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Part of
Translating Asymmetry – Rewriting Power
Edited by Ovidi Carbonell i Cortés and Esther Monzó-Nebot
[Benjamins Translation Library 157] 2021
► pp. 269–289

Chapter 12
Small yet powerful

The rise of small independent presses and translated fiction in the UK

ORCID logo | University of Exeter
At the turn of the century many feared that the UK publishing scene was soon to be dominated by an ever-more consolidated number of conglomerates, pushing what was already a risk-averse industry even further away from bold endeavours such as translated literary fiction. Yet this has not materialised, and in the UK translated fiction has seen remarkable growth. Using data from prestigious literary prizes, this chapter analyses the shift in power away from the “big five” publishers and their imprints to small, independent publishers. It also analyses the consequences of this shift for the actions of those involved in the chain of production and consumption, including what this means not only for the profile of books that are translated and published, but also how translators approach their task.
Keywords: literary prizes, Booker Prize, Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, independent publishers, cultural capital, translated fiction, translator studies
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.2001: A turning point for translated fiction
  • 3.The data: The Booker Prize, the Man Booker International Prize, and the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize
  • 4.Gender: Closing the gender gap in translated fiction?
  • 5.Publishers: Smaller presses lead the way in translated fiction
  • 6.Source language and country: Slow but significant shifts towards diversity
  • 7.Translated fiction: Times of change and the role of activism
  • 8.Conclusion: Power dynamics in translated fiction: Revolution and consolidation
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 16 August 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.157.12man
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