George R.R. Martin and Sci-Fi Authors Unravel Story Secrets at Seattle Worldcon

George R.R. Martin’s Literary Roots and the Power of a Twisted Ending

George R.R. Martin, the acclaimed author behind the “Game of Thrones” and “House of the Dragon” series, has long been known for his unpredictable storytelling and willingness to kill off beloved characters. However, his journey into writing began much earlier than most fans might realize. During a panel at Seattle Worldcon 2025, Martin shared an anecdote from his high school days that marked the beginning of his literary career.

The story started when a fellow sci-fi writer, Isabel J. Kim, mentioned that the father of a friend had given her a 1966 yearbook from Martin’s high school. The intention was to get the now-76-year-old author to sign over his old class photo. The audience chuckled at the contrast between the young, fresh-faced Martin in the picture and his current, bearded appearance. But for Martin, it sparked a memory of his formative years.

“I think my life was changed by a high-school English course,” he said. “I had an English teacher who decided once to give an assignment — I think it was in my junior year. We were reading ‘The Pit and the Pendulum’ by Edgar Allan Poe. And the teacher said, ‘Well, your assignment this week is to write a better ending for ‘The Pit and the Pendulum.’’”

This assignment, which Martin described as one of the ultimate deus ex machina moments in literature, led him to craft a dark and unexpected conclusion. In his version, the French army never arrives to rescue the narrator. Instead, the pendulum cuts him in half, and rats devour his eyeballs. His classmates loved it, and Martin recalls thinking, “Maybe I could do this writing thing.”

John Scalzi, another award-winning author, humorously noted that this early work essentially birthed Ned Stark. While the character’s eventual fate took decades to develop, Martin’s penchant for shocking twists was already evident in high school.

From High School to Hollywood

After college, Martin worked as a journalism instructor for a few years before transitioning into television. He wrote scripts for shows like “The Twilight Zone,” while continuing to write science fiction and fantasy stories. Throughout his career, he often employed the same narrative techniques he first experimented with in high school.

During another panel at Worldcon, Martin reflected on the influence of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.” He recalled a moment when Gandalf seemed to be killed off in the story. “Now yes, I know. Gandalf came back,” Martin said. “Actually, I would have kept him dead. But that’s an issue for me and J.R.R. to discuss down the line.”

Despite his admiration for Tolkien, Martin emphasized that he values surprise and unpredictability in literature. “As a reader, I like books that are not familiar to me. I like to be surprised. I like twists and turns.”

Other Highlights from Worldcon 2025

Martin hasn’t provided much information about the progress on his “Songs of Ice and Fire” saga, which began with the publication of “Game of Thrones” in 1996. However, during a Q&A session, a fan raised concerns about whether another writer might finish the series if Martin isn’t around. The question drew boos from the audience, though some attendees reported being turned away due to full seating.

Martha Wells, the author of the “Murderbot Diaries” series, shared her surprise at the popularity of the Apple TV+ adaptation. Originally intending to kill off her robot protagonist in the first novella, she changed her mind after growing attached to the character. She also revealed that writing about a socially awkward robot led her to consider she might have ADHD or be on the autism spectrum.

John Scalzi discussed the inspiration behind his Hugo Award-winning novel “Redshirts,” which satirized Star Trek tropes. He said he was motivated by frustration over unscientific dialogue in the 2009 “Star Trek” movie. “The fact that it was such lazy writing coming from Spock inspired me to write a book about lazy writing,” he said.

David Brin, known for his 1998 nonfiction book “The Transparent Society,” spoke about his current work on a book about artificial intelligence. He also promoted TASAT.org, a new platform designed to help tech experts tackle real-world challenges using plot twists from science fiction.

Notable Hugo Winners

Among the highlights of Worldcon 2025 were the announcements of this year’s Hugo Award winners, which included notable works like “Star Trek” and “Dune.” These recognitions underscored the ongoing influence of science fiction and fantasy in shaping cultural narratives.