The relationship between translators and publishers in Poland is complex. Many translators and translators often experience an unequal relationship with the publishing house, which is rarely willing to negotiate. However, this is not a common practice and many publishing houses, both smaller and medium-sized, realise that translators are essential partners in the creation of a good book.
With the needs of the literary translation community in mind, the Mieroszewski Centre has created an educational and professional development platform called Power of Expression. It is a programme for translators working on translations from five languages of Central and Eastern Europe: Ukrainian, Belarusian, Georgian, Romanian and Russian.
As part of the Power of Words workshop, participants not only hone their translation skills, but also gain knowledge of working with publishers. They learn how to effectively present the results of their work, negotiate contract terms and understand market specifics. An important element of the programme is also learning to take a critical approach to contracts governing cooperation, which allows translators to better protect their rights and interests in their professional relations with publishers.