November 9, 2019

J. K. Rowling: An Exception or an Example?

An exception is not an example. Yes, this proverb is true. J. K. Rowling is an exception in the matter that her manuscript has got accepted after being rejected from 19 publishing houses (that have been, not probably, but absolutely, regretting their decision since 1997). This is an inspiration for the querying authors to keep trying. But, not everyone has got the patience or the luck of Rowling. This has become a matter of making fun of the querying authors, who get rejected, but keep trying to get their books published. The backhanded compliment is given, saying if J. K. Rowling has done it by 20 attempt, they can do it too.

I get disappointed every time I see a post or a comment ridiculing some author with Rowling's success. Because, it has not been just her luck, it has been her choice to keep trying. We need to respect, if not follow, her conviction in her chosen path. Because, a smart person like her must have realized that she could have failed too.



On the other hand, Rowling has got the equal amount of praise since 2012 after falling from the Forbes Billionaires List because of her charitable giving. And, this is the funniest part in this situation. Because, it has also been her choice to give away almost 160 million dollars of her earnings. She has not intentionally set out to drop off the Forbes Billionaires List.

The dropping off the list is not the point, just like the rejections from the 19 publishing houses. The point is that she has made a choice to keep trying with the possibility of failure. And, she has also made a choice to share her fortune with the less fortune ones. Yes, the point is that all of us have the ability to keep trying and some of us have the ability to be generous, but, it is what we choose to do with our abilities is what matters. Rowling has chosen well and successfully.

J. K. Rowling is just like her character, Harry Potter, who chooses not to be the most powerful wizard at the cost of possibility of the rise of another Voldemort and the death of more innocent lives. Leaving power or money, when someone has not been born with it, is a tough choice to make. She is both an exception and an example.


Copyright 2019 by Bithi Paul

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