Ubud, April 11, 2025 — Ten writers from various regions in Indonesia have qualified for the Emerging Writers program at the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (UWRF) 2025. The Mudra Swari Saraswati Foundation, as the organizer, is proud to announce the names, which were selected by a curatorial team consisting of three renowned Indonesian literary figures: Ni Made Purnama Sari, Shinta Febriany, and Ratih Kumala. The selected writers will then undergo training and development before their work is published in an annual anthology and presented at UWRF 2025 this October.
Held since 2008, the UWRF Emerging Writers program has been a beacon for discovering young Indonesian literary talent and introducing them to the regional and international literary scene. This year, the festival accepted short story submissions from Indonesian writers who uniquely respond to the dynamics and situations of contemporary Indonesia, ranging from local issues, social problems, history, to the realities of digital society.
During the submission period from December 10, 2024, to February 9, 2025, the festival received works from 647 writers from various regions in Indonesia, from Aceh to Papua. This number has increased significantly compared to previous years, demonstrating the growing enthusiasm for this program year after year.
The selection process was conducted in two stages to assess the large number of entries, beginning with a pre-curation phase that narrowed down the candidates to the top 30, followed by a curation phase that selected the final 10. The three curators assessed and selected the works based on the quality of the submissions.
The diversity of themes in the submitted short stories also attracted attention—from deeply personal issues such as love and family, to environmental and social issues, and critiques of the current situation. "Traditional discourse is quite dominant in the discussions, and some are quite promising, although quite a few treat these cultural characteristics as mere overlays through local language dialogue or lengthy explanations. Cultural issues—or any issue—should be carefully represented as the main focus of the narrative, a problem that forces the characters to make choices in addressing it," said Ni Made Purnama Sari, one of the curators involved in the pre-curation process.
The ten writers selected for this program are:
- - Alief El-Ichwan (Bandung, West Java)
- - Annisa Ivana (Jakarta)
- - Charlotte Diana (Semarang, Central Java)
- - Kukuh Yudha Karnanta (Surabaya, East Java)
- - Ridwan Malik (Garut, West Java)
- - Rie Arshaka (Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan)
- - Robbyan Abel Ramdhon (Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara)
- - Rosul Jaya Raya (Bangkalan, East Java)
- - Udiarti (Sragen, Central Java)
- - Wawan Kurniawan (Makassar, South Sulawesi)
However, the three curators had their own observations regarding the works of the ten writers, ranging from the strength of the narrative structure to the consistency of the work's quality. These notes are expected to be sharpened through the training and mentoring they will receive before they are presented at UWRF 2025, October 29-November 2, 2025.
Ratih Kumala, one of the program's curators, has high hopes for the selected writers. “As a medium, short stories are indeed limited by word count. However, the potential for developing these stories into longer prose works is enormous—I envision these short stories as rich synopses. I wouldn't be surprised if we someday find novel versions of these stories on bookshelves,” said Ratih Kumala, who is also the author of the novel Gadis Kretek.
“Their stories demonstrate that Indonesia is rich in perspective and courageous storytelling. Through this program, we hope to bring their work to the world stage and build a more inclusive and colorful literary community,” said Janet DeNeefe, Founder & Director of UWRF.
For literary activists who want to further participate in the careers of the selected writers, the Mudra Swari Saraswati Foundation has also launched the Emerging Writers Patron program to support their participation in the festival. Donations collected through this program will be used to cover anthology translation, airfare, accommodation, and other forms of support for the selected writers.
“The Emerging Writers Patron program helps us create a space for each selected writer to learn, connect, and be inspired. With this support, they have the opportunity to develop and become an important part of the Indonesian literary ecosystem,” added Janet DeNeefe.
About The Emerging Writers Program
Every year, we invite emerging writers from across the archipelago to submit their stories. Once submitted, an independent board of curators selects writers from across the region. Once selected, the writers are invited to launch an anthology at the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival. Published in two languages, this anthology provides selected writers with the opportunity to translate their work into English, opening doors to international opportunities. With 647 submissions as of 2025, the program's anthology series is one of Indonesia's most far-reaching literary achievements, representing works from across the archipelago.
