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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallAt Seattle Worldcon 2025, writers George R.R. Martin, Martha Wells, John Scalzi and David Brin shared how unexpected turns shaped their work—from a high-school Poe assignment to a science-fiction satire sparked by a frustrating Star Trek scene. Alan Boyle reported their remarks for GeekWire on August 17, 2025, as the convention was wrapping up.
George R.R. Martin found a beginning in Poe
Martin recalled an English-class assignment from high school: write a better ending to Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum.” His ending did not send the French army to rescue Poe’s narrator. The exercise helped Martin see writing as something he might pursue. “I think my life was changed by a high-school English course,” he said, according to GeekWire’s report.
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Martin also described Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings as an early influence and said he enjoys books that take him somewhere unfamiliar: “I like to be surprised. I like twists and turns.” During the exchange, John Scalzi joked that Martin’s assignment was how Ned Stark was born; it was a quip, not a literal account of the character’s origin.
Martha Wells changed Murderbot’s ending
Wells said she initially planned to kill Murderbot at the end of the first novella in The Murderbot Diaries. While writing, she changed her mind: “I don’t want to kill this character off.” She also said she was surprised by the response to the television adaptation.
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In discussing a character uncomfortable with interpersonal relationships, Wells reflected on her own experience with ADHD and the autism spectrum. Those remarks were personal reflections as reported by GeekWire, not a clinical assessment or diagnosis.
John Scalzi turned frustration into Redshirts
Scalzi traced the idea for his 2012 novel Redshirts to a Spock monologue in the 2009 Star Trek film that he found unscientific. He said the scene’s writing prompted him to imagine a book about the people trapped inside stories shaped by lazy writing. “The fact that it was such lazy writing coming from Spock inspired me to write a book about lazy writing, and what it does to the people who are trapped within it,” he said.
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Redshirts satirizes familiar Star Trek tropes and earned Scalzi a Hugo Award. He summed up the unlikely chain from irritation to award-winning novel this way: “Really shitty stuff can inspire a Hugo-winning novel.”
David Brin considered AI through science fiction
Brin told the Worldcon audience he was working on a book about artificial intelligence and its potential effects on society. He also described TASAT, short for “There’s a Story About That,” as a platform intended to connect technology experts’ and planners’ real-world challenges with science-fiction plot twists. These descriptions reflect Boyle’s August 2025 report; they do not establish the project’s current availability or status.
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Brin warned against the clichés he sees among people shaping new technology: “I believe that there are some truly, truly horrible cliches that are clutched and suckled by some of the geniuses who are bringing this new age upon us,” he said.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why these Worldcon stories connect
The writers’ anecdotes point to different ways fiction can develop: a school exercise can reveal a possible vocation, a character can lead its author away from an intended ending, and a flawed scene can become the seed of satire. Brin’s remarks add another angle, treating speculative storytelling as a way to examine real challenges around emerging technology.
These accounts come from Boyle’s reporting on panels and a podcast recording session at Seattle Worldcon 2025. They are personal recollections and opinions, rather than a statistical finding or a comprehensive account of each writer’s career.
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