Musing  On “Bacaan Waktu Santai”  

We regret that your book couldn’t be published.  There are too many writings similar to yours” said the publisher perhaps meant to  console, to comfort. Certainly, there’s no man who wouldn’t feel disappointed, discouraged  or then he must be a God or a super being.  

Don’t you lose heart says a song. So I comfort myself. Every time you’re rejected, you’re going towards the better. You are better informed. Your book design will improve. It will have a jacket and illustrated and besides, you will know, how to protect your book with a copy right. So I started to reassure, console myself. 

“Bacaan Waktu Santai” or Leisurely Reading still  hasn’t broken the record of Chicken Soup For The Soul which is 33 times rejected by publishers. Yet, this book became one of the most read books in the world. Why be downhearted?  

I then remembered Pak Arif saying:” Thousand failures I willingly endure.” You will be hardened against blows, then there’re other ways to publish your book. Do you fear to fail, to be disappointed, being hurt, just sit down, don’t  publish? So I said to myself. 

To give monopoly to a publisher and sell my copy right? Certainly not. As he could restrict or stop it’s publication. I’m happy even without any money remunerations if that could make readers enjoy it, when that could make me share my inner feelings and thoughts with others, even it be only one. Didn’t you say so before?   Too bad, when someone just makes a copy of a piece he likes, he could be sued to pay a penalty as is often written in the opening pages of a book. I heartily would  permit even a publisher to have them copied provided it were not for business purposes. Every writer would be happy when readers enjoy his writings as is a cook who is happy when people enjoyed his cooking. 

Being rejected wouldn’t make the writing less or worse. And what is the advantage, pride when your book was published backed up by well known names, a hired reviewer or you  implore, entreat the publisher  as though your book is of no worth. Isn’t it this that one should be ashamed of? It wouldn’t make your writing the better.

You certainly are successful, though rejected by  publishers. Aren’t your writings your most invaluable riches? At least you wrote it for yourself. You didn’t yield to people’s, publisher’s tastes,  standards, did you? 

 “The rejections by publishers is turning into engaging thoughts.” said si Upik. Sure I inwardly said. Out of pain and suffering, new, fresh flowers are blooming, so I hummed  Not as paintings, my writings are always with me. It’s sad when a painter has to part from his works he so loves and never sees it again after having it sold. 

Moreover, you could always publish it yourself. What’s wrong with that, what would you lose, be ashamed of? So I assured myself and there’s no wound left, I didn’t remember, feel, I forgot, where the sore place was. 

From Media Indonesia, December 16, 1999  

Note 

Now have I published it in the internet. It certainly is not  as could be done by a publisher with the support of professional editors, printers, correctors, illustrators, distributors,  as I must do this all  myself as a layman. 

 Yet, works remain the same, published or unpublished, praised or blamed. Valuations fall and rise. So I comfort myself 

November 2007