3 Quotes from the Man Who Made Harry Potter Possible
Barry Cunningham, OBE "became one of the best known names in publishing after he signed up J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone." - Chicken House
Today, Mr. Cunningham participated in a video chat: Enchanting an Editor and the Path to Publication. But whether you're on that path, or simply a fan of J.K. Rowling or Roald Dahl (Yes, this lucky man worked with him too), Mr. Cunningham is a delight, and the following are my personal best-ofs from the hour long conversation. Thanks to Nanowrimo and Scholastic for sponsoring.
“One of the most important things is trying to visualize yourself at the age you’re writing about. Sometimes you’ll tune into your anger or your optimism—just to try to find the age-appropriate voice to your narrative. And sometimes that’s quite upsetting. It’s difficult to access it. ”
“Sometimes laughter’s the only weapon you have against the bullies. You may not use it to win, but you can use it to make yourself feel stronger.”
“In some countries, reading is a revolutionary experience; one of few things young girls can do. A lot of kids have told me, until I read these books, I didn’t know you could feel like this and dream like this. If we read other people’s stories, we know that our story doesn’t have to end where it began. We can change our stories. ”
