AI for Book Translations & What Nobody is Really Talking about
Undoubtedly, 2024 has seen an unprecedented rise in the use of AI for multiple purposes: writing, designing, translation, video creation… you name it.
Like everything, when used correctly, AI can help improve our lives and save tons of time on tasks that used to take us longer, such as the automatization of repetitive tasks. It also has increased notoriety for its lack of creativity and understanding of complex human emotions and nuances of language – strawberries, anyone?
So, is AI the best choice for authors when it comes to book translations? Or does its use risk an author’s brand and reputation in multiple markets?
A few days ago, we came across a post in one of our favourite Facebook Group for Writers: a romance author asked how legitimate it was to use AI to translate her books into German and hire someone to “vet” the translation for accuracy. The post gained 85 comments from other writers and generated a heated debate, leading the author community to express their thoughts on the matter. Some were in favour, and some stood strongly against this practice:
Today we won’t address thoroughly the argument that translation is, in fact, an act of creation, and hence no creative should endorse this practice. However, we would like to focus on some misinformation that is out there about AI:
Perks of AI Book Translations:
No copyrights for the translator
It is a well-known fact that under international laws, especially in Europe, the rightful owners of a translated book are, in fact, the translators. For some reason, indie authors tend to be wary of this, missing the point that a translator wishes the translation to succeed as much as the author paying for their services.
Translating into multiple languages
Translation is just the first step into a market. However, in order to succeed, authors need to ensure reviews, ads, engagement with all foreign audiences, etc are appropriately set up for the market. This is a huge time investment that, if done incorrectly, will only result in your translations failing to achieve their full potential.
Fast release
Authors can release books as fast as they can produce the translation and the book cover, and maybe hire someone to make sure the AI translation “reads smoothly”. However, readers can become wary of books that are released too quickly, especially if they have poor quality writing or plot issues, and end up favouring authors who invest more time and money in creating quality titles.
No investment
There are no upfront costs, except, of course, for the poor linguist (sometimes called editor and sometimes called proofreader) whose job is to ensure the translation is relatively okay for the market. In many instances, authors simply resort to “a native speaker”, which further compounds the issues introduced by the AI, as these amateur linguists lack the skills and experience of a professional.
What Authors Fail to See:
♦ Professional linguists will not accept editing an AI translation for the simple fact that it would practically take as much time to edit as it would translate it. It is well-known that AI tends to translate text literally, focusing on individual words or phrases rather than the overall meaning or emotion behind a sentence, resulting in technically correct translations that are often awkward, clunky, or lacking in fluidity from a literary perspective.
♦ Heavily edited translations are subject to copyright claims by the editor/translator. If a professional linguist does, in fact, take the edition or proofreading project, they would then become creators of the translation, and therefore have a claim to its copyright. This claim is based on the degree of rewriting needed for the AI-generated translation for the sake of accuracy, fluidity and emotional impact (a.k.a., for the success of the book in the foreign market). Moreover, there are very real issues with transparency regarding the most popular large language models and the data they are trained on – the AI-generated material may actually infringe on another author’s copyright, due to the way in which the model generates responses.
♦ Foreign audiences might notice authors releasing poor-quality books and feel scammed or tricked into buying a lower-quality product. This could seriously backfire against authors’ brands and reputations – nobody likes to feel like an afterthought. Your new audience deserves the same respect you show to your existing fans.
♦ While Amazon allows AI-generated content, it’s recommended to disclose the use of AI, especially if it created the majority of the book or significant parts of it. Readers may want transparency about how the content was created, and this disclosure can help manage expectations. Bear in mind that some readers may take an ethical stance on the use of AI in the content they consume.
♦ The use of AI is brand new, and the rules and laws around it are still unclear. If some country rules in favour of copyrighted AI content, then authors might be seriously affected and end up facing multiple legal headaches that could have easily been avoided by teaming up with a professional literary translator and respecting their rights.
Understandably…
Self-published authors tend to be protective of their work and business (which they built on their own from scratch). It might shock some to learn that, under international laws, translators own the copyrights to the translations and grant exploitation rights to authors.
Consequently any literary translator wants the translation to sell and succeed as much as authors do. In this partnership, a translator’s success is an author’s success and vice versa!
The aim for both parties should be the author’s brand, the translator’s brand, and audience growth.
Consequently, any literary translator wants the translation to sell and succeed as much as authors do. In this partnership, a translator’s success is an author’s success and vice versa!
The aim for both parties should be the author’s brand, the translator’s brand, and audience growth.
Please remember that hiring the right professional literary translator can be a game changer!
Hiring a professional literary translator offers numerous benefits, especially for authors looking to expand their reach into foreign markets while maintaining the quality and integrity of their work (the kind of authors we love to work with!). Here are some key advantages:
Accuracy and Faithfulness to the Original Text
Professional literary translators are skilled in ensuring the translation is accurate and stays true to the source text. They preserve the author’s voice, tone, style, and nuances, crucial in literary works where subtle meaning and wordplay are often present.
Cultural Sensitivity and Localisation
A professional literary translator understands the target culture and adapts the text accordingly, ensuring that idioms, references, and expressions relate to the new audience. This cultural sensitivity helps the book resonate with readers from different linguistic backgrounds.
Literary Quality
Literary translators know how to preserve the literary style, rhythm, and flow of the original work. Whether it’s a poetic passage, dialogue, or descriptive scene, they ensure the translation reads smoothly and maintains the artistic qualities of the original text.
Consistency across Translations
For series or complex works, consistency is key. A professional translator ensures that terminology, character voices, and narrative style remain consistent across multiple books, editions, or chapters, creating a seamless reading experience for the audience.
Professional Editing and Quality Control
Professional translators often collaborate with editors and proofreaders to refine their work. This additional layer of review ensures that the final translation is polished and error-free, enhancing the overall quality of the published text.
Broadening Audience Reach
With a professionally translated book, authors can access international markets and reach a broader audience. A quality translation helps build credibility with foreign readers, increasing the chances of gaining new fans and expanding an author’s readership globally.
Boosting Credibility and Sales
Books with high-quality translations are more likely to receive positive reviews, word-of-mouth recommendations, and boost sales. Poor translations, on the other hand, can lead to negative feedback and harm an author’s reputation.
Knowledge of the Publishing Process
Professional literary translators are often familiar with the self-publishing or traditional publishing process, which can be beneficial for authors. They may offer advice on navigating international markets, provide marketing tips that work on the foreign market, suggest the right keywords that resonate with the audience, or help handle legal aspects like copyright and contracts.
Language Expertise
Literary translators are experts in both the source and target languages, with a deep understanding of grammar, syntax, and idiomatic expressions. This expertise allows them to craft translations that sound natural and engaging to readers in the target language.
Collaborative Creative Partner
Professional translators often work closely with authors to ensure the translation aligns with their vision. This collaboration ensures that the final product is as close as possible to the author’s intent, even when adapting the text to a different language.
Final Thoughts
AI is still under development and constantly changing. It might even sound like an attractive option for authors to resort to in order to enter new markets and diversify their sources of income — regardless of the quality AI can achieve when it comes to literary texts.
Authors should be aware that this might result in foreign markets getting crowded with translations that lack the emotional depth needed to connect with audiences. This influx of potentially unsaleable titles might spam vendors, who might choose to take extra measures to ensure the quality of the products sold on their platforms. At the end of the day, a platform like Amazon will not risk losing clients over an invasion of poor-quality books. And, while Amazon does currently allow the publication of AI-generated works, authors should be mindful of quality, originality, and potential legal concerns (including plagiarism, as AI technologies “feed on” existing texts and books).
Furthermore, if the rules should change, if, all of a sudden, AI-generated material were under copyright of the model owner, or if audiences reacted badly to the translated books created with the use of AI, an author’s brand could end up suffering serious consequences — including but not limited to online shaming by entire international communities.
Teaming up with a translator and an editor, on the other hand, still continues to be the safest course of action. At the end of the day, once the clauses are clear and all the parties involved agree on terms, fees, royalties, delivery dates, etc., all there is to do is work towards creating a professional product audiences will love and want to buy.
Hiring a professional literary translator ensures that books maintain their quality and emotional impact while reaching a broader audience. It also enhances marketability, builds credibility, and preserves the artistic integrity of the original work across different languages. And it is this, and not a low-quality, fast-release approach, that will, ultimately, help authors conquer foreign audiences in the long term.
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