Publish or Perish in the Provinces

The publishing business in the regions outside of Java is a struggling concern. Good writers are rare and when there is a potential gem of a book, it is often rejected by major publishers. Their market is seen as too small to be commercially viable, although the general public appear to be starving for locally-oriented stories about their daily lives. A few enterprising publishers have noted the gap in the supply of home-grown books and articles, and taken up the challenge of publishing literary works rejected by big publishers. The result has been astounding. The trend has led to a wave of talented new writers. Tempo English reports from the provinces of Lampung, West Kalimantan and East Nusa Tenggara on the occasion of National Book Day on May 17.