OUTLANDER fans love the time-travelling drama set in the Scottish Highlands. But what last-minute change did Diana Gabaldon make to her series?
Outlander has been a worldwide success over the last decade as both a television series and a line of books. However, some fans might not realise author Diana Gabaldon actually made a fundamental change to her series of novels soon before they were published – here’s what she revealed in an interview with Express.co.uk earlier this year.
What last-minute change did Diana Gabaldon make to Outlander?
The huge popularity of Outlander has only grown over the years since it was first published in 1991.
This has been helped in no small part by the television series, which has hooked viewers around the world.
As a result, Outlander fans would find it hard to imagine anything different about the beloved time-travelling drama.
However, in an interview with Express.co.uk earlier this year, Gabaldon did reveal a big change she made ahead of the book’s release.
Outlander: What last-minute change did Diana Gabaldon make to her series?
Outlander: The series was almost different
This was to do with the title of the series, which is now about to be continued into a ninth novel.
She explained how she had planned to call the series something completely different until the last minute.
Gabaldon said: “I had sold the book already to a publisher and was very excited about it.
“And they were getting ready to publish it and we were discussing titles.
Outlander: The book was called Cross Stitch
“My working title was Cross Stitch, which you know it was published originally under that title in Great Britain.
“But that was just my working title and not a particularly great title either.”
As a result, when the publication drew closer in the US she revealed how they had to make a quick decision about what to call it.
“We started talking about the title and they said, ‘Well, you know, can you think of something more exciting than Cross Stitch that sounds like embroidery’ and I said, ‘Alright, sure.’
“So we tossed ideas back and forth for six or seven months and finally I said just a word – Outlander.”
However, the author went on to reveal how the publisher still had some reservations about this.
She continued: “Their response was ‘That’s good but it won’t cover up the cover art.’”
They managed to eventually come to an agreement and fans will know the title now has huge significance.
Gabaldon did open up a bit more about the meaning of the word as well, which many will be fascinated to know.
She explained: “I’m not sure that it actually came from anywhere in particular, I was just thinking you know about Claire, what she is and who she is.
“And she’s a foreigner but you can call a book foreigner and expect to get anywhere as it doesn’t sound interesting.
“Outlander, on the other hand, seemed to have something to it so that’s what we did.”
