We Regret To Inform You: The Rejection Podcast Rejecting George R.R. Martin (Game of Thrones)
Mar 25, 2026
They trace George R.R. Martin's rocky start: childhood in Bayonne, early fandom of Tolkien and comics, and the fanzine hustle. Hear about dozens of rejections, odd publishing setbacks, and a frantic writing spree as draft pressure mounts. The story touches on journalism school, jobs that almost ended his career, and the persistence that kept him writing.
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Growing Up In Bayonne Shaped Early Storytelling
- George R.R. Martin grew up in Bayonne, New Jersey, living in his great-grandmother's house surrounded by extended family and few comic-book-age neighbors.
- He learned to play alone, collected toys, and started writing stories about them, selling monster tales to classmates for pennies and later switching to spacemen after complaints.
Fanzines Gave Martin His First Breaks And Heartaches
- As a teen Martin entered fandom by writing fan letters and submitting to fanzines, scoring his first printed piece in Fantastic Four No.20 and later fiction acceptances that vanished when zines folded.
- He kept writing despite repeated fanzine closures, once losing three stories because he hadn't used carbon paper and the single mailed copies were gone.
Acceptance Matters More Than Immediate Success
- Martin learned early that small validation sustains a creative career even when systems fail; acceptance mattered more than distribution.
- He treasured acceptances and awards (like an Alley nomination) even when publications folded, using them to keep momentum.
