Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
discussion
J K Rowling Almost Killed Ron Weasley
I think in a long series of books where your readers are emotionally involved in the story, it's a good idea to stick with your original plot outline. I haven't heard of any writer who sets out to do a series and doesn't have at least a general outline of where they want the story to go. At the same time, you want to make sure that your characters are making decisions that they would realistically make, and therefore it can't be helped that some of the plot will shift based on character decisions within the story. In such a series, you want to make sure your own personal biases and emotions don't get involved in the mix; however, stand alone novels are a different story.If stand-alone fiction is what you're writing, emotions play a big role in what you're going to write about. A writer can't help but inject their own personal experiences into their writing and therefore shouldn't be expected to completely detach themselves from the story.
So, to answer your question about separating personal life from private life, this isn't always ideal, and, in fact, is often the opposite of what is required. There are many professions that thrive on an appeal to emotions that directly correlate to the experiences of the writer.
I came across this piece of news before! Then, this might also suggest that Rowling had desired to have Harry and Hermione end up together at one point or another. I can hear the Haromione shippers shifting around already. Hahaha!
Im so glad she didn't kill him! That would ruin EVERYTHING!
Wow, those problems must have been big for her to want to kill someone, fictional or real.I'm glad she didn't kill Ron though. He's my favorite character. I think he's what makes the story more realistic.
yeah, and MILLIONS of house elves would have been DEAD
If she killed Ron, I would have cried... he's something that the book must have :)It wouldn't be the same with just Harry and Hermione...
Yes, I heard about that and I was wondering how she would've actually executed his death, the book would've changed a fair bit to how it is now, so I don't know if I would've preferred the book the way it is or that version. When I'm feeling upset or angry I write decent poetry-I'm not really a poet, I'm a story writer. But it isn't necessarily a bad thing to channel your emotions through writing and it actually does help you with it. The author could always go back on another day and see if he/she is happy with the work they wrote.
jkr would've made A BIG mistake. I mean ONE LESS GINGER IN HARRY POTTER!???!!
thank God she didn't! But then again hermione could have ended up with Hary...
The Weasleys are a must have in HP!! They're like the lifeblood, which gets me thinking how funny it is how they have red hair as well...... :)
She should of killed Ron off . i mean she killed of sirius and albus if she would of killed off ron it would of put harry in a bad place ...in a corner as the kids say... and ultimaatley made the tone off the books alot darker....and maybe things would have turned out alittle differently... with that being said i think the books r great they way they are. but i would have liked the books te be darker....
Yes. But it remains unpublished, b/c the editor I had couldn't handle how 'different' the story was, which he called 'unique.'Anyway, I wrote about three guys who kill an innocent person, and his ghost comes back and makes them die the same way they killed HIM. To the rest of the world, their deaths look accidental but the reader knows they're not.
I know someone who was murdered, and that's exACTly how I feel about the assholes who killed him. It could never happen the way my story made it occur anyway, b/c ghosts have relatively little impact on the physical world. Not enough to make someone die, anyway.
Since it could never actually occur, I don't know what the editor's issue was with the story, but I saved the tale as one of my accomplishments in writing.
I like the story even if professionals don't see its merit. I think the idea is the best way to take care of murdering bastards, but everyone knows it ISN'T going to; it's wishful thinking.
Vicki, my current work in progress has a lot of that murderous intent. I totally understand.
Was it your intent to write it that way from the beginning or did you change it half way through.
I was writing the above mentioned book when Senator Giffords was shot. I completely re-wrote the second half of the book and made major changes throughout.
Bob Cherny
Was it your intent to write it that way from the beginning or did you change it half way through.
I was writing the above mentioned book when Senator Giffords was shot. I completely re-wrote the second half of the book and made major changes throughout.
Bob Cherny
I'm working on a fantasy novel that deals extensively with horselords. It was originally conceived as steppe, but then I moved to Kenya. Living this close to the savanna, and going on safari every couple of months, I've realized how dynamic the setting could be. It's transformed what could have been bog-standard, horselords descending from the steppe, into a really unique culture.I don't think any personal crises or the like have yet intervened in my writing, but can see how it could happen. Writing is such an absorbing practice, it would be hard to compartmentalize it off from the rest of your life...
As an aside, I wish JK had killed off Ron. Hermione was way too good/smart for him!
Whitney wrote: "thank God she didn't! But then again hermione could have ended up with Hary..."NO!!!!!!!
J. wrote: "I'm working on a fantasy novel that deals extensively with horselords. It was originally conceived as steppe, but then I moved to Kenya. Living this close to the savanna, and going on safari every..."UH-Uh! Ron and Hermione were PERFECT for each other!
Folks at the risk of being a drudge, the point of the question was not about Potter, but about you and your writing. I essentially started over on a half finished first draft when Senator Giffords was shot. Has this happened to you?
Bob
Bob
I thought that with the tragic, to-the-point way the series was going that she would kill off one of the three main characters. Sometimes I have written about certain events in my life in my writing before.
I'm SOOO glad she didn't kill off Ron, as he was my favorite character. I think she should've killed off Percy instead of one of the twins(he was a jerk).
Well, yeah, but the tragic parts and what makes it such a good series is that intricate, nice characters die.
Oh, thank God she didn't kill Ron off. That would be the second worst death in any book I've read. I also heard she wanted to kill Mr. Weasley in the 5th book. It wouldn't be the same with just Hermione and Harry. If she really wanted to kill off a Weasley member, she should've killed off Charlie. Mid point of the book series would be either Goblet of Fire or Order of the Phoenix. I really don't know how she could've killed him.
I don't blame JKR for thinking to kill Ron off. There have been plenty of times when I'm suffering from teen angst and I kill off the main character. Usually by the time I'm done, I regret my decision. But if I was actually publishing a book, I would not change my original plot based on negative emotions. I would regret it if I did.
I think she did a great job with all of her decisions, but I'm happy she didn't fall through with this one! :C
Mary wrote: "I'm SOOO glad she didn't kill off Ron, as he was my favorite character. I think she should've killed off Percy instead of one of the twins(he was a jerk)."yeah!
Mary wrote: "I'm SOOO glad she didn't kill off Ron, as he was my favorite character. I think she should've killed off Percy instead of one of the twins(he was a jerk)."He wasn't a jerk towards the end!
Oh my gosh, the tears are coming......
His final words... "You're joking, Perce...."
Oh my gosh, I'm crying.
Oh my gosh.
Oh no.
Ohhh god.
I heard about that and was suprised she was willing to kill one of the "trio". But also who knows what the turnout would have been if Ron did die?
I think the end result would have been VERY different if she had killed Ron. It's interesting to contemplate this, as the couple would have most certainly been varying than now. Harry probably would have ended up with Hermione, because Ron would have been killed before the 6th book. (Which is when Harry begins developing romantic feelings towards Ginny.) I don't like siding with either HarryxHermione or HarryxGinny, as I think both would have/have worked out well.
Yes, it has happened to me millions of times before. It's, I believe, almost impossible for your personal life not to affect your writing. I also believe that the real life touch makes a book more real
J.K. Rowling considered killing off many of the Weasleys, including Arthur and George.
Olivia wrote: "J.K. Rowling considered killing off many of the Weasleys, including Arthur and George."Oh gosh!
Olivia wrote: "J.K. Rowling considered killing off many of the Weasleys, including Arthur and George."awwww :(
I don't make big decisions for my characters like that when I'm pissy. I'll write an angsty scene or two to make use of it, but I won't go as far as to kill off a character. (That's done when I'm in a good mood!)
Oh My God!!! That would have really changed the course, or atleast the tone of the book... And I wouldn't have got one of my fav chapters... The Silver Doe!
Poor Ron. I'm so glad he lived! Good choice, J.K!
Olivia wrote: "J.K. Rowling considered killing off many of the Weasleys, including Arthur and George."Oh no!
I think that Arthur could have died, because it doesn't seem realistic if the "good" characters live and the "bad" ones die. I'm glad that she kept George alive because Fred died... and I think that it would have completely ruined the book if Ron died.
Claudia wrote: "Yes, it has happened to me millions of times before. It's, I believe, almost impossible for your personal life not to affect your writing. I also believe that the real life touch makes a book more ..."Wow- glad she didn't.
J.K. Rowling's, er, sister-in-law? something like that, threatened to disown her if she killed off Hagrid. I don't blame her! Hagrid's the best! And i was sad when Fred died:(
Well I think it would be terrible if one of the trio died! That would not really ruin the book though because the series is so great and death of loved ones is just the thing a full-fledged wizard war needs. But one of the trio would not have worked out. Like, who would Hermione have ended up being with? I'm not a Harry and Hermione shipper so that wouldn't cross my mind. She totally would have broken down and almost die if Ron died and she never got to be with him. I feel that if J.K. Rowling did kill Ron, none of the Harry Potter fans would feel a sense of closure of the series... I know I wouldn't. Oh and Harry and Hermione shippers.... Hermione would NEVER end up with Harry if Ron died. She would feel really guilty about it plus, Harry and Hermione were never going to be anything. It's totally obvious that she was always in love with Ron. It wouldn't work. The death of one of our favorite characters would not be the way to go and I'm sure we are all glad that J.K. Rowling decided not to kill him!!! Thank you! :)
I like how no one here is participating in the actual discussion.
Will, I posted the question in several forums and this one is the only one where people even answered. Bob
So, something's better than nothing I suppose? I did my best to respond to the questions, but hopefully the discussion will get back on track.
what?? i love ron!
Mr Cherny, ideally every writer is 'expected' to keep his or her personal life, triumphs and tragedies, guilt and fears, joys and griefs separate from his literary works. But how possible that is, is the question here. I think every piece of art, be that literature, music, poetry or painting, has an inevitable influence out of the writer's personal life. If a small incidence while travelling can inspire somebody to write a romantic sequence in his ongoing work, so can a great tragedy force him or her to reflect the state of despair in his or her characters! I am not justifying anything, but this is human nature. But yes, every author must have an outline, some kind of a basic 'framework' before heading off. Only that it should not be rigid, but flexible. It should allow the writer to stretch the boundaries of the frame to an extent. Whether the writer should break it completely, is debatable. But by no means should it make the writer 'bound' to his or her original idea. After all, some of the best written sequences are written off impulse.
Tanvi wrote: "ideally every writer is 'expected' to keep his or her personal life, triumphs and tragedies, guilt and fears, joys and griefs separate from his literary works."Where do you get this from? Many of the authors I read write fictitious versions of themselves or their own life (e.g. Dostoevsky, Bukowski, Sylvia Plath, etc.).
Will wrote: "I think in a long series of books where your readers are emotionally involved in the story, it's a good idea to stick with your original plot outline. I haven't heard of any writer who sets out to ..."When I wrote my short story I must say that I added so much of my personal life that my friend told me he really felt my anger reading the book. This is one of those professions where your best work comes alive when your soul is involved. http://anderson-martinez-says.blogspo...
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J. K. Rowling stated in a recent interview that she almost killed off Ron Weasley mid way through the series due to issues she was having in her personal life.
I think that would have been a serious mistake and I am glad she chose to keep him alive, but that is not what I wish to discuss.
Has that happened to you? Have issues in your personal life impacted the story you were writing at the time? What did you do about it? How do you feel about it now?
Would writing a detailed outline have prevented such a thought in your case or would you have deviated from the outline?
The question that transcends the divide is whether issues in your private life have had impact on your professional life and how you keep them separate. While J K Rowling is a high profile example, are there others and how do they impact us on a daily basis?
Your thoughts?
Bob Cherny
An author at Club Lighthouse Publishing