J. K. Rowling Bio
This is our J. K. Rowling Bio intended to give a brief account of the author’s life and times. Rowling created the Harry Potter saga. Check it out!
J. K. Rowling Biography
Joanne “Jo” Rowling, (31/07/1965), is a British author; novelist, screenwriter and film producer best known as the creator of the Harry Potter series.
The fantasy books are a worldwide success and have won multiple awards. The best-selling book saga in history sold more than 400 million copies and was the base for a series of very popular films.
While in a train to work she created Harry Potter in 1990.
During the next seven years, she lost her mother, got married while working in Portugal, gave birth to a girl and divorced until being able to finish the saga plot outline, and the first book, after almost bankrupting.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was finished and published in 1997.
Her publisher suggested that a female name would not be very appealing to boys and asked her to create a pen name with initials. She had no middle name, so she chose her grandmother’s “K” (from Kathleen) and became J. K. Rowling (pronounced like rolling).
The saga
Her plan consisted of 7 titles all together:
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
After that the author has written four books for adults:
- The Casual Vacancy (2012)
under pen-name: Robert Galbraith
- The Cuckoo’s Calling (2013)
- The Silkworm (2014)
- Career of Evil (2015)
Her story is a most remarkable one since she moved from poverty to millionaire in five years after her first Harry Potter publication.
She is widely one of the best-selling and influential writers in the world and supports many charities.
The Harry Potter saga has inspired cinema, television, theater and the video-game industry and has become a primary interest for a legion of fans all around the world.
*Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the USA
Please leave a comment with your opinion.
We have other mini-bios of authors with more than one book review on this website: Our Prolific Authors.
[cta id=’1970′]
Fine and interesting article on the author, I am not familiar personally with the author’s books but I know her Potter series is very popular. The author does have a very creative talent when it comes to writing, do you know if the author plans to keep the potter series going with any more books in the future?
Hello, there,
Thanks for your words of support. /// There are rumors…
Meanwhile she’s written a play and a new movie with other characters from the Wizarding World is about to be released, if not already, It is called on the book, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”.
Cheers!
I have never read the books, but have seen all the movies. She really does have quite an amazing story doesn’t she? And who said authors have to be poor? I guess she just had a big dream that she never let go of until she found success.
There is a lesson here for all of us….
Hello, Liz,
Thanks for sharing your opinion. I agree. And besides having great stories she a highly educated and quite refined literate too.
Cheers!
Hi Caito, how fascinating to read JK Rowling’s biography. I had no idea she was a single mother on the verge of bankruptcy before becoming such a wildly successful novelist. Nor did I know that her first book took her 7 years to write. Makes me realise there is hope for all aspiring writers. I hope one day she writes a book to teach us how to unleash our imagination. Her books are wondrous.
Hello, Lauren,
Thanks for sharing you opinion. Never give up!
By the way, there’s a movie about her called Magic Beyond Words: The JK Rowling Story with Poppy Montgomery playing Rowling. I have seen it and it’s quite good and informative.
Cheers!
This reminds me of the moive I watches all about JK Rowling’s life. I was surprised at how hard she had it at times. She struggled with homelessness and everything. It’s truly inspiring how successful she has become despite having nothing at some points in her life.
This should be an interesting book. I would definitely like to read it some time.
Hello, there,
Thanks for your kind words. I saw the movie too. Really inspiring, indeed.
Cheers!
I love meeting success stories like that of the writer J.K. Rowling and her famous Harry Potter books.
I am now in this new adventure course “Wealthy Affiliate” and as JK Rowling had, maybe someday, the dream of being a famous writer, my dream is to live on the internet., something that fascinates me.
Thank you for motivating me with biographies of your prolific writers. Congratulations!
Hello, Alberto,
Thanks so much for leaving your comment and support. Writing is always writing. I’m sure that “f you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything”
Cheers!
I love j.k. Rowling! She really started my love of reading. I began reading her books along with the audio disks in the third grade. I would sit down and basically read a book clean through over a weekend when the new ones would come out. I must admit that I felt a bit empty when I finished that last book. I did not know that she has written other books under a new alias. I will have to look them up Thanks!
Hello, Shelby,
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers!
JK Rowling has an awesome life story. “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I built my life.” That is one of my favorite concepts and quotes (it was said by Jk Rowling). She is a classic example of someone who was on the rocks and still managed to summon the strength to bounce back and shoot herself to the top. I am a huge fan of success stories, but admittedly I am an even bigger fan of people who mess up their lives and manage to get it all together again. Way to go Rowling. She’s an inspiration to all of us. Plus harry potter freaking rules!
Hello, Koda,
Yes, her life is very inspiring. Thanks for sharing your opinion.
Cheers!
I’m probably one of few people who have never read the series of books, and I know little about J.K. Rowling. So this was fun to read and learn about how her creativity sparked and her books were born. What an incredible story. The seeds were inside just waiting to germinate. Maybe some day I’ll get around to reading them. Thanks for the great post.
Hello, Jackie,
Thanks for sharing your experience and impressions. I hope you find the same pleasure that I continuously have when reading J. K. Rowling’s books. Writing Harry Potter’s book reviews has been a wonderful and enlightening experience for me.
Cheers!
This author is a genius. I knew that she was one of the best-selling authors in the world but new knowledge for me was that she made it to being a millionaire in five years after her first publication. I personally have read all harry potter books and have watched all the movies too and not just for once. Best series of books i have ever read.
Hello, Antti,
I agree with your. Thanks for sharing your opinion.
Cheers!
Good overview of J.K Rowling.
I can’t believe that her publisher told her not to use her real name because boys wouldn’t want to read a book by a women. It’s so sexist.
She is probably my favorite author of all time. I pretty much grew up on Harry Potter. The books and the movies were a massive part of my childhood.
Anyone who hasn’t read these books yet should definitely give them a try!
Hello, Mark,
Thanks for sharing your opinion. Cheers!
I am a massive Harry Potter fan, I personally prefer the books, I prefer it when I can build the world from my own imagination than when I am told what it is by the movie.
However I am constantly inspired by J.K.Rowling’s achievements. She clearly is extremely clever but it is the perseverence to achieve that really does it for me.
I am currently writing what they call a ‘middle grade’ book but I often get demotivated and stop for a few months. When I am reminded of what she achieved and how she fought through even though it took so long to get that first one out, I am motivated to get going again!
Hello, Brian,
I understand exactly what you mean. I’m a writer at about the same point you are. I hope you keep up with you work and achieve your goals.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us. Cheers!