“Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh,” said Hagrid. “Marfether — yer a writer.”

There’s no arguing that Harry Potter is iconic, bridging its genre from a YA Fantasy novel into a full blown Broadway Musical and bringing people together and shaping a whole generation’s imagination.

Yet, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

What makes Harry Potter so iconic? What was the key to its success? It lies in the prose, the execution of the story, and the dedication of the author to understand her audience. As writers we can tap into the same essence that carried Harry Potter from a single Middle Grade reader into a literary empire.

And it all starts in the first line.

“Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.”

This line alone delivers to the reader so much information.

First we have two characters introduced, we don’t know who they are other than Mr. and Mrs. which means they’re old enough to have those titles. We also get characterization, for these people are proudly, perfectly normal, thank you very much. Second we have a location, number four, Privet Drive. Here, the name Drive implies a suburb. So already we have two characters and the semblance of a location within the first line.

This is an example of the power in Rowling’s prose. Every line carries a weight to the story, adding to the depth of reality, giving the book a feel like you’re walking right into the scenes. There are many other examples in the first book I could draw from, but you get the idea.

Next is the execution of the story. Harry Potter, at first glance, seems to be a fantasy, set in a world with spells and goblins, hexes and dragons. Upon closer inspection we can see that the book is really a mystery novel packaged as fantasy-light. Throughout the novel you’re left wondering what has happened, since there is a very mysterious second chapter where two wizards and a half giant leave a baby on someone’s doorstep. Then as you slowly piece together what’s happened, you’ve already been given other questions, and before you know it you’re sucked into the mystery of it all. And that’s nearly every Harry Potter book going forward.

There is a general agreement in the HP fan base that the third novel is the best of the series. I can say that if we view the books primarily as a mystery and fantasy-magic novel second, then it makes sense, as that novel has the cleanest plot, deals with some timey-wimey jumble, and it requires the most for the reader to figure out with the biggest expectational pay-off. This works on another level as well, making the books highly re-readable. As a mystery, there will be things you don’t pick up on in the first read through, and knowing the outcome doesn’t diminish the story. Instead you’re more on the lookout for clues and hints buried in the text.

Like a good Agatha Christie, the butler always did it, but you read it anyways looking for the hints, trying to figure it out before the detective. And we’re always trying to solve the puzzle of how to defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named before Harry himself figures it out. The Harry Potter series are really perfectly executed mystery novels wrapped in a magical package.

Lastly I want to look at Rowling’s career, before Harry Potter. Of course, first and foremost she was a writer, working nearly everyday to write her beloved series. But before any writer becomes an author, they usually have other occupations. Like Brandon Sanderson who famously worked a graveyard shift, or Tolkien who taught at Pembroke College while writing the Hobbit.

So what was Rowling? And what does this have to do with Harry Potter?

Much like Tolkien used his experiences during World War I to draw on in writing the Lord of the Rings, giving the book a grim feeling and making the journey of Frodo more visceral than most characters found in fantasy novels at the time. J K Rowling was a teacher, more so, she taught in public schools in the United Kingdom and became familiar with the age group she was writing for. To pull for Rowling’s own site: In Edinburgh, Jo trained as a teacher and began teaching in the city’s schools, but she continued to write in every spare moment.

J K Rowling was familiar with her audience. She was writing a book for British/Scottish middle grade readers and she had daily interaction with that audience. Rowling was able to understand what those kids wanted, how they thought, and what they would consider daily problems.

The same can be said for the success of Tolkien in his time. His books became popular in the aftermath of World War II, where the experiences of war and trying to heal from that trauma was a central theme in the Lord of the Rings. In that way, Tolkien understood his audience.

It is always hard to tell at the time, if something will or will not be a success. That’s what the stock market is. And that’s what publishing houses try to do.

There is no one road to success as an author, but many, and all of them different. But most of the time, it is the work that stands for itself, shining out even when coming from lesser known publishing sources. And a work that had dedicated prose that makes sure every line impacts the story; a focused story type either mystery wrapped in a magical middle grade package or a war story disguised as a fantasy epic; and an understanding of your audience, or perhaps being a member of the audience yourself.

I believe if we adhere to these three pillars, then as writers, we stand a chance of success. A well written book, once out there, will find its place.