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[B676]Biography Of Jk Rowling

by William Meikle, Wil

1. Kids like chaos... but only a bit of it.

The Hogwarts school set up in the Harry Potter books is perfect. Kids love the idea of being away from the comfort of home, but are also deeply attracted to a sense of stability and find too much chaos too scary to contemplate. Being in a school situation is something they can relate to, and adding the -magic- element adds the necessary frisson of excitement that takes it just far enough out of the ordinary. The fact that the magic school is a cliche long used and abused in fantasy fiction, and lampooned succesfully by Terry Pratchett, goes straight over the heads of the bulk of HP readers, purely because the target audience is too young to recognise the antecedents.

2. Kids like adults to be larger than life... but not all the time

And there's no bigger than Hagrid! Kids like their adults in fiction to be larger than life, and slightly eccentric. By populating Hogwarts with over the top personalities with many childlike characteristics it lets kids live out fantasies of relating to adults as equals without the stress of actually having to talk to real adults. And these child-like adults, and the father figure Dumbledore in particular, have to act responsibly when it comes to all the big decisions, just like parents in real life.

3. Kids like to be independent... but have friends close by

And where would Harry be without Ron and Hermione? Harry is just sufficiently independent to be cool, and close enough to his friends to be reassuringly normal. The angst of Harry's home life with the Beasleys is nicely counterpointed with his friendships to allow kids to relate to both.

4. Kids like to be scared... but only a bit.

And JK Rowling ramps up the scares to just the right degree, putting the friends in harms way on a regular basis, only for Harry to save the day with his bravery. And kids love the idea that they too would be just like Harry in such a situation.

5. Kids like new games... and old ones

And Quidditch is such a potent mix, of hockey, football and speed racing that, combined with the flying broomsticks, allows kids to play the game themselves in their heads, going far beyond the mere words on the page.

6. Kids like new ideas... and old ones

The whole Harry Potter series is a mixture of new and old ideas. JK Rowling has taken many fantasy tropes and mixed them with original ideas. The kids, although they might not even recognize it, are already steeped in the basics of storytelling through fairy tales and fables. JK Rowling has built on the basics, and in doing so created the ultimate in children's fantasies.

As writers, all we have to do to join her is understand the kids in the same way that she does. And it helps to be Scottish.

Simple really.

JK Rowling went from being poor, scribbling her ideas for a children's book down on a napkin – to being almost richer than the Queen. Writing a bestselling novel is like buying the winning lottery ticket. In fact, Rowling's rags to riches story could be pretty good basis for a bestseller itself. Because who doesn't dream of writing the next Harry Potter? Could there be a better happier ending to all your financial woes? After all, writing doesn't cost anything but time and effort.

It's all too easy to dream of publishing success when you are drowning in bills, can't afford a holiday or think you work too hard for too little money. But of course it's not as easy as it seems or everyone would have succeeded. So how do you write a bestseller? The plot thickens...

1)Cracking storytelling. Storytelling is key – check out any major bestselling book, Harry Potter included, and there will be a story that grabs you by your lapels, shakes you around and leaves you feeling that you've learnt and lived.
2)According to some narrative theorists there are only a handful of plots in the world, some say three, some seven, some ten. Find out the fictional archetypes and start writing.
3)Believe in your story. If you just copy a formula it will flop. You need to believe in your world and characters to bring your own originality to those age old plots. Keep your integrity.
4)Oh, and you need to be a natural writer with talent.

Other tips of the trade are:

•Discipline. Dan Brown didn't get to the top of the bestselling list for months on end, or get Hollywood to make a movie of his novel starring Tom Hanks with a dodgy haircut, without having discipline. Apparently, he writes at 4am when there are no distractions and breaks ever hour to do sit ups and stretches to keep the blood and ideas flowing to his blockbuster brain.
•Chose a theme that interests you, pick a big idea with plenty of moral debate.
•Remember that attention spans are different today. We're used to fast moving movies. Dan Brown keeps his chapters short.
•Good looking hunks and heroines sell. Imagine Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt or Nicole Kidman playing your protagonists in a movie. Or even Tom Hanks with a dodgy haircut works!
•Cliff hangers at the end of a chapter will keep your readers hooked.

And the golden rule is – ignore all of the above! There are countless tips out there from authors telling us how to write a bestseller. The truth is you need a good story, determination, self discipline, and a basic command of language. Writing means biting the bullet and working hard. It is as the cliché goes, 10 percent inspiration, 90 percent perspiration. And even after all that, there's no guarantee you'll hit the jackpot. Let's face it, most of us have got to face up to reality, pay our bills and manage our finances without the hope of JK Rowling's bank account.

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Both William Meikle & Mra Ltd are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

William Meikle has sinced written about articles on various topics from Writing, Sales People and Health. William Meikle, a Scot, has been trying to understand this. In his latest book, Generations, he has eccentric adults, brave friends and, his addition to the ideas, giant bugs. See how he did at. William Meikle's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.

Mra Ltd has sinced written about articles on various topics from Writing, Finances and Culture. If you are looking for advice on managing your money contact Mike Robertson Associates. Visit our website now by clicking on . We offer a free Debt Co. Mra Ltd's top article generates over 1600 views. to your Favourites.