Never Give Up: J.K. Rowling

441 Words

Everyone knows who Harry Potter is. Well, most people. The young boy wizard who has lost both his parents and has a dark wizard after him is well knows by the entire world. J.K. Rowling, the author of these famous books, is one of the richest women in the world but she didn't always have it this good. In five years she went from relying on social security to being a multi-millionaire. Here's her story.

 

On October 16, 1992, Rowling married Jorge Arantes but in November of the next year, they separated. Years after graduating, Rowling thought she was "the biggest failure I knew". She didn't have a job, her marriage had failed, and she had a daughter that needed her. Rowling was later diagnosed with clinical depression.

 

Finally, in 1995, Rowling completed her first manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone (later published in the US as the Sorcerer's Stone). She sent her book to twelve publishers, all of whom rejected her idea. One year later, Barry Cunningham from a small publisher in London thought her idea was a good one. In June of 1997, Bloomsbury published only 1,000 copies. Since then, millions of copies of these books are in print and J.K. Rowling became the twelfth richest woman in the U.K.

 

What if Rowling had given up when the tenth publisher turned her down? That answer is easy. We wouldn't have Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling has done something not many people can do. They have united generations and rivals. Everyone around the world can agree that Harry is good and Voldemort is evil and grandmas and grandchildren alike can enjoy Harry's adventures. If Rowling had given up before the lucky thirteenth publisher, she wouldn't be the multi-millionaire writer that she is now.

 

This story gives me hope and encourages me to not give up when I feel like nothing is going right. Because just when you think the world is over, try one more time. That one time may be all you need to get back on track. There’s a quote that I like that goes like this: “When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place.” Rowling loved to write and she felt confident in her work. She wanted to share with the world what she could do. So, she didn’t give up. She never expected her books to sell as well as they did. She just wanted some money to get her life going straight again.

 

Thank you, J.K. Rowling for giving us inspiration to never give up and to keep going until our dreams come true.

 

~Skooogster(: