The article deals with the issues of self-translator’s creativity which are considered in the context of the linguistic concepts of identity. When creating a secondary translated text self-translator’s efforts are directed towards the creation of a text which is culturally symmetrical to an original text. Effective strategies of translation in the situation of self-translation are self-commentary and self-editing.  The Russian text of the series “Chast’ Rechi” and English self-translation “A Part of Speech” by Joseph Brodsky are research material.