One of the great things about books is you can afford to do anything.
George R. R. MartinRead
I am not going to get into it myself, except to say (1) if I am writing "boy fiction," who are all those boys with breasts who keep turning up by the hundreds at my signings and readings? and (2) thank you, geek girls! I love you all.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote humorously highlights the unexpected audience and connection between the author and his readers, particularly female fans in a genre often perceived to be male-focused.
George R. R. Martin's quote reflects on the diversity of his readership, playfully questioning the notion of 'boy fiction' by acknowledging the presence of many female fans at his events. He expresses gratitude to these 'geek girls,' emphasizing the growing inclusivity within the genre and challenging traditional gender norms in literature. It showcases the breaking down of barriers and the appreciation of an audience that transcends stereotypes.
Themes
LiteratureAudienceGenderDiversityThankful
In practice
Example use cases
In a book signing event, I would use this quote to express my gratitude for the unexpected audiences in literary genres.
More from George R. R. Martin
All quotes →I hate outlines. I have a broad sense of where the story is going; I know the end, I know the end of the principal characters, and I know the major turning points and events from the books, the climaxes for each book, but I don't necessarily know each twist and turn along the way. That's something I discover in the course of writing and that's what makes writing enjoyable. I think if I outlined comprehensively and stuck to the outline the actual writing would be boring.
George R. R. MartinRead
There is only one god and his name is Death. And there is only one thing we say to Death: “Not today.
George R. R. MartinRead
I did not do it. Yet now I wish I had.’ He turned to face the hall, that sea of pale faces. ‘I wish I had enough poison for you all. You make me sorry that I am not the monster you would have me be, yet there it is. I am innocent, but I will get no justice here.
George R. R. MartinRead
But a voice inside her whispered, There are no heroes, and she remembered what Lord Petyr had said to her, here in this very hall. 'Life is not a song, sweetling,' he'd told her, 'You may learn that one day to your sorrow.' In life, the monsters win, she told herself.
George R. R. MartinRead
I write from this tight third-person viewpoint, where each chapter is seen through the eyes of one individual character. When I'm writing that character, I become that character and identify with that character.
George R. R. MartinRead
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