| Harry Potter. The name brings instant | | | | planned and structured your story |
| recognition from people all over the world. | | | | effectively, done your research (either real |
| The books have sold over 350 million copies | | | | or in your imagination) and collated your |
| worldwide. Only the bible has more | | | | notes, then the writing process is an |
| translations. The movies have gone on to | | | | absolute joy, where you can be very certain |
| grace the lists of the Top 10 grossing films | | | | of your ability to produce the best possible |
| of all time. When Harry Potter and the | | | | novel. Jo Rowling said she felt she "had to |
| Philosopher's Stone was published in 1997, | | | | do right by the book". She really believed in |
| Joanne Kathleen Rowling was a previously | | | | the story and so when it came to writing it, |
| unpublished author. She had no publishing | | | | she made sure she had taken care of all the |
| credits, no insider knowledge, no friends in | | | | necessary preparation. Once that's done, |
| the industry. So how did she do it? How did | | | | writing is almost easy! Rewriting Jo Rowling |
| she go on, in the space of ten short years, | | | | rewrote the opening chapter of Harry Potter |
| to become the first billionaire author on the | | | | and the Philosopher's Stone a total of 15 |
| planet? The answer to that question lies not | | | | times. Her own mother died just 6 months |
| in what she did in those ten years between | | | | after her first attempt at Chapter One of |
| the publication of the first book and the | | | | that book, and that sent her into a frenzy of |
| publication of the seventh, Harry Potter and | | | | rewriting, essentially changing everything. |
| the Deathly Hallows. The answer actually lies | | | | The Potter books are about death, there is no |
| in what she did in the seven years prior to | | | | doubt about that, and they are driven |
| the first book's publication. So if you're an | | | | particularly by the death of Harry's parents |
| author who is yet to be published, you're | | | | and his miraculous survival. When Jo Rowling |
| actually in the best possible position. | | | | experienced such a major turning point in her |
| Because it's in this time, before your book | | | | own life, she rewrote the story to reflect |
| hits the shelves, that you can have the | | | | and process her own pain. Writing and |
| greatest influence on its success. Quite | | | | rewriting are separate processes. Writing is |
| simply, JK Rowling followed a four-step | | | | scribing or sculpting out the drafts of the |
| writing process that you too can adopt to | | | | story. Rewriting is re-looking and re-seeing. |
| write your very own list of bestsellers. The | | | | Often the rewrite will show up where the |
| question is: do you have what it takes to be | | | | story has gone off track and where questions |
| the next JK Rowling? Planning This is by far | | | | asked at the start haven't been answered by |
| the most underrated of the steps in the | | | | the end. In JK Rowling's case, she realised |
| writing process. And in the final wash up it | | | | after writing the entire first book that she |
| is absolutely the most important. It was 1990 | | | | had given away the entire plot of the seven |
| and Jo Rowling was on a train between | | | | books. She rewrote it in this light, and held |
| Manchester and London. Harry literally | | | | many things back. Many successful authors say |
| strolled fully formed into her mind while she | | | | that you only write to rewrite. DH Lawrence |
| was gazing out the train window at a field | | | | even said that he wrote his entire first |
| full of cows. She spent the next four hours | | | | draft, threw it away and then started again |
| (the train was delayed) imagining Harry, the | | | | from scratch. Editing Editing is the process |
| world he inhabited, the friends and enemies | | | | of refining and polishing your manuscript. |
| he had there and the dangers and joys he may | | | | This part of the process may be done by you, |
| encounter there. She had nothing to write on | | | | or by an external editor. It is often wise to |
| so had to be content to play this all out in | | | | have an editor look over your work before |
| her imagination. By the time she got off the | | | | submitting it for publication as it is |
| train in London, the central cast of | | | | extremely difficult to get the distance you |
| characters were already cemented in her mind. | | | | need from your own work to see where it can |
| But did she go home and immediately begin | | | | be improved. Not that you have to listen to |
| scribbling a story with these characters? No, | | | | what the editor says. In the end it is your |
| she didn't. She spent five years, yes that's | | | | name on the spine of that novel and you are |
| right FIVE YEARS creating and developing | | | | entirely answerable for its contents. Having |
| every last detail of the wizarding world, | | | | said that, a good and subtle editor can lift |
| including government and education systems, | | | | your novel to heights that you may not be |
| how the wizarding world stood shoulder to | | | | able to achieve on your own. It is clear from |
| shoulder with the muggle world, and she | | | | the Harry Potter series that JK Rowling was |
| devised a highly sophisticated system of | | | | more tightly edited at the beginning (the |
| magic that would eventually form the backbone | | | | first two novels are barely more than 200 |
| of her own special brand of writing magic. On | | | | pages and by the time we get to number five, |
| top of this she sculpted out the entire | | | | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, we |
| story, planning the details and events of all | | | | are faced with a weighty tome of over 700 |
| the seven books, before she put pen to paper | | | | pages) so it is generally advisable at the |
| to begin writing the first. Would you attempt | | | | beginning of your career to bear the advice |
| to build a house without plans? Would you | | | | of your editor heavily in mind, especially if |
| attempt to drive across the country without a | | | | you are new to publishing. In every event, |
| map? Or would you set sail on the seas | | | | less is more, and a distilled and focussed |
| without a compass? Writing a book without a | | | | book is more likely to captivate and intrigue |
| detailed planning stage is like attempting to | | | | a new audience than a meandering epic that |
| build a house without plans. Miss this step | | | | constantly loses its way. Writing a book is a |
| and you are almost certainly destined to | | | | process, never forget that. Each step in the |
| become lost in a forest of your own words. | | | | process is unique but necessary. Don't mix |
| Writing When you are writing, you are just | | | | them, and certainly don't attempt to skip any |
| writing. You are not planning, you are not | | | | steps. Do that at your own peril. JK Rowling |
| editing. You are writing. Once you have | | | | has shown the world what is possible if you |
| planned your story, it is time to sit down | | | | adhere to the basic processes of the art and |
| and write it. JK Rowling planned the Harry | | | | craft of writing a good story. So before you |
| Potter series for five years before she put | | | | attempt your next novel, address the four |
| pen to paper on the first book She wrote the | | | | steps in the writing process: planning, |
| entire first book, and felt as though she | | | | writing, rewriting and editing, and be sure |
| were "carving it out of this mass of notes". | | | | you give each step its due. And who knows? |
| All the planning was worth it. She was able | | | | You could be the next JK Rowling. |
| to devote herself to the actual task of | | | | |
| writing, knowing that all the story and | | | | Suzanne Harrison is the Director of Writers |
| character elements she needed were covered. | | | | Central, an online creative writing school |
| This is the best possible place for you to be | | | | and community, offering creative writing, |
| in when you are writing a novel. Novels are | | | | short story, novel and screenplay courses, as |
| long. Usually over 100,000 words and | | | | well as a vibrant community forum packed with |
| sometimes as many as 200,000 words and more. | | | | news, reviews, competitions and 24/7 |
| That is a lot of words! So if you have | | | | feedback. |