On this day, a brilliant mind was born. George R. R. Martin is the creator of the world of Game of Thrones that so many people have become devoted to. Winterfell, King’s Landing, and so many more mythical worlds this man has created and built upon to form the Song of Ice and Fire series. Considering that today is his day, I have found some interesting facts that perhaps not all of us are familiar with about the life and backstory of George R. R. Martin.
1. As a child, he made money by selling his monster stories.
During his youth, he lived in Bayonne, New Jersey. His family was not very wealthy, yet he loved writing from a very young age. He wanted to be able to do more things and get out of his “boring” hometown. Since his family did not have the funds to get away, they were stuck in Bayonne. He began to write and build these mystical, fantasy worlds and he began to sell them to those willing. Funny enough, these “monster” stories were so terrifying it gave one of his child-customers nightmares.
2. He Believes that it is important for writers to “break the rules.”
Martin believes that if there were to be rules, every piece of writing would be a hit and there would be no competition. It is important to make your own rules sometimes!
3. He is a skilled chess player.
Martin states, “I started playing chess when I was in grade school. I played it through high school. In college, I founded the chess club. I was captain of the chess team.” Eventually, he discovered that he was good enough to even make money for it. He states that it helped to pay the bills.
4. He credits HBO for changing the rules of television.
Network TV in Martin’s eyes is boring, to say the least. All of it changed however when shows such as The Sopranos hit the screens. Martin thus credits this show for paving the way for Game of Thrones to exist in the way that it does.
5. He owns his own independent movie theatre.
Martin ended up remodeling a beloved, small-town theatre in Santa Fe called Jean Cocteau Cinema. He reopened the doors in 2013. Today, it shows independent films and holds regular events. This includes Game of Thrones screenings, of course!
Check out our most recent article on season eight of GOT here!