From Failure to Fame: The Story of J.K. Rowling
In 1990, Joanne Rowling was on a delayed train from Manchester to London when the idea for a young wizard named Harry Potter popped into her head. Over the next five years, she developed the characters and plot for what would become one of the most beloved book series in the world. But her path to success was far from smooth.
Born in England in 1965, Rowling always loved reading and writing. She studied French and the Classics at university and worked in several jobs after graduation, including as a researcher and bilingual secretary. In 1992, she moved to Portugal to teach English. There, she married and had a daughter, but the marriage soon ended, and she returned to the UK as a single mother with little money and no job.
Living in Edinburgh, Rowling struggled to make ends meet. She wrote in cafés while her baby daughter slept beside her. She often felt discouraged but continued working on her book. In 1995, she completed the manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, but it was rejected by twelve publishers. Finally, Bloomsbury Publishing agreed to publish it — on the advice of the chairman’s eight-year-old daughter, who loved the first chapter.
The book was an instant success. Rowling quickly became a household name, and the Harry Potter series went on to sell over 500 million copies worldwide. The books were translated into more than 80 languages and adapted into blockbuster films. Today, Rowling is one of the wealthiest women in the UK, but she often speaks about the importance of failure and perseverance in her journey.