I wonder, then, would GRRM have revealed the name and heritage at a similar time as the show? How much weight do fans put on the kind of thing? As Wasabi pointed out, it gives the audience something to discuss and think about. There's a lot still to look forward to, storyline-wise, but when would be the best time to let the audience in? Will this kill some of the excitement? And does it kill some of the excitement for GRRM as well to write the books? I'd bet it does - it would for me.
I can't know this and can only speculate, but I believe that Martin probably would have had Jon's true name revealed directly to him by someone. I'm also guessing Howland Reed will be a bigger factor in the revelation of this information down the road, as well as Benjan Stark, who's still probably running around the North somewhere since his fate is still uncertain in the books.
Or it could still be Bran that drops the name, but if I had to guess...I don't think this information will be made known to the reader before Jon learns of it. The reason for this is because
ASOIF's chapter structure is multiple perspective third person, and I rather think that Martin would want to explore the realization of Jon's true lineage through the POV of the person it will affect the most. This is the strongest and best way to engage the reader's emotions in my opinion.
As for when it'll be revealed, I'm guessing that by the end of the sixth book he'll know the truth, one way or another. This way, he has an entire seventh (and presumably final) book to write the character from the perspective of someone that acts with the full agency of knowing his bloodline.
Or, and this would be an interesting twist but also a narrative mistake that would damage the story in an overall sense, maybe he never learns it. Or maybe he'll learn it and keep it on the down low because being identified as anything other than a Stark bastard might not appeal to him. If people start to regard him as a Targaryen, he might see that as a loss of the identity that actually matters to him. Maybe he would be prefer to be recognized as Ned Stark's illegitimate son than as Rhaegar Targaryen's rightful heir.
There are a lot of ways it can go, but I'd bet money that it won't go the way the TV show did.
Also, I just found out that Martin said 'Nay' to the notion of a
Dunk and Egg spin-off. At first I was frustrated to hear this, as I think each of those stories could easily be expanded into a whole season with some clever modifications. But the more I think about it, the more I'm glad they're not doing it. Let them create something that can solely be associated with the TV show's interpretation rather than corrupting another one of the written works.
Don't take this to mean I hate the show now. I absolutely do not. But after Season 5, it's been riding on the coattails of its former majesty.
#rememberstrongbelwas