Wednesday 5 March 2014

Why J.K. Rowling should keep writing

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.

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