【Hard Soap Hard Soap (1977)】

1997 was a big year for J.K. Rowling.

A thousand copies of Harry Potter and Hard Soap Hard Soap (1977)the Philosopher's Stone, the book that would launch a mind-blowing literary empire, were published in June 1997. The rest is history.

But before that, Rowling struggled to finish that first novel. She couldn't find work as a teacher, and she was living on benefits, trying to take care of her daughter and find time to write the story in her head.

So when Rowling saw the question put forth by freelance journalist Jane Merrick, that particular year must have resonated strongly with her.

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Stop worrying about the rent. Concentrate on your public speaking phobia. https://t.co/Rz9rBc246n

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 1, 2017

Obviously we all have to worry about keeping a roof over our heads, but it's a nice reminder that sometimes big risks pay off.

As for public speaking, she's addressed that phobia before.

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We'd say it cured her. She's also given a TED Talk and was the speaker at the 2008 Harvard Commencement.

Thanks for all the life advice, J.K. Rowling... and get back to writing Fantastic Beasts 2!

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