How J.K. Rowling Puts a Spell on Her Readers (and How You Can, Too)

How J.K. Rowling Puts a Spell on Her Readers (and How You Can, Too) In 1994, J.K. Rowling, the imaginative author behind the Harry Potter franchise, was living on public assistance in Edinburgh, Scotland. As a single mother and estranged from her abusive husband, she was jobless and clinically depressed, but used the time while her daughter was napping to write Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone in coffeehouses. It was an idea that occurred to her on a train ride four years earlier, and one she couldnt shake.Fasts: said Mrs. Weasley, beaming at him, said Mrs. Weasley, watching him anxiously, said Hermione, hurrying into the kitchen, He said feebly, pointing toward the window.Varied sentence lengthTension created mostly through observation and action, with introspection kept to a minimum. (She ignored this. He could not blame her.)Simple verb choicesStraightforward description with little to no commentary (almost cinematic and what youd expect a camera to pick up)Wingardium leviosaAs Rowlings own past shows, crafting a great story involves findin g your own path as a storyteller and walking it with courage, determination, and discipline. Wingardium leviosa, one of the favored spells from Harry Potters world, causes levitation- and thats exactly what has to happen to put a spell on your readers. Focus on writing words and creating worlds that can rise from the page to become something other than mere words; make them come to life in the minds of your readers and your bestseller will be inevitable.