1. WRITE IN WHATEVER TIME YOU HAVE
One of J.K. Rowling’s most famous quotes is: “Sometimes you have to get your writing done in spare moments here and there.” This is crucial advice on writing a book. It’s easy for us to imagine successful writers spending all day penning beautiful paragraphs, but everybody had to start somewhere. For Rowling, that somewhere included full-time work and finding stolen pockets of time to write. Much as it might be a dream to take six months out to write your book, odds are you’re going to have to fit it into your everyday life.
2. PLANNING IS ESSENTIAL
Instead of diving right into line 1, J.K. Rowling advises taking the time to plan out the world your books will live in. She took five years to create and develop every last detail of the Harry Potter world. Every part of Rowling’s books was planned and work out, right down to how the Wizards and Muggles interacted (and the word Muggles, to begin with!) what the education was like, how magic helped in every day life and how the wizarding world of government worked. She also plotted out all the events of the seven books before she started writing the first.
3. REWRITING IS JUST AS ESSENTIAL
You would think after five years, J.K. Rowling would just be able to dive right in and write the whole of the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, without much rewriting. She rewrote the opening chapter of her first book a total of fifteen times, however. It’s easy to imagine published authors writing with the greatest of ease, but actually the process is just as difficult for them.
4. BE AWARE OF PLOT AND PACING
Even when you’ve plotted out all seven of the books you want to write in a series, you can trip yourself up. In fact, that’s one of the big things to be aware of when you’ve done the necessary planning: even though you know what’s going to happen next, your readers shouldn’t. They need to have a sense of excitement and uncertainty as the plot and pacing unfolds because this is where magic lies. After J.K. Rowling finished the first book in the Harry Potter series, she realised she’d given away the whole plot of the series. So she had to rewrite it, and hold back a number of integral plot points.
5. WRITE YOUR PASSION
Perhaps my favourite J.K. Rowling quote is: “What you write becomes who you are… So make sure you love what you write!” One of the reasons the Harry Potter books are so infectious is because you can tell she really loves the world she created – and all the characters in them. If you’re going to approach your book in a half-hearted manner, there’s no point even beginning it. Make sure you’re passionate about what you write and you’ll draw your readers along with you.
Amazing tips, Amir 🙂 thanks for sharing 🙂
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You’re most welcome! 😊 Thanks for reading.
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Of course 🙂
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Great Solid Advice which I follow as well.
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Thank you for sharing!
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i also love the last quote thank you for such amazing post
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Thank you and you’re welcome! Sometimes I just wonder how she wrote such amazing story!
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yeah we are inspired by some writers they become our inspiration and the reason to write so that we can inspire people like they do 🙂
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Great tips. Thanks!
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Words to write by!
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Good quote. Another I think you’ll appreciate: “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” Stephen King, On Writing; A Memoir of the Craft
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Yeah, I remember that quote! 😊
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Isn’t On Writing… a marvelous work?
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It’s one of the best writing books for aspiring writers, and a marvelous masterpiece, indeed.
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Great – and inspiring – tips.
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Thanks!
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It has a bit of “you are what you eat”, this “becoming what you write”.
or ‘you draw what you see’. And whether you do it consciously or on a subconscious level, being able to dissec your plot or topic seems essential. Thanks
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Thanks for the comment!
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Thanks for sharing this, Amir! Excellent and uplifting advice…
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You’re welcome, Tanya! How’s your book going?
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I’m right at the 50k word mark and really enjoying it – usually a good sign. Thanks for asking!
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Aw 50k! Wish you luck with the rest of your great book. I want a autographed copy. 😉
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Thank you, Amir! The encouragement means a lot to me.
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Hi Tanya.
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Hi, Amir! Hope you are having an awesome day.
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Thank you so much!
I have a question. Today my friend gave me his short story. It was a crime-erotica genre. In the story the main character is a young girl. Is it possible to kill an old woman with nylon stockings?!
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You might be able strangle her with them like a rope, but that would be about it. I would think there would be easier ways…Lol
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I told him it’s a bit weird, but he said it’s sexy!
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It’s original…Lol
Nylons aren’t all that sexy, imo, unless they are mesh or something like that…not something an old lady would usually have.
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What do you suggest for killing an old lady?
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If you want to be really creative, you could scare her to death, especially if she is frail. You could poison her meds, leading to some graphic descriptions of the poor lady’s death. If it needs to be quick, then strangulation certainly works.
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I meant how to strangle her in a hot way?
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Too funny…
Dominatrix whip? (Does she have a weird past?…stuff hiding in her closet?) Dog leash from her beloved poodle that she is obsessed with? It’s hard for me to work the word “hot” around the words “old lady”…Lol
It would be easier if she was a young woman. Then I can imagine many things.
Unless there is someone younger living in the house where there might be negligee or something sitting around.
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I can suggest him to change the old lady to young woman. I really like to know your fantastic imagination.
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If he is going for “hot”, that is definitely the direction I would take. Hope that helps…
Ask anytime. I love talking “shop” with my writing friends!
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Thank you for everything! I guess I’ll have nightmares tonight. You, standing above me with a mesh nylon stockings.😀
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Lol…
Have an awesome evening in spite of the me-induced nightmares!
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A nightmare with Tanya in it, is a sweet dream. 😜
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Hugs, Amir! You are a real inspiration for me.
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That’s the least I can do for my kind beautiful friend. Hugs❤
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I lost count of how many time I rewrote the first paragraphs of my books!
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Love these tips !!
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Reblogged this on Mandibelle16 and commented:
Great Writing Tipd from JK Rowling 🙂
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This is perfect. I admire her so much.
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Some excellent advice here. Thank you! Debra
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You’re most welcome! Amir😉
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Excellent tips from an excellent author ❤
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I really love your cute profile pic!
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Aw thanks! 😀
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No problem. 😉
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These tips are definitely embedded in my brain now. Thanks, Amir for posting them.Have a great weekend.
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So glad you liked them.
Have a wonderful weekend!
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Thanks.
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A woman who knows what she’s talking about!
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You’re absolutely right!
I left a comment on your blog, did you get it.
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So I promised you questions, my dear friend:
1. Are you working on your own novel or short stories?
2. I love your new picture in your gravatar…(okay, that’s not a question…Lol)
3. How tall are you sans stiletto heels? (Lol…I have many personal questions I would love to ask you, but I thought I would start with something largely irrelevant and basic.)
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Thank you for your questions!
1. I’m not working now. Just reading as many good stuff as I can to improve my writing. Writing is hard for a non-native speaker.
2. Thanks😃
3. Lol… I’m 6’1 ft or in our currency, 185 cm
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1. shows your wisdom; btw, your English is spectacular
2. you are very welcome…It was from the heart
3. I would have to look up to you even in my tallest heels…Lol (I can stretch it to about 6′ without risk of tumbling)
That was fun! Thanks so much for answering, and I promise to think of more questions.
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You are the loveliest woman I’ve ever met and talked, Tanya. Hope I find a girl like you in real life. A beautiful, kind, sweet, and of course, a novelist . And an amazing mother, too.
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You are too kind, Amir. Hugs and more your way…
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You don’t know whenever your name appears on my cellphone, how much I become glad.
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Hello, Amir. I penned this message just to put a smile on your face, my friend!
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Thank you so much my dear friend!
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She has given us a masterpiece! Can’t get enough of ittttt.
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The best book of all time.
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Indeeddd. I was watching the series yesternight lol
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Really??! I’m reading the first book again. I wish there had been a castle like Hogwarts! We could stroll through its corridors and up and down the floors.😭
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Yeaaasss!!! I want to live as Harry Potter or Hermoini for onceeeee. ^_^
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Me too! You can be Hermoini The Second. I love professor Snape!
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I wish 😀 *daydreaming*
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I miss those fantastic characters.
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The feelings are mutual. 😇 Good old days.
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Our children won’t find such books with awesome characters.
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Yes, I hope J.K Rowling continues lol.
In fact, there are so many things that future kids won’t know about. We had a really simple time, compared to this so called modern era.
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So true.
We are like a grandpa and a grandma talking to each other.😃
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Hahahaha 🙈
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But you’re not old😉
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Haha obvio,not as a grandma. But old enough to have nephew and a niece lol 😀
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Haha😀 I’m old enough to be dead😜
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Haha, that means a grandpa 😛 😛
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Yes, granny😝
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Yikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I guess you’re under 25. Right?
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Under 20. Lol.
Turning 19 this January!
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Really?!! So I’m the first to tell you Happy Birthday! ❤
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Haha, thank you 😀 Earliest wish ever lol
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You’re so sweet😊
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🙂
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Wonderful thanks for sharing..
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You’re welcome
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It’s about doing what you love, where things just really work isn’t it? Thank you for sharing the tips!
Thank you also for dropping by my blog, I really appreciate it : )
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You’re most welcome!
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Great advice! Love her!
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Some useful tips which one sometimes forgets in the daily stresses of life. Time to oneself is vital, especially if one is the stereotypical (but true) writer unable to get escape from one’s current circumstances, and others around you won’t give you space, a nightmare if they are not readers/writers themselves (and per your Dreams article, I had a recent dream of being trapped; indeed they are useful allegories ‘back stories’ for one’s plotlines).
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Thanks!
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At last! Tips from the magical lady herself! Thank you for this! Was a pleasure to read.
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JK Rowling’s words are so true 🙂
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The wife and I noticed your blog and appreciate the neat content you have here. We would like to encourage you to keep writing and never abandon this blog. If you ever decide you’d like a mobile app version of your blog, we would love to help. I appreciate the hard work you have put into this blog and wish you all future success in business and in life.
Thank you for your time, it is the most precious thing we all possess.
-Jacque’
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I love the diversity in your subjects. You should definitely write more I think. I want to encourage you to keep going. I ran into a photographer today who’s work was badly reviewed and I thought to myself that’s just someone’s mean spirited opinion. I think it’s good to encourage those who are following their passion. 🙂 I think a review should always be constructive and praising the good things first. 🙂
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Going to re-blog this soon
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Reblogged this on WILDsound Writing and Film Festival Review.
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I call her, Mother Tolkein
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