J.K. Rowling discusses 'loads' of rejections before Harry Potter's success

J.K. Rowling got candid with Twitter fans last night, answering frank questions about rejections and success with her typical good humor.

“Did you ever get nervous emailing agents when you first started out?” a fan with literary aspirations asked.

“The first agent I ever queried sent back a slip saying ‘My list is full. The folder you sent wouldn’t fit in the envelope.'” Rowling replied. “I really minded about the folder, because I had almost no money and had to buy another one.” In response to this, another fan asked Rowling how many folders she has now, to which the author jokingly replied: “I now have over a million folders, all made of costly silks, each one hand-gilded by artisans in Paris. #jk”

When a fan asked how many “no’s” Rowling received before Harry Potter was finally published, she answered, “Loads!” And even after Potter’s wild, worldwide success, Rowling’s alter-ego Robert Galbraith still got rejections of “his” own:

And even though Rowling and Galbraith have enjoyed their share of praise, Rowling said the success doesn’t go to her head(s):