Rules You Have To Follow If You Want To See George R.R. Martin At San Diego Comic-Con

George R.R. Martin is known for his runaway success with "Game of Thrones" and his quirky nature when it comes to writing the acclaimed series. Martin has a series of rules for writing, the most eccentric perhaps being that he writes his famous novels on an early type of computer invented in 1981 called a DOS machine using a word processor application called WordStar 4.0 (via Not a Blog).

Despite having an estimated worth of around $65 million as of 2020 (via Celebrity Net Worth), the author, who drives a Mazda RX-7 (via Not a Blog) and resides in a normal neighborhood (via Archinect), also likes to live a lifestyle that is fairly minimalist. To put things into perspective, some people change their smartphone every two years, and here Martin is attempting to finish the "Game of Thrones" series on a computer that is over 40 years old.

Knowing that Martin has a certain set of preferences when it comes to writing and life, it should come as no surprise that his upcoming appearance at San Diego Comic-Con also comes with a set of rules and obligations, and the prolific author has taken to his website to ask fans to respect his wishes. We certainly wouldn't want him taking any more time than what is necessary to finish those books, right?

Noting his anxiety, George R.R. Martin shared on his website, Not a Blog, that he will be attending San Deigo Comic-Con for the first time in many years with the aim of promoting HBO's latest venture into the lands of Westeros, "House of the Dragon." He added that SDCC is known for its massive crowds, and due to this fact, if fans want his signature, they will need to line up early — he will not sign things while walking around, eating, or using the bathroom.

Martin wrote, "I do not want covid, not even a mild case, so please be advised, I will be doing all I can to prevent that. I will be masked almost all the time. I will not be shaking hands, sorry. Or even bumping fists. You can take my picture when I am signing your book, but stay on your side of the table, please. No selfies. No hugs. In past years, I was always glad to do all that, to make myself available to my readers, but these are not normal times."

Comic-Con International says that the world-famous comic convention has pulled in around 130,000 attendees in recent years, and Brittanica notes that Martin was born in September 1948, which makes him 73 years old. This puts him in the at-risk category for COVID, according to the CDC, so it makes sense why the author is being extra careful. Either way, if you are aiming to meet Martin at SDCC, you'll need to heed these rules.