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JK Rowling's Harry Potter spreadsheet shows just how cleverly plotted the books really were

It's a rare glimpse of Rowling's magical mind at work

• Sarah Doran

Published: Thursday, 3 March 2016 at 9:33 am

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How did JK Rowling write such clever Harry Potter tales? That’s a question many aspiring authors have asked, admiring Rowling’s skill at dotting plot hints, twists and turns throughout her now iconic seven book series.

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Well, there was a LOT of planning involved – and there are notes to prove it. Just take this cross section of Rowling’s Order of The Phoenix planning sheet.

It details how she worked out what to do with various plot threads, from the mysterious prophecy that lurked in the department of mysteries to the burgeoning love story between the Boy Who Lived and Cho Chang.

It’s a lesson in novel planning, and an amusing insight into the mind of the acclaimed author.

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And it might just help us work out how she popped so many fantastic snippets of foreshadowing into the story.

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Sarah Doran

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