J.K. Rowling revolutionized modern literature, but her rise to fame involves many hidden details. This quiz looks at the early days of her career, from her quiet beginnings in Edinburgh to the global phenomenon her writing eventually became.
You will see questions about her writing process, early rejections, and professional shifts into crime fiction. The quiz also covers her career beyond authorship, her philanthropic efforts, and the public discourse surrounding her work in recent years.
Think you know the author well? If you want more, try exploring wizarding lore, book adaptations, and classic childhood stories.
In which Edinburgh establishment did J.K. Rowling famously spend her mornings writing the early chapters of the first Harry Potter book?
Black Medicine Cafe
Black Medicine Cafe
Nicolson’s Café
Nicolson’s Café
The Elephant House
The Elephant House
The Baked Potato Shop
The Baked Potato Shop
In which city was J.K. Rowling living as a single mother when she wrote the draft for her debut novel?
Edinburgh
Edinburgh
London
London
Glasgow
Glasgow
Manchester
Manchester
Which publishing house finally accepted the manuscript for ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ after numerous rejections?
Bloomsbury Publishing
Bloomsbury Publishing
HarperCollins
HarperCollins
Penguin Books
Penguin Books
Scholastic
Scholastic
How many publishers reportedly rejected the manuscript of the first Harry Potter book before it was picked up?
15
15
10
10
8
8
12
12
Who was the editor at Bloomsbury who championed the manuscript after his daughter read the first chapter?
Christopher Little
Christopher Little
Nigel Newton
Nigel Newton
Barry Cunningham
Barry Cunningham
Alice Newton
Alice Newton
Whose positive reaction to the first chapter of the Harry Potter manuscript is credited with influencing the decision to publish it?
Jessica Wilson
Jessica Wilson
Luna Lovegood
Luna Lovegood
Emma Watson
Emma Watson
Alice Newton
Alice Newton
Which detail characterized the initial book deal for the debut Harry Potter novel?
Immediate movie option rights
Immediate movie option rights
Small advance payment
Small advance payment
Significant pre-publication marketing budget
Significant pre-publication marketing budget
High royalty percentage from the start
High royalty percentage from the start
What was J.K. Rowling’s primary occupation in London prior to her move to Edinburgh?
Working at a law firm
Working at a law firm
Teaching English as a foreign language
Teaching English as a foreign language
Clerical work at the University of Edinburgh
Clerical work at the University of Edinburgh
Research for Amnesty International
Research for Amnesty International
Under what pen name did J.K. Rowling later publish her series of crime fiction novels?
Newton Scamander
Newton Scamander
Joanne Rowling
Joanne Rowling
Kathleen Rowling
Kathleen Rowling
Robert Galbraith
Robert Galbraith
What was the title of the first crime novel published under the Robert Galbraith pseudonym?
Lethal White
Lethal White
The Cuckoo’s Calling
The Cuckoo’s Calling
Career of Evil
Career of Evil
The Silkworm
The Silkworm
Which social media platform became the primary venue for public discourse regarding the author’s later controversies?
Twitter (X)
Twitter (X)
Which specific topic in the author’s later career sparked significant public backlash and controversy?
Climate change policy
Climate change policy
Transgender rights
Transgender rights
Brexit implementation
Brexit implementation
Scottish independence referendum
Scottish independence referendum
What specific online post in 2020 marked a high point of public criticism against the author’s stated views?
A leaked diary entry
A leaked diary entry
A speech at the United Nations
A speech at the United Nations
An interview with Piers Morgan
An interview with Piers Morgan
A tweet about a biological sex article
A tweet about a biological sex article
What was the title of J.K. Rowling’s first novel aimed exclusively at an adult audience, published in 2012?
The Ickabog
The Ickabog
The Christmas Pig
The Christmas Pig
The Casual Vacancy
The Casual Vacancy
The Witches of Eastwick
The Witches of Eastwick
What London location served as the primary setting for the cartoon in the crime novel ‘The Ink Black Heart’?
Hyde Park
Hyde Park
Greenwich Park
Greenwich Park
Tower of London
Tower of London
Highgate Cemetery
Highgate Cemetery
What was an indirect professional consequence of the author’s contentious comments in her later years?
A boycott of merchandise by major retailers
A boycott of merchandise by major retailers
Renaming of a children’s ward
Renaming of a children’s ward
Bestseller status for the crime series
Bestseller status for the crime series
Withdrawal of certain literary awards
Withdrawal of certain literary awards
What is the name of the international non-governmental organization founded by J.K. Rowling to advocate for children in institutional care?
The Lumos charity
The Lumos charity
A dedicated foundation for single parents
A dedicated foundation for single parents
Self-published ebooks
Self-published ebooks
A non-profit organization for children’s literacy
A non-profit organization for children’s literacy
Where did J.K. Rowling pursue her undergraduate studies in French and Classics?
The University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow
The University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews
The University of Exeter
The University of Exeter
The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
According to the author, where did the initial idea for the boy wizard character first occur to her?
A park in Bristol
A park in Bristol
A bus ride in Edinburgh
A bus ride in Edinburgh
A train ride from Manchester to London
A train ride from Manchester to London
A cafe in Porto, Portugal
A cafe in Porto, Portugal
What was the original name of the digital platform launched by the author to share extended wizarding lore?
The Pottermore website
The Pottermore website
The Bloomsbury digital archive
The Bloomsbury digital archive
The Wizarding World brand
The Wizarding World brand
The Scottish National Library
The Scottish National Library
Which event involved the author’s pseudonym being leaked by a legal firm’s partner, leading to a massive spike in sales?
The Cuckoo’s Calling exposure
The Cuckoo’s Calling exposure
The announcement of the Fantastic Beasts movie deal
The announcement of the Fantastic Beasts movie deal
The release of the stage play ‘The Cursed Child’
The release of the stage play ‘The Cursed Child’
The 2020 essay on ‘TERF’ views
The 2020 essay on ‘TERF’ views
The author was famously removed from which list due to her massive philanthropic donations reducing her net worth?
The Booker Prize shortlist
The Booker Prize shortlist
Forbes Celebrity 100
Forbes Celebrity 100
The New York Times Bestseller list
The New York Times Bestseller list
The Sunday Times Rich List
The Sunday Times Rich List
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When you finish this set, check out our other trivia on animated family favorites, the history of Academy Award winners, and the craft behind film cinematography.
