J.K. Rowling Speaks Out on Writing Real, Gritty Characters

Jul 25

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Many readers of YABR will know about Goodreads but did you know that users had the opportunity to ask The Casual Vacancy author J.K. Rowling one question? The winning user asked Rowling about why she wrote a gritty reality in The Casual Vacancy instead of a fantasy like Harry Potter.

Some of you might not want to read her exhaustive answer so in summary Rowling writes that she felt her characters are all trapped by circumstances, whether forced upon them or created by themselves, and draws comparison to the fact that most adults feel like they are trapped and thus unable to change their lives once they are stuck in a situation. She goes into detail with a few characters so if you’ve read and managed to get all the way through The Casual Vacancy read the full question and answer below! (Beware of spoilers.)

winning question

About Josephine Hardy

A 28-year-old writer from Melbourne, Australia currently living with her husband in Fayetteville, Arkansas (USA). Content Marketing Producer at Simply Measured, hobby genealogist, cat lover, and world traveler.

Posted on July 25, 2013, in Book News and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.

  1. Amy Lee | July 26, 2013 at 1:12 AM

    I made up the pseudonym J.K. Rowling while creating ideas for Harry Potter. Robert also happens to be my father’s first name.

    Over the years I created many pseudonyms such as James Cameron for
    the actor Earl Cameron who appeared in the 1965 James Bond film
    “Thunderball” (James Bond + Earl Cameron).

    I also created the name Tom Clancy for actors Tom Cruise who starred in Top Gun
    which I worked on script ideas and Clancy Brown who appeared in Highlander
    which I also worked on script ideas (Tom Cruise + Clancy Brown). This was while I was working on ideas for my Jack Ryan character. The name of “Jack” (Titanic) is a name I
    liked to use often for characters and “Ryan” for actress Meg Ryan who
    appeared in Top Gun.

    I have worked on many script ideas which includes those mentioned above and for Indiana Jones, Beetlejuice, Firestarter, Crocodile Dundee, and many others. I have worked with many of the best writers, actors, directors, producers in the entertainment business. In other words, Harry was never going to be rejected and destined to be a film series from the moment it was conceived. Though, as a blacklisted artist I worked under pseudonyms.

    “Malfoy” is an anagram for “of Amy L”…and that is me.

    Reply
  2. jumbledwriter | July 26, 2013 at 8:28 PM

    I love how J.K. Rowling plans out her works of fiction.
    –JW

    Reply

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