Likethatofherowncharacter,HarryPotter,J.K.Rowling'slifehasthelusterofafairytale.Divorced,livingonpublicassistanceinatinyEdinburghflatwithherlittledaughter,RowlingwroteHarryPotterandtheSorcerer'sStoneatatableinacaféduringherdaughter'snaps—anditwasHarryPotterthatrescuedher.First,theScottishAntsCouncilgaveheragranttofinishthebook.AfteritssaletoBloomsbury(UK)andScholasticBooks,theaccoladesbegantopileup.HarryPotterwonTheBritishBookAwardsChildren'sBookoftheyear,andtheSmartiesPrize,andrave1reviewsonbothsidesoftheAtlantic.
AgraduateofExeterUniversity,ateacher,andthenunemployedsingleparent,RowlingwroteHarryPotterwhen"Iwasverylow,andIhadtoachievesomething.Withoutthechallenge,Iwouldhavegonestarkravingmad."ButRowlinghasalwayswrittenbooks,andherfirstbookwascalledRabbit."Iwasaboutsix,andIhaven'tstoppedscribblingsince."
ThefollowingisanabstractfromwhatJ.K.Rowlingwroteaboutherself.Fromwhichwemightkeeptrackwiththegrowthofthepersonwhogavebirthtothelivingambitionoftheworld,HarryPottertheLittleWizard.
Iwrotealotinmyteens,butInevershowedanyofittomyfriends,...IwenttoExeterUniversitystraightafterschool,whereIstudiedFrench.Thiswasabigmistake.Ihadlistenedtoohardtomyparents,whothoughtlanguageswouldleadtoagreatcareerasabilingualsecretary.UnfortunatelyIamoneofthemostdisorganizedpeopleintheworldand,asIlaterproved,theworstsecretaryever.
WhenIwastwenty-sixIgaveuponofficescompletelyandwentabroadtoteachEnglishasaforeignlanguage.IlovedteachingEnglish,andasIworkedafternoonsandevenings,Ihadmorningsfreeforwriting.ThiswasparticularlygoodnewsasIhadnowstartedmythirdnovel.Thenewbookwasaboutaboywhofoundouthewasawizardandwassentoff2towizardschool.WhenIcamebackfromPortugalhalfasuitcasewasfullofpaperscoveredwithshortstoriesaboutHarryPotter.IcametoliveinEdinburghwithmyverysmalldaughter,Isetmyselfadeadline;IwouldfinishtheHarrynovelbeforestartingworkasaFrenchteacher,andtrytogetitpublished.
Itwasayearafterfinishingthebookbeforeapublisherboughtit.ThemomentwhenIfoundoutthatHarrywouldbepublishedwasoneofthebestofmylife.
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