J K Rowling

Ok I know I'm totally fan-girling, but J K Rowling has to be number one choice for a role model in every possible way.

1) In December 1993, seven years after graduating, J K Rowling found herself divorced from a husband who was rumoured to be abusive, a single mum, jobless living in Edinburgh. She saw herself as "the biggest failure [she] knew". Despite also being diagnosed with clinical depression, she did not sink into despair and give up. She decided to concentrate on what she really wanted to do - which was write. With three chapters of Harry Potter already completed, she would walk until her baby fell asleep, then sit in a cafe and write. In June 1997, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone was published. From a point in her life when everything seemed to have gone wrong, J K Rowling found the strength to create one of the most celebrated fantasy worlds of all time - one which will continue to capture the imaginations of children and adults alike for years and years to come.

2) J K Rowling's writing is criticised from time to time. To me, this is ridiculous. Literature is not about how many "literary techniques" you can fit into one paragraph. It is about capturing your audience, painting a picture in their minds, creating a world that your audience connect with; I can't imagine a story that does this more than Harry Potter. J K Rowling's imagination is second to none. I can sit with other people who are as geeky about Harry Potter as I am and discuss the currency, the laws, the history and beyond of Harry Potter's world - because J K Rowling captured our imaginations so much that we wanted to learn everything we could about that world. She once said that Harry Potter fans wouldn't be happy "until they know the middle names of all Harry's grandparents". She's right. Her writing is also incredibly accessible; I know multiple people who said they "did not read". After I persuaded them to read Philosopher's Stone, they are now reading everything they can get their hands on. It is pure enjoyable reading.

3) J K Rowling did not want to be famous. She did not expect to end up remotely rich. She wanted to write as a job, to have a nice life with her daughter doing what she loved. Throughout the roller-coaster journey of Harry Potter, she has conducted herself with unwavering dignity. She has done everything within her power to protect her family from the limelight. She has never let her integrity slip for one second. After watching her give evidence at the Leveson Enquiry about the horrible experiences she had with paparazzi only increased my admiration for her. She does not like to appear in public, but in this situation it was important for people who may find themselves in her position in the future, so she did.

4) In 2012, J K Rowling should have been in the billionaire's club.. But after giving more than $160 million to charity, she knocked herself off the rich list. I don't think I really need to add anything more to that.

5) J K Rowling is now a multi millionaire and is still doing exactly what she wants to do. She is writing a book for adults. She knows that some people will be disappointed and not everyone will like it. But she is doing what she did when writing Harry Potter; doing what she loved, for the right reasons.