I was a huge Potterhead back in the day (well…I still am, just not as obsessed). I know the books are great and all, I know how addictive her writing style is, that she can create such vivid and engaging characters and places, and the stories keep you hungry for more…but IMO that still does not completely explain the insane hype that generated. I don’t think there has ever been this level of mania and craze for a book – a children’s/YA book for that matter. So I am wondering, what are some of the factor that led to the hype? I’ve heard things like the rise in Internet (and internet fandom), JKR’s rags-to-riches story, etc all contributed. So for those who have been there, what was the mania like at that point, and what factors (aside from the quality of the books themselves) that lead to it?
The hype really took off after book 4, and I think it was because we were all left with a cliff hanger and had to wait for each of the next books. While we were waiting, we wanted to talk about what it all meant and what might happen next. This drove a huge online community of speculation. Once book 7 was released, that community wasn’t really needed anymore.
Also, because we had to wait so long for each book, the excitement around the releases for 5-7 was intense. Book release parties, pre-ordering, lines around the block at midnight- all of these captured the attention of new readers and spread the word.