Editing J. K. Rowling (section)

=== Publishing ''Harry Potter'' ===
{{Main|Harry Potter{{!}}''Harry Potter''}}
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[[File:Potter queue.jpg|thumb|A California bookshop in 2007, five minutes before ''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]'' was released]]

Rowling completed ''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]'' in June 1995.{{sfn|Anelli|2008|pp=41, 47}} The initial draft included an illustration of Harry by a fireplace, showing a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead.{{sfn|Smith|2002|p=152}} Following an enthusiastic report from an early reader,{{sfn|Anelli|2008|p=43}} [[Christopher Little Literary Agency]] agreed to represent Rowling. Her manuscript was submitted to twelve publishers, all of which rejected it.<ref name=JKRStory/> [[Barry Cunningham (publisher)|Barry Cunningham]], who ran the children's literature department at [[Bloomsbury Publishing]], bought it,{{sfn|Kirk|2003|p=75}} after [[Nigel Newton]], who headed Bloomsbury at the time, saw his eight-year-old daughter finish one chapter and want to keep reading.{{sfn|Pugh|2020|p=3}}<ref>{{cite news | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929175706/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/6/story.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10333960| archive-date=29 September 2007|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/6/story.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10333960 |title=Revealed: The eight-year-old girl who saved Harry Potter |last1=Lawless|first1=John |date=3 July 2005 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |access-date=6 October 2011}}</ref> Rowling recalls Cunningham telling her, "You'll never make any money out of children's books, Jo."{{sfn|Smith|2002|p=162}} Rowling was awarded a writer's grant by the [[Scottish Arts Council]]{{efn|The Scottish Arts Council grant was after Rowling had a contract for publication of ''Philosopher's Stone'' but before it was published.{{sfn|Smith|2002|p=176}} }} to support her childcare costs and finances before ''Philosopher's Stone''{{'s}} publication, and to aid in writing the sequel, [[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets|''Chamber of Secrets'']].{{sfn|Smith|2002|p=176}}{{sfn|Kirk|2003|pp=62, 76, 119}} On 26 June 1997, Bloomsbury published ''Philosopher's Stone'' with an initial [[Print circulation|print run]] of 5,650&nbsp;copies.{{sfn|Errington|2017|pp= 1–2, 7–8}}{{efn|According to Errington, 500 hardbacks and 5,150 paperbacks "were published on the same date and neither has bibliographical priority". It was previously believed that the initial print run was 500 copies total, but this number is "woefully inaccurate".{{sfn|Errington|2017|pp=7–8}} }} Before ''Chamber of Secrets'' was published, Rowling had received £2,800 ($4,200) in royalties.{{sfn|Smith|2002|pp=187–188}}

''Philosopher's Stone'' introduces [[Harry Potter (character)|Harry Potter]]. Harry is a [[Magician (fantasy)|wizard]] who lives with his non-magical relatives until his eleventh birthday, when he is invited to attend [[Hogwarts|Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]].{{sfn|Hahn|2015|pp=[[iarchive:oxfordcompaniont0000hahn/page/264/mode/1up|264–266]]}}{{sfn|Mamary|2020|pp=1–3}} Rowling wrote six sequels, which follow Harry's adventures at Hogwarts with friends [[Hermione Granger]] and [[Ron Weasley]] and his attempts to defeat [[Lord Voldemort]], who killed Harry's parents when he was a child.{{sfn|Hahn|2015|pp=[[iarchive:oxfordcompaniont0000hahn/page/264/mode/1up|264–266]]}}

[[File:JK Rowling 1999.jpg|left|thumb|upright|Rowling at the [[National Press Club (United States)|National Press Club]] in Washington, D.C. in 1999]]
Rowling received the news that the US rights were being auctioned at the [[Bologna Children's Book Fair]].{{sfn|Kirk|2003|p=77}} To her surprise and delight, [[Scholastic Corporation]] bought the rights for $105,000.{{sfn|Eccleshare|2002|p=13}} She bought a flat in [[Edinburgh]] with the money from the sale.{{sfn|Kirk|2003|p=79}} Arthur A. Levine, head of the [[Imprint (trade name)|imprint]] at Scholastic, pushed for a name change. He wanted ''Harry Potter and the School of Magic''; as a compromise Rowling suggested ''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone''.{{sfn|Anelli|2008|pp=50, 58–59}} ''Sorcerer's Stone'' was released in the United States in September 1998.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jk-rowling/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone/|title=Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone|magazine=[[Kirkus Reviews]]|date=1 September 1998|access-date=14 December 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214105044/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jk-rowling/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone/|archive-date=14 December 2013}}</ref> It was not widely reviewed, but the reviews it received were generally positive.{{sfn|Anelli|2008|pp=60–61}} ''Sorcerer's Stone'' became a [[The New York Times|''New York Times'']] bestseller by December.{{Sfn|Anelli|2008|p=63}}

The next three books in the series were released in quick succession between 1998 and 2000: ''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]'' (1998), ''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]'' (1999), and ''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]'' (2000), each selling millions of copies.{{sfn|Whited|2002|p=2}} When ''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]'' had not appeared by 2002, rumours circulated that Rowling was suffering [[writer's block]].{{sfn|Whited|2002|p=5}} Rowling denied these rumours, stating the 896-page book took three years to write because of its length.<ref>{{Cite interview|last= Rowling |first= J.K. |date= 19 June 2003 |title=Inside 'Order of the Phoenix' |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna3080035 |access-date= 19 July 2024|publisher=[[NBC News]] |interviewer= [[Katie Couric]]}}</ref> It was published in June 2003, selling millions of copies on the first day.<ref>{{Cite news|last= Kirkpatrick|first= David D.|date= 23 June 2003|title= New 'Harry Potter' book sells 5 million on first day|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/23/us/new-harry-potter-book-sells-5-million-on-first-day.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527235906/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/23/us/new-harry-potter-book-sells-5-million-on-first-day.html |archive-date=27 May 2015 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref> ''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]'' was released two years later in July 2005, again selling millions of copies on the first day.<ref>{{Cite news|last= Wyatt|first= Edward |date= 18 July 2005|title= Harry Potter book sets record in first day|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/18/books/harry-potter-book-sets-record-in-first-day.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529184415/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/18/books/harry-potter-book-sets-record-in-first-day.html |archive-date=29 May 2015 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref> The series ended with ''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]'', published in July 2007.<ref>{{Cite news|last= Rich|first= Motoko |date= 23 July 2007|title= Harry Potter's popularity holds up in early sales |work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/23/books/23potter.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080305150854/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/23/books/23potter.html |archive-date=5 March 2008 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref>