of the literary system have shifted and were redistributed. Self-publishing has established itself as one of the most important means through which authors have claimed power to themselves and started to bypass the imposing role and constraints of gatekeepers. The economically and technologically favourable conditions of digitalisation allowed for marginal publishing costs to decrease and consequentially for self-published products to thrive in the literary market, as they were more affordable for consumers. This work aims to provide a snapshot of the new balance of powers within the literary system through the presentation of the case study of the publication journey of the novel The Spanish Love Deception written by author Elena Armas. In addition, through the thorough analysis of the proposed translation of one chapter of the case study novel, this work wishes to shed light on the incorrect translation approach endorsed by the publishing house that published the official Italian translation.