Throwback: J.K. Rowling’s website reveals handwritten spreadsheet for “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”

What goes on inside the mind of J.K. Rowling? It is a question that plagues every Harry Potter fan on a regular basis, but is very seldom answered. In an article from Flavorwire, nine widely known authors share bits of their early work on what would become literary classics. One author, of course, is J.K. Rowling, whose original website featured this some years ago.

On this particular selection of Potter gold, Rowling has created a handwritten spreadsheet for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, outlining certain plot points, dates they occur, preliminary chapter titles, as well as the developments of the many backstories and when they take place in relation to each other and main events.

If you are able to decipher J.K. Rowling’s handwriting, you may find the chapter titles for January 20 and February 22 quite surprising, as a couple of details have since changed for the final published book.

Other authors whose rough work was featured in this article include Silvia Plath (The Bell Jar), Joseph Heller (Catch-22), and James Salter (Light Years).

For which Potter book would you most like to see a full spreadsheet? Were there any points on this spreadsheet that you noticed have changed? Also, check out MuggleNet’s J.K. Rowling section for more information and past interview transcripts.