GRRM drops everything to write TWOW

[Cas Stark]

Is that a rhetorical question?

LOL. It's also, though, technically past tense. He didn't write an episode for Season 5, correct. Since Season 5 starts shooting shortly, presumably the episodes are written already, unless the entire most expensive show in TV history is a fly by the seat of our pants from beginning to end.

In which case, it sort of leans less toward the glass being half full view, that he's has been and is super hard at work "finishing" Winds...because we know he has not been super hard at work but galavanting around....

[CaptainTheo]

This (the original post of this thread - I only saw it now) is some welcome good news regarding the next book, for a change. Surely GRRM can at least get it out before season six airs, and maybe next year.

[Ser Pounce FTW]

I mean, is he that bad at planning? that far behind on writing the novel? and if so, you know, why has been doing all these inane trips the entire year?

You're making a joke, right? And no, he's not taking on any new trips either.

[Cas Stark]

You're making a joke, right? And no, he's not taking on any new trips either.

No, not really. He has a lot of experience writing for TV. He has written one episode every season and said he was going to write one episode for this season. Now he isn't.

So, I am suggesting that it is more than GRRM and his poor planning or needing to spend the "extra" time writing. I am suggesting that it's by choice, not necessity.

[Ser Pounce FTW]

No, not really. He has a lot of experience writing for TV. He has written one episode every season and said he was going to write one episode for this season. Now he isn't.

So, I am suggesting that it is more than GRRM and his poor planning or needing to spend the "extra" time writing. I am suggesting that it's by choice, not necessity.

Right. Well since he's clearing his calendar and is visibly shaken by the fact that the show is plowing forward, I think he's trying to find more time to write his book.

[sifth]

You're making a joke, right? And no, he's not taking on any new trips either.

at least not for the rest of the year..............after he's already taken the months of July and August off from writing. I'm all for the guy taking vacations, heck I would too if I had that money. However it does come off as a bit strange that only now is he giving The Winds of Winter the attention it clearly needs. I'd honestly be shocked if GRRM has 500 pages of the book written. The last thing we heard that even resembles a page count was from 2012 I believe and aside from a few sample chapters we got this year all the guys been talking about is either The World Book, Dangerous Women, Rouges or his other 4 side projects.

I have a feeling the World Book will be quite awesome, but if I had to pick between TWoIaF and TWOW, the choice is rather obvious. I mean GRRM got so carried away writing The World Book that he's going to have to make a whole other World Book once the series is finished. So I can only imagine he used up quite a large amount of time writing for these two books, when he should have been focused on his main series.

[Ser Pounce FTW]

I have a feeling the World Book will be quite awesome, but if I had to pick between TWoIaF and TWOW, the choice is rather obvious. I mean GRRM got so carried away writing The World Book that he's going to have to make a whole other World Book once the series is finished. So I can only imagine he used up quite a large amount of time writing for these two books, when he should have been focused on his main series.

Yeah, I said this in a thread already today. Martin seems to go off on tangents very easily. I think that's what's really taking so long. That and the fact that the story he's creating - full of layering and foreshadowing - is extremely time consuming.

[Cas Stark]

Right. Well since he's clearing his calendar and is visibly shaken by the fact that the show is plowing forward, I think he's trying to find more time to write his book.

Clearing his calendar since when? He was at a film festival in what was it, switzerland last week? LMAO. I'm sorry for him if he believed any of his crackpot ideas of the show going 10 years or HBO doing a movie, etc. were going to be taken seriously at HBO. And, for someone who takes 5 years to write his books and has spent countless weeks traveling for all kinds of inane stuff, I don't believe that all of a suddene he couldn't find the time to write for HBO.

[sj4iy]

I like how even when Martin himself says exactly why he's not writing an episode- "There's this book I have to write"- people still try to twist it into some sort of referendum on the show and create some sort of phantom antagonistic relationship between him and the producers...even when it's clear as daylight that Martin has been cutting down on trips and appearances for the exact same reason. But no, people have to make up conspiracy theories.

[sifth]

Clearing his calendar since when? He was at a film festival in what was it, switzerland last week? LMAO. I'm sorry for him if he believed any of his crackpot ideas of the show going 10 years or HBO doing a movie, etc. were going to be taken seriously at HBO. And, for someone who takes 5 years to write his books and has spent countless weeks traveling for all kinds of inane stuff, I don't believe that all of a suddene he couldn't find the time to write for HBO.

The guy had to give up writing the newest Dunk and Egg story and had to push is World Book book back 2 years because he couldn't get his schedule in order. So year I think it's totally believable.

[Ser Pounce FTW]

Clearing his calendar since when? He was at a film festival in what was it, switzerland last week? LMAO. I'm sorry for him if he believed any of his crackpot ideas of the show going 10 years or HBO doing a movie, etc. were going to be taken seriously at HBO. And, for someone who takes 5 years to write his books and has spent countless weeks traveling for all kinds of inane stuff, I don't believe that all of a suddene he couldn't find the time to write for HBO.

Why is so hard to believe? He was suggesting all sorts of options for HBO to use rather than continue doing a book a season. He was clearly not anticipating them catching up so quickly and thought he had time. He seems to be changing his tune now:

http://www.vulture.com/2014/07/george-rr-martin-winds-of-winter-over-show.html

So I’m making the trips I’m already obligated to make, but I’m not adding any new trips at this time. So I don’t think I’m going to do a set visit this year, sadly.

[Calvin the Bold]

But don't you think he's been doing some writing already? After all, it's been three years since ADWD came out and he is a professional writer. I guess I just choose to be optimistic that if he does in fact clear his schedule and get down to business, that we'll have a release date around this time next year.

I probably wasnt clear enough...using his blog and what some people know of his travels or time not writing...and estimating how many months worth of material was taken out of ADwD...when were the other 14-20 months of writing if we know that Sep-Dec '14 are four definite months of writing.

Could just give us a speculatestimate.

[MiniMitch]

Despite what has been announced, I have a feeling he is on track and will be out by the end of next year... I know his UK publisher says it is 'higher unlikely' to be out this year or next year, but how much does she actually know? George could just surprise her or be keeping his publishers in the dark so they can't let anything slip in interviews or Twitter etc...

[Pecan]

I probably wasnt clear enough...using his blog and what some people know of his travels or time not writing...and estimating how many months worth of material was taken out of ADwD...when were the other 14-20 months of writing if we know that Sep-Dec '14 are four definite months of writing.

Could just give us a speculatestimate.

I'm sorry, I can't tell if you're being snarky and rude or if you have a point to make and are trying to actually engage in conversation.

[Ser Eric]

I sometimes wonder why some of you are even on the forum. You don't like the books, you slate the author at every oppurtunity for enjoying his personal time and are all as self entitled as Cersie. Do yourself a favour and stop posting. The books seem to be making you miserable which defeats the whole purpose. The show seems to be more to your taste especially with dumb and dumber watering it down significantly.

I for one loved AFfC. The only complaint is numbr of Brienne chapters could have been halved but then again I have such complains about other characters in the first 3 books. It's very minor.

As for the OP, excellent news. I'd rather GRRM devote his time to the books than a rapidly deteriorating adaptation. His decision may even have had something to do with the latter.

[Pecan]

You don't like the books, you slate the author at every oppurtunity for enjoying his personal time and are all as self entitled as Cersie.

Well, I like the books quite a bit actually and no, I don't think it's being self-entitled to grumble a bit about GRRM's ever so leisurely writing pace. Not any more. Not when it took 5 years for AFFC and 6 years for ADWD and now three years later it's abundantly clear that TWOW has been pretty far down his priority list. For all we know he's barely started. I hope that it isn't the case, but who really knows?

So no, I don't think it's self-entitled to be a little bit annoyed by the wait. GRRM is a professional writer after all. He isn't a special snowflake. And he's the one that's created this rabid fan base after all.

As I said before, I don't begrudge the guy enjoying his success. But at a certain point you have to prioritize. You can't do everything you want to do. You can't go to every event. These other projects are nice and all, but ASOIAF is the main thing.

[sifth]

Well, I like the books quite a bit actually and no, I don't think it's being self-entitled to grumble a bit about GRRM's ever so leisurely writing pace. Not any more. Not when it took 5 years for AFFC and 6 years for ADWD and now three years later it's abundantly clear that TWOW has been pretty far down his priority list. For all we know he's barely started. I hope that it isn't the case, but who really knows?

So no, I don't think it's self-entitled to be a little bit annoyed by the wait. GRRM is a professional writer after all. He isn't a special snowflake. And he's the one that's created this rabid fan base after all.

As I said before, I don't begrudge the guy enjoying his success. But at a certain point you have to prioritize. You can't do everything you want to do. You can't go to every event. These other projects are nice and all, but ASOIAF is the main thing.

Yup, I pretty much agree with this. None of us are really criticizing GRRM's right to have a vacation, it's more of a concern about GRRM not making A Song of Ice and Fire his top working priority, especially now that he has the show to contend with, which may very likely spoil the ending of the series at this point.

[Ser Eric]

Well, I like the books quite a bit actually and no, I don't think it's being self-entitled to grumble a bit about GRRM's ever so leisurely writing pace. Not any more. Not when it took 5 years for AFFC and 6 years for ADWD and now three years later it's abundantly clear that TWOW has been pretty far down his priority list. For all we know he's barely started. I hope that it isn't the case, but who really knows?

So no, I don't think it's self-entitled to be a little bit annoyed by the wait. GRRM is a professional writer after all. He isn't a special snowflake. And he's the one that's created this rabid fan base after all.

As I said before, I don't begrudge the guy enjoying his success. But at a certain point you have to prioritize. You can't do everything you want to do. You can't go to every event. These other projects are nice and all, but ASOIAF is the main thing.

Grumbling is fine, I wish he'd write faster myself. I hope/pray he releases the next 2 books before the the TV show spoils stuff. The post was directed at people who feel GRRM owes it to them to write faster, which is just ridiculous. Do people think GRRM wants the TV show to spoil his masterpeice? Somehow I very much doubt it.

And, how is it abundantly clear that TWOW is far down his priority list? He's just said he's dropping everything else for TWoW which goes to show it is a priority and has been one. Do you want him to do nothing but write all year long?

And we know he finished at least 200 pages last year, as in pages fit for publication. He's probably written a lot more than that.

[Moondancer]

Just checked GRRM's future appearances page, and he's free from late August until mid May.

[Calvin the Bold]

I'm sorry, I can't tell if you're being snarky and rude or if you have a point to make and are trying to actually engage in conversation.

I could say the same about this post.

The point is GRRM has stated how many months it takes him to actually write the books (18-24).

It is widely known that he doesnt write when he is traveling or otherwise occupied - this spreads those months over much more than 1.5-2years of time.

Considering the title of this thread, "GRRM drops everything to wrote TWoW" I felt why not speculate on how much time since July 2011 he has actually devoted to doing just that.

But Im just REALLY trying to be snarky and rude. Like for real. Thats why the internet exists of course.