The Harry Potter series is one of the most beloved and successful franchises in the world. However, it almost never happened. Before J.K. Rowling’s first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was published in 1997, it was rejected by 12 different publishing houses.
The story of Harry Potter began when J.K. Rowling was struggling to make ends meet as a single mother in Edinburgh, Scotland. She had been writing stories since she was a child, but she had never been able to get any of them published. That all changed when she submitted her manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to Bloomsbury Publishing.
At first, Bloomsbury was hesitant to take a chance on the book. They were worried that it would be too difficult for children to understand. However, after reading the manuscript, they were convinced that it was a great story and that it would be a success.
The book was accepted and published in 1997, and the rest is history. The Harry Potter series has sold over 500 million copies worldwide and has been adapted into eight feature films. It has become one of the most successful franchises in the world.
It is amazing to think that the Harry Potter series almost never happened. If it wasn’t for the determination of J.K. Rowling and the willingness of Bloomsbury to take a chance on her book, the world may have never known the story of Harry Potter.