Blog 5- J. K. Rowling

J.K  Rowling is the inspirational woman that I wanted to write about. Not all success is measured by something extraordinary, but if you can make something you love extraordinary while building an empire, then to me, that is inspirational. 

J.K Rowling, also known as Joanne Kathleen Rowling, is a British author who is famously known for writing the Harry Potter books. She was a single mother and recently divorced when she began to write the series. She was dedicated to her craft, writing, and she was able to turn that into a multi million dollar empire. She went from writing her first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 1997. There would be another another six novels. It is estimated that her worth is approximately 600 million pounds. Her brand, Harry Potter, is work an estimated $15 billion dollars. 

Her huge sucess writing books does not only make her inspirational, but the fact that she was able to make money on her own, as a single mother, makes her story inspirational. After her marriage failed, she moved in with her sister and started to write the first chapters of Harry Potter. She was depressed, attempted suicide, and was on welfare. Even though she had a small child, she found time to write. It was her escape from the troubles around her. 

She then went on to publish the first book from Bloomsbury. The book was given to the daughter of the editor of Bloomsbury, in which she demanded the next book. Her books would soon win awards, from the Nestle Smarties Book Prize to the Birtish Book Award. Scholastic Inc. later was awarded the rights to publish the novel in the US. Book after book, she was able to win awards, break record sales, and become more and more popular. 

J.K. Rowlings did not stop at books. She also took part in the film making of the Harry Potter books. She co-produced some of the films that were produced by Warner Bros. She was the first person to become a billionaire by writing and selling books. Her success was self-made, and her journey inspired me to continue even when times are hard. 

She is also known for her philanthropic gestures. She gives a lot of her fortune away to charities like the Volant Charitable Trust that helps with poverty and social inequalities. This organization also helps single parent households and helps children. J.K. Rowling is also the President of the charity, Gingerbread, which supports single parent households in England. As a single mother for many years, I can understand her struggles early on and admire her achievements to pursue her dreams. She was able to build a brand, a name for herself, and also gives back to the community. 


J. K. Rowling. (2020, April 17). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._K._Rowling