We’re in the Emmanuel Centre which looks a lot like the Sept of Baelor. Let’s hope the night doesn’t end the same way...
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
GRRM advice to young writers: it’s an uncertain profession. If you need security don’t be a writer. It’s a profession for gamblers. All you can do is write the best book you can and hope that the audience finds and likes it. #GRRMLive
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
George started writing a science fiction novel called Avalon which was going well, but a chapter suddenly came to him so vividly. The chapter was Bran finding the Direwolves. By the time he had finished the chapter he knew what the next would be. Third was the summer of 1991.
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
#GRRMLive In the case of #AGoT it started with a scene, but he knew the protagonist had to be a young boy and he knew he was part of a large family. He knew he wanted them found in the summer snows.
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
There are two types of writers: architects and gardeners. The architect knows the plans before even a word is set down. A gardener knows broadly what he has planted but anything might come up in the garden. George is 90% gardener.
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
#GRRMLive how much of the history did you have to map in order to fill out the world?
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
GRRM knew nothing when he started out. At some point in the process he said ‘I better have a map’. Initially he had a map of Ireland and turned it upside down.
He realised that wouldn’t do and it went on from there.
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
He then thought he needed to fill in some of the past and background characters who then achieved more reality in his head.
The world then grew from there. #GRRMLive
What does your physical workspace look like?
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
He had several maps from #ALandofIceandFire. He does have files with timelines on. It’s sometimes a daunting task more now than when he started. In many ways he followed the template of Tolkien.
Starting in the Shire, broadening out at then splitting. Just like the Starks initially etc.
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
Every time a character goes off they meet new supporting characters. At this point it’s like he’s writing 12 novels.#GRRMLive
Plus fans always help with consistency!
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
Like the sex of a horse changing. Difficult to find that on search and replace though. #GRRMLive
#GRRMLive are there any scenes in #ASoIaF that you look back on and smile.
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
GRRM says he remembers the painful ones. Like the Red Wedding. He skipped over it and wrote the scenes that followed because it was too painful to write. He left it until last to write it.
At what point did you decide to write outside of #ASoIaF? For example the #AKnightoftheSevenKingdoms? @dgjones
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
That started with an anthology that Robert Silverberg asked me to be in. Which is a story of a tournament and like many other things it grew.
At what point did you decide to write outside of #ASoIaF? For example the #AKnightoftheSevenKingdoms? @dgjones
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
That started with an anthology that Robert Silverberg asked me to be in. Which is a story of a tournament and like many other things it grew.
#GRRMLive Do you plan to do more #DunkandEgg books?
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
First I have a few things to finish, but at some point I’ll come back to it. There are a few things to do first!
#GRRMLive Tell me a little about #WildCards. @dgjones
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
I always loved the mythos of super characters. In the 80s shared world was a thing. We came up with Wild Cards, me and a group of friends. I’m the Editor. There are 27 in print right now and two more originals on the way.
We have some some amazing writers involved and we just published the first British set Wild Cards called #KnavesOverQueens
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
Is the collaboration with writers the same with TV and sharing the world of Westeros? @dgjones
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
Writing is a very lonely existence. It’s you and blank screen or before computers it was a blank page and a typewriter. He loved the idea of Hollywood and working with many people.
It’s a high working with actors and writers with that collaboration. The social aspect is great.
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
It’s a different world to the lonely world of the writing.
But the other side is all these people telling you what to do or giving feedback. There are two sides to everything.
#GRRMLive How has real world history influenced your world? @dgjones
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
GRRM has always loved history, but the problem with writing historical fiction is all the damn research. I like the freedom of modelling my books on history but in Fantasy I can make it turn out differently.
I model things on history and turn it up to 11.#GRRMLive
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
#GRRMLive visiting Hadrian’s Wall had a huge influence on me, but I made mine out of ice and added dragons.
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
#GRRMLive the War of the Roses was of course a large influence, but so were the crusades and Scottish history. The Red Wedding was loosely based on the Black Dinner, but I turned it up to 11 again.
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
The history I love is popular history, not academic history. #GRRMLive
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
Which female characters did you draw inspiration from? @dgjones Eleanor of Aquitaine was an amazing woman. Also there were some amazing women in Italian history during the Renaissance. #GRRMLive
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
Why put #FireandBlood together now? @dgjones
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
In the novels there are a lot of historical references. My publishers said they wanted to do a history. I wanted to put some incredible illustrations in it. There are pieces of history I haven’t had a chance to put in the books yet.
#GRRMLive The prequels have just finished filming up in Belfast. It’s set 5,000 years in the last of Westeros, way before the events of #GoT.
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
#GRRMLive we have two other pilots in active development. We may yet get more Westeros shows in the future.
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
#GRRMLive I have great affection for Mushroom who is a dwarf, but he’s not a well-worn one like Tyrion. He is the fool in the court leading up to the dance with dragons in #FireandBlood.
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
#GRRMLive as #FireandBlood is a fake history I loved the idea of telling it as a historian uncovering a history via first-hand accounts that are often contradictory.
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
The best phrase we always come back to in #FireandBlood is ‘I guess we’ll never know’ #GRRMLive
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
In #FireandBlood we have many dragons and many swords. If you could ride one and wield one which would it be?
— HarperVoyagerUK (@HarperVoyagerUK) August 8, 2019
I would ride Balerion The Black Dread. If I could wield one sword it would be The Dawn, made from the metal from a fallen star.
[Note: This podcast episode features George R.R. Martin being interviewed by Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson.]