Srinagar, June 24 -- I still think about a book launch I attended years ago in Srinagar.

The gathering brought together writers, academics, journalists, and readers to "celebrate" the publication of a new book. But the mood in the room hardly matched the occasion.

Much of the discussion centered on what the book lacked. People dissected its weaknesses, questioned its literary value, and measured it against lofty standards that seemed far removed from the reality of a first-time author trying to find his voice.

A few words of encouragement surfaced, but skepticism dominated the discourse.

Then a senior journalist stood up and shifted the mood.

Great literature does not appear overnight, he said. "Writers improve by writing, and societ...