Yesterday I posted a
link on Facebook to an article about a crime writer called Lynn Shepherd who had
decided that J.K. Rowling should end her writing career as she has ‘had her
turn’ and that others need ‘room to breathe’. Although Ms Rowling is not in need of any defence from me; today I put forward an
alternative argument as to why she should not only continue to write and
publish, but why she should be thanked for what she has done for her fellow
authors.
Due to the Harry Potter series of books, the reading
landscape of the world was changed. Suddenly children were putting down their
game console controllers and picking up books. Lines of kids were standing
outside bookshops waiting for the doors to open so they could be among the
first to read the next instalment. Those children are now adults and although
not all of them will still buy and read books, a good many will be avid
readers, spending their money on other authors' work; the love they have for books was
created by J.K. Rowling.
The interest engendered by J.K. Rowling’s first book for
adults, ‘The Casual Vacancy’, meant that once again people were visiting
bookshops in huge numbers. For those of us who love books, anything that gets people into
Waterstones or any local store should be celebrated. Her books may well be
helping to keep those stores open and the staff in jobs. This is
hugely significant in an economy where high streets are being emptied of shops on an almost daily basis.
Authors aren’t like football teams; you don’t pick one over
all the others and only read that author. I wonder how many people go into WH
Smiths or Waterstones intent on buying one of Ms Rowling’s books, realise that
it’s available as part of a ‘Buy one, Get one half price’ offer and buy another
book as a result. Some will try a book from an author that they’ve never read
before, which may well lead to more sales for that writer. One of the people who
may have benefitted from being the author of the second book is of course, Lynn Shepherd.
Bloomsbury. J.K. Rowling's publisher, may not exist today without
the money generated by the Harry Potter books. Even if they did, it would not be with the
stable of writers that they have at the moment. J.K. Rowling’s contribution
probably helps to subsidise her fellow Bloomsbury authors and I’m sure many of them are
grateful to her for that.
I cannot imagine someone saying to Paul McCartney, Bruce
Springsteen or any of the great musicians that they’ve had their turn. Who
would be brave enough to tell Sir Ian McKellen or Robert De Niro that they had
to move aside to let others have room to breathe? It is quite frankly nonsense
to tell any artist that they cannot continue to create, and is one of the things
that rankles me most about the article.
Of course, there could be another reason for Ms Shepherd’s piece.
By attacking a successful ‘brand’, she generated more column inches than she
could ever do on her own merits. However, it may be that strategy will backfire, and her sales won’t go up but down. Only she knows her own motivation and if it
is a genuinely held belief, it is one she is entitled to. If it is a cynical
attempt to court publicity, then I feel sorry for her that she has to resort to
such tactics.
J.K. Rowling deserves all the success she has had, and what
she has done with that success is remain true to her principles by helping
other people. She has conducted herself with incredible grace, never letting
the adulation or fame go to her head. I hope she continues to write, delighting and entertaining people across the world for many years to come.
Spot on!
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