Interview by Heather Riccio

She is known worldwide as one of the greatest children's fiction writers that ever lived. Famous for her bestselling Harry Potter books; Rowling has captured and enchanted a truly worldwide audience. The books are sold in over 200 countries and 60 languages. HILARY Magazine recently interviewed Mrs. Rowling on her life, her books and, of course, Harry Potter.


HILARY Magazine: We've heard that with your first book, The Philosopher's Stone, you had to use a typewriter to write the manuscript, is that true?

JK Rowling: That's true. The first manuscript I had to do on a typewriter and then had to re-type the entire chapter if I changed a paragraph.

HILARY Magazine: When did you come up with the idea for Harry Potter?

JK Rowling: In 1990, I was in Manchester looking for a flat, but I decided to take the train back to London and the idea for Harry Potter fell into my head during the journey. I had been writing since I was six, but I had never been as excited about an idea as I was for this book. Coincidentally, I didn't have a pen and was too shy to ask anyone for one on the train, this gave me the full four hours on the train to think up all the ideas for the book. I began to write 'Philosopher's Stone' that very evening.

HILARY Magazine: How long did it take you to complete the novel?

JK Rowling: After I began to write "Philosopher's Stone," something horrible
happened. My mother died. She was only forty-five. Nine months afterwards, I
desperately wanted to get away from everything and took a job in Portugal as an English teacher at a language institute. I took my manuscript with me in hopes of working on it while I was there. In my first week in Portugal, I wrote my favourite chapter in Philosopher's Stone – The Mirror of Erised. I had hoped that I would' finished with the book by the time I was back from Portugal, but I came back with something better, my daughter, Jessica.

HILARY Magazine: It must have been hard to finish the book now with a small child in your life.

JK Rowling: It was hard, but I made it work. Every time Jessica would fall asleep in her pushchair, I'd dash to the nearest café and write as much as I could. I wrote nearly every evening. Then, I had to type everything out myself. Sometimes, I hated the book, and all the while I still loved it.

HILARY Magazine: When you sent it off to agents, did they take the manuscript or did you have to send it to several people?

JK Rowling: The first agent I had sent my first three chapters sent it back the same day it arrived. The second agent however, wrote back and asked to see the rest of the manuscript. It was one of the best letters I had ever seen and it was only two sentences long.

HILARY Magazine: How long did it take your agent to find someone to publish your book?

JK Rowling: It took my agent, Christopher, a year to find a publisher. Many of them turned it down. Then finally in August of 1996, Christopher called to let me know that he had an offer from Bloomsbury. I couldn't believe my ears. After I had hung up, I screamed and jumped into the air.

HILARY Magazine: In your opinion, where was the best place for you to write?

JK Rowling: It's no secret that the best place to write, in my opinion, is in a café. You don't have to make your own coffee, you don't have to feel like you're in solitary confinement and if you have writers block, you can get up and walk to the next café while giving your batteries time to recharge and brain time to think.

HILARY Magazine: Do you have any advice for people who want to get their work published as well?

JK Rowling: First, you need to write something a publisher would want to read. Next, you need to approach the publisher, either directly, or I recommend you find an agent. The best way to find agents and publishers is to consult, "The Writer's and Artists Yearbook,' which is updated every year. Then wait, and pray. This is the way I got Harry Potter published.

HILARY Magazine: Thank you again, Mrs. Rowling. We wish you all the success and look forward to reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.