Thread: Does anyone translate novels?

Hi,

I'm translating a novel for a friend who's a successful Spanish author. She usually writes children's stories and this is her first novel. She's told her editor that she wants to keep the copyright so that she can look for an English editor. I thought that if I translated it and she found an English editor then they might use my translation but another translator told me that the publishing companies like to use their own translators. Is this true? If the novel was already translated wouldn't it be logical to use my translation instead of paying another translator to translate it again?

Thanks in advance for your help!

I'm sorry to tell you it is true. A friend of mine translated into English a book by Cortázar. He even had the opportunity to send his translation to Aurora Bernárdez, widow of Cortázar, who told him the translation was perfect and that she would do anything it takes to publish his translation. However, she had already signed an agreement to publish that book with an American publishing company. Unluckily, there was nothing she could do to make them publish my friend's translation and they are going to publish their own.
But before giving up, ask your friend to insist in publishing your translation of her book. Maybe she can convince publishers and you can get your translation published.