A writer has criticised J.K.Rowling for continuing to write, suggesting that in doing so, she is taking shelf space from aspiring authors.
I have so much to thank J.K.Rowling for. Through her most famous creation, Harry Potter, she cleared the way for other writers to write new, exciting and thought-provoking stories for the Young Adult market. She showed that writing for young readers can, and should, bridge the gap between fairy tales and adult fiction. Thanks to her, I found the courage to bring the Boldre Wood Trilogy to publication.
Her critic moans about her move into the adult fiction market, saying she should stick to writing children's books (Stick with children's books? They're some of the best books around!). In fact, J.K.Rowling wanted to write her adult fiction under a pen name as she wanted to succeed, not because of her name, but rather because of her writing. Sadly for her, she was found out before she could properly prove her skill as a writer of adult fiction. At least she tried to 'give other writers, and other writing, room to breathe', as her critic requests.
It's a tough business to break into, and aspiring writers do, understandably, sometimes feel envious of those whose work receives huge amounts of publicity and plaudits, but such jealousy should never be expressed beyond the occasional private rant after a long day editing! To lay the blame for ones own lack of success at the door of someone who has expanded the reading world so much is extraordinary. Still, as one comment observes, this particular writer has now earned herself, and her books, considerable free publicity.
K.
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