<![CDATA[Teachers’ limited confidence in literary writing and difficulties completing manuscripts for publication constrain their capacity to develop culturally responsive reading materials. This article examines the implementation and outcomes of a diversity-oriented short story writing and publication program for Indonesian language teachers at Islamic junior secondary schools (MTs) in Bantul, Indonesia. Conducted from May 10 to July 22, 2025, the program involved 31 teachers and adopted a process-based writing approach emphasizing revision, editing, and publication. Activities combined motivational talks, lectures, discussions, writing workshops, structured mentoring, and anthology production. Participants received individualized feedback through online mentoring groups, while program outcomes were assessed through manuscript development and participant evaluations collected using Google Forms. The program produced Sandal Bapak, an anthology comprising 31 teacher-authored short stories. Mentoring observations indicated improvements in idea development, diction, plot, setting, characterization, and narrative techniques. Among the 27 participants who completed the evaluation, all reported that the training was useful, the facilitators were competent, and the materials offered new insights. Participants’ engagement, digital communication tools, facilitators’ expertise, and institutional collaboration supported implementation, whereas teachers’ schedules limited opportunities for face-to-face sessions. These findings suggest that combining iterative writing instruction with sustained mentoring and a tangible publication goal can support teachers in completing literary manuscripts and developing resources that engage with cultural diversity. However, the incomplete evaluation response and absence of standardized pre- and post-training measures limit conclusions about the magnitude of skill improvement. The program offers a practical model for publication-oriented teacher professional development in literary education and classroom practice.]]>
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