The Casual Vacancy
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Ask J.K. Rowling a Question About The Casual Vacancy
message 1051:
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Jennifer
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Jul 05, 2013 11:09AM
Your masterpiece of a novel consists of a myriad catagories including class, politics, rape and drugs. As an author who gained her name from the Harry Potter series (leading to fan groups, movies and indeed its own theme park), what was it like emotionally for you as the writer when first drafting your novel?
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I was kind of shocked to see so many F words being used every page & the disturbed teens from the same writer who wrote for 10 years, 7 books & only one curse word 'Bitch'. It was almost impossible to realize it was the same person. What motivated that transition to come so bold?
Did you enjoy writing this book as much as you must have writing the Harry Potter series? I absolutely adored Harry Potter and this book was a close second.How did you feel emotionally when you were writing this book? Happy, sad, excited??
How and why did you decide to kill Krystal Weedon?
Which do you personally prefer, the more adult aspect to The Casual Vacancy or the young-adult aspect of the Harry Potter series?
What process did you go through to thoroughly develop your characters since you had to include both external and internal perspectives?
How did you come up with the title? Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Your novel illustrates a power struggle between the adult characters in the novel, however, it is truly the actions of their children which hold true power and impact on the community. Can you talk about how you feel about the power struggles between children and adults and how they affect your writing, both in the Harry Potter series and in The Casual Vacancy? How much agency do children, or adults, really have?
Was it hard switching from a "kids book" to an adult novel after writing 7 books in one series?
I haven't had a chance to finish the book yet, though I've loved what I've read so far. I just would like to know, are you happy with it? What I mean is, are you happy with the way your story turned out? Do you feel you accomplished what it was you set out to do?
If you answered this question and with a positive answer, I'm super happy for you! So few writers are able to write so well for more than one category (ie Young Reader / Adult) and I think the content differences are wonderful. You are an inspiration.
Are your characters in "The Casual Vacancy" representative of present day lower middle class and poor English citizens, or did you magnify their traits to dramatize them? I found each of your characters reprehensible in some way, although not always through their own fault. I thought it gave the book a kind of overall hopelessness.
The plot for the Casual Vacancy was very intricate and detailed, you said that all of a sudden whilst waiting for a delayed train the idea of Harry Potter just came into your head, did something similar happen for the casual vacancy? Who or what gave you inspiration for your plot and the characters?
I enjoyed how it was completely different from the HP books. How long had you been planning to write this adult book? Was it a relief to release the dark truth after having to withhold the obscenities in the HP books? In other words: were you pleased to be able to finally write crude subject matter?
Was it hard to move on from Harry Potter, especially because of how it changed your life, and start something completely different?
With such success with the Harry potter novels, what made you change from YA to a story line such as the casual vacancy? What made you change from YA and do you plan to change your focus of audience again?
Pam wrote: "It may be just be me, but I noticed some parallels/similarities to The Casual Vacancy and Jane Austen's books. The small town, the lives of the people and how they interact with each other, the soc..."I thought Austen but Elizabeth Gaskell, too. Cranford comes to mind, although perhaps Rowling's take is much darker?
was it difficult departing from the harry potter world into a more 'adult'/ mature world?
Did you experience any fear or self doubt when contemplating that most readers would compare your new work to the Harry Potter series and that many fans would be hanging on every word hoping for a reference of magic or Harry Potter himself?
Tori wrote: "I have been trying to write something and stick to the story for years. I always find things wrong with my writing and get discouraged. Then I get motivated again and start another story soon after..."You might find this interesting: http://www.ted.com/talks/jk_rowling_t...
I think the question we are all asking is what comes next. So I'll ask it: What comes after The Casual Vacancy? What else can we expect from J.K. Rowling? I don't know myself, but whatever it may be, I think we can all rest assured that it will be great.
How much, if any, pressure did you feel to make sure that this book was considered an 'adult' novel?
I spent the first half of the Casual Vacancy loathing all of the characters in Pagford and the second half pitying them. Do you feel that this is an accurate portrayal of humanity, or are they more caricature than human? And if so, what did you want to show about human nature?
What is more important to you: fan's opinion or critic's opinion?
Even though "The Casual Vacancy" was voted as one of Goodreads favorite books of 2012, as a Library Clerk working in the Reference section of a small-town library, I have had feedback from patrons saying they did not enjoy the book due to the adult themes and how "dark" the material was written. Do you think there was a segment of readers who came to the book expecting a more grown-up version of Harry Potter, and based on those preconceived notions would have been disappointed no matter what subject matter was portrayed? In the same vein, do you think fans were prepared to like it based on the fact that it was written by such a beloved author? Would the book have been as well received from an unknown author?
A bit late to the party, but ok! Did you feel like you had to censored yourself in Harry Potter, as it was marketed as a "children's book"? The main characters in The Casual Vacancy are the same age as Harry and his cohorts yet the way they talk, act and think is so more realistic to that age.
Harry Potter is the story of an epic struggle of good and evil. The Casual Vacancy brings the conflict into human scale. In a culture where the very existence of conflict is seen as negative how do we learn to see positive aspects of conflict and accept resolution even when we are dissatisfied with it?
It would be difficult for myself, and most of my generation, not to associate your name with Harry Potter and that association was perhaps present when reading The Casual Vacancy. Still, I felt at times that you were almost going out of your way to detach yourself from your previous work. Whether this is true or not: did you feel that the cultural impact of Harry Potter affected your development of the characters and plot in The Casual Vacancy?
Are the characters inspired from real people that you know or are they completely made up?
What inspiration you have to made this incredible novel?
JK Rowling, I've been wondering about side-by-side comparisons of drafts lately. Would you share a draft of a passage from the book next to the final version?
Marian wrote: "In which book (Harry Potter series or Casual Vacancy) did you draw more parallels between your characters and people you encountered in your life?"Tony, were you responding to my question? I am not sure how this works, I do not understand your comment.
Do you feel weird by stopping writting about harry!? I'm just curious! xD ans what inspired you to write the casual vacancy!?
I would ask: if you could trade places with any of the characters and change some of their actions who would it be, what would you change and how do you think this would have effected the ending of the story?
Harry Potter was a book that had been brewing in your head since childhood, why did you break away from the classic beauty of good vs. evil that changed the lives of so many readers?
I am a single Mum. I have had it a bit tough. I understand that have been there too. When reading The Casual Vacancy I kept getting the feeling that, especially with the introduction of the characters such as Krystal and her family that you have sort of "been there". Only somebody that has had hardship in their lives themselves would be able to understand and portray this in such a character as Krystal and her family. Am I on the right track Jo?
How did you created these very real character?
Dear J.K Rowling, as a member of your loyal Harry Potter fan base I read The Casual Vacancy to support your endeavour to write more. I finished it sitting in the bathroom sink( where the best light was) so as to not wake my family in our shared hotel room when we were on holiday. I sobbed so hard! The book made a perfect argument for the political aspect (but I'm a bit biased). What I was most impressed with was the characterization; it was amazing, as always. And as an obsessive-compulsive-depressive and ex- anorexic, I was wondering how did you manage to write those mental illnesses so accurately? I have heard you have a history with Major Depressive Disorder but what about the O.C.D and Self Harm? Anyway, I applaud you.
Did you hope to shine a light on any certain issues in the book?
What inspired you to write this book?
In TCV, there is a large variety of narrators. Some of these are the teenagers who have a large influence on some of the events in the novel. Out of the teenagers in the book - Andrew, Krystal, Simon, Gaia and Sukhwinder - who do you think you would have related to the most as a teenager?
what inspired you to write this book that is so different from your usual style of writing?
Dear JK Rowling,Your book shows a very clear and factual link between poverty and drug use, one that is cyclical in effect, causing the chain of poverty to continue. Do you have any ideas on how we can help people like Krystal and her mother, as a society and through programs to break that cycle? Many people look down on drug users who are poor, without realizing that the drug use is an escape FROM the emotional trauma of being poor. Do you have any ideas on ways to decrease drug use from poor populations?
Dearest Ms. Rowling,I understand that you were/are very emotionally attached to multiple characters in the Harry Potter series (as was/am I and millions of others). For example, you wrestled with the idea of killing off Ronald Weasley. Did you feel the same level of emotional connection or responsibility to any of the characters in "The Casual Vacancy?"
Much love & respect from across the pond,
Heather Fitzhugh
This question is not meant as a challenge, though it might sound like one... I have not yet read this book, however, I have read all of the Harry Potter books and adored them. I am an avid reader in general, and particularly like historical fiction. I have a huge list of "books to read." Why should I add this book to my list of "books to read?" What about it makes it compelling enough for me to read?
I loved the perspectives of the teens (probably because I am one!) What exactly is it about writing about young adults that you enjoy?
How was writing The Casual Vacancy different from writing Harry Potter?
I have not read the book yet but I definitely plan on reading it! It sounds like an amazing book! My question is, Is there by any chance that the main characters name is just a run off name from the Harry Potter series, Padfoot?
Mrs Rowling, you've been such an inspiration in the literary world, most notably in your Harry Potter series. As the author of such a high-profile series, what steps did you have to take in your writing of "The Casual Vacancy" and what steps are you currently taking to avoid typecasting yourself, preventing yourself from growing as a writer?(Additionally, is there any truth to the rumours that Daniel Radcliffe convinced you to not write an eighth Potter book?)
Why did you decide to write a novel for adults, instead of keeping writing for kids that was what made you famous?
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