The Instafamous Translator

What is it about?

This article investigates how translator and content creator Francesca Crescentini (@tegamini) uses social media to make herself and her translatorship visible in a digital context. Boasting an Instagram following of over 210,000 users, Crescentini is understood here as a unique example of an ‘instafamous’ translator and macro-influencer, which gives her and her translatorship an unprecedented level of public exposure – particularly in the Italian context in which she works, where translator visibility is typically low. The analysis of Crescentini’s case presents new insights into how literary translators can leverage their online and social media presence to enhance both their own visibility and that of literary translation more broadly.

Featured Image

Photo by Azamat E on Unsplash

Photo by Azamat E on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Crescentini's macro-influencer status is exceptional in the Italian publishing industry and demonstrates that readers’ perceptions of translation and translators may be shifting. Where once very few translators were visible outside of an inner circle of industry insiders, now new digital parasocial spaces are opening up where translators can connect to the reading public. This case study illustrates how social media presents exciting new opportunities for translators to achieve visibility and perform their translatorship and both the publishing industry and academic research must endeavour to keep up.