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Craft-based reflections on the work of JK Rowling, her mastery of fantasy and mystery writing, and what writers can learn from her books.

How JK Rowling (Writing As Robert Galbraith) Sustains Reader Engagement in a Very Long Mystery

[by Ross Browne]

If you’re a fan of JK Rowling writing as Robert Galbraith, you’re probably well aware how much longer her latest release is than the other four books in the series.

My own first reaction to the size of the hefty tome—darn near 1,000 pages in hardcover—was mostly: Terrific! More […]

By |2024-01-18T17:39:39+00:00May 11th, 2021|Behind The Bestsellers|Comments Off on How JK Rowling (Writing As Robert Galbraith) Sustains Reader Engagement in a Very Long Mystery
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Everyone Needs an Editor: A Final Lesson from the Harry Potter Series Principle Five: All good writing needs good editing

[by Jane Ryder with Beth Jusino]

“So why couldn’t Malfoy have brought that necklace into the school?”

“Oh, Harry, not that again…”

Many readers, myself included, echoed Hermione Grangers’ frustration at that point in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

For the past few weeks we have been looking at JK Rowling’s best-selling Harry Potter books, and the lessons that aspiring authors […]

By |2024-01-06T21:46:47+00:00|The Writer’s Craft|Comments Off on Everyone Needs an Editor: A Final Lesson from the Harry Potter Series Principle Five: All good writing needs good editing
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A World to Remember: More Lessons from the Harry Potter Series Principle Four: Create a world the reader will remember

This blog is part of the Storytelling lessons from Harry Potter series. For part one, click here. For part two, click here. For part three, click here.

Diagon Alley. The Quidditch World Cup.The Chamber of Secrets. The Cupboard Under the Stairs. Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.

These were not places […]

By |2024-01-06T22:40:58+00:00|The Writer’s Craft|Comments Off on A World to Remember: More Lessons from the Harry Potter Series Principle Four: Create a world the reader will remember
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Heroes Have Hormones: More Lessons from the Harry Potter Series Principle Three: perfect heroes are uninteresting ones

This blog is part of the Storytelling lessons from Harry Potter series. For part one, click here. For part two, click here.

It’s Harry Potter time here at The Editorial Department, and in honor of the release of the newest addition to the series, Harry Potter and The […]

By |2024-01-06T22:45:34+00:00|The Writer’s Craft|Comments Off on Heroes Have Hormones: More Lessons from the Harry Potter Series Principle Three: perfect heroes are uninteresting ones
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Chekov’s Gun: More Lessons from the Harry Potter Series Principle Two: Chekov had a gun; Trelawney had a prophecy

This blog is part of a series. For part one, click here.

This week we’re talking about Harry Potter. No, not the much-anticipated book that’s releasing next week (although I, for one, already preordered it.) We’re talking about the books that started it all, and the lessons that authors can apply in their own Works In Progress.

Principle […]

By |2024-01-06T21:47:36+00:00|The Writer’s Craft|Comments Off on Chekov’s Gun: More Lessons from the Harry Potter Series Principle Two: Chekov had a gun; Trelawney had a prophecy
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Five Great Storytelling Lessons from Harry Potter Principle One: Plant the seeds early, but plant them loosely and let them grow

This year- and possibly for years to come – everyone will be talking about The Boy Who Lived and his son, Albus, the main protagonist of the new 2016 addition to the Harry Potter series. In anticipation of the (unexpected) new addition, Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, I decided to re-read the entire series, […]

By |2024-01-06T22:41:13+00:00|The Writer’s Craft|Comments Off on Five Great Storytelling Lessons from Harry Potter Principle One: Plant the seeds early, but plant them loosely and let them grow
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