William de Worde

The novel's protagonist, William is the estranged younger son of a prejudiced and bullying aristocrat, Lord de Worde. William is educated not at the prestigious Assassins' School like his brother Rupert, but at the bleak, spartan Hugglestones boarding school, which is little known for academics. Wide reading renders William unsuitable for the church position that befalls most second sons, and he sees no value in land management or the military. He likes words, however, and against his father's wishes sets off on a writing career in Ankh-Morpork.

William is a modest young man who offers a unique service, "Things Written Down" (pg. 3.) Once a month he puts out a one-page newsletter, which he distributes to five rich patrons at a net profit of $30 a month. He writes in his tiny office above the Guild of Conjurors, traces his writing backwards onto boxwood, and takes this to...