Game of Thrones Author Won't Change How He Writes for Impatient Fans

[Alex Co]

Game of Thrones Author Won't Change How He Writes for Impatient Fans

George R.R. Martin reveals he won't write in hotels, airplanes and in other places other than his home regardless how impatient fans are for the next chapter in A Song of Ice and Fire.

While we already reported that Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin doesn't like it when fans question his health when it comes to finishing his book series [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/136022-George-R-R-Martin-Dislikes-Fans-Questioning-His-Health], A Song of Ice and Fire, he also lets on that he won't change his writing process in order to please impatient fans who can't wait for the next book. This was revealed in a video interview with Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger.


I don't know what I can do about it, you know. I can't write many more than one word at a time. And I know myself, I'm 65 years old now; I've been writing professionally since 1971. I know my working methods. I don't work when I travel, I don't work in hotels, I don't work on airplanes, I don't work on trains. I work at home, when I have a nice, big uninterrupted block of time in which I can really lose myself in my work. And it's worked for me for my entire adult life. I'm not going to change it now because some people are too impatient to wait for the next book."

You can watch the entire video interview here [http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/kultur/buecher/Ich-kenne-das-Ende-der-Geschichte-seit-Jahren/story/13757457], just to see Martin give his one finger salute to his naysayers in action.

Do you think Martin should reconsider his writing method in order to ensure that the books reach its end in a timely manner? I'm hoping he does, since the TV show is covering more ground in each season faster than he can write 'em. But of course, we do want him to write it the way he intended, and not flesh out his story just to make sure HBO won't run out of material to show.

Source: Winter is Coming [http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/kultur/buecher/Ich-kenne-das-Ende-der-Geschichte-seit-Jahren/story/13757457]

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[Clowndoe]

"So fuck you to those people."

Ha! That's so perfect I love it. You go Martin!

 

[Razhem]

Well, seeing how much of a dip in quality the last 2 books were, then I don't really have any idea what he should be doing to write it or not. But if he can only write when he is peacefully at home and even then a few words at a time, chances are this will be a veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery long wait.

 

[Scorpid]

I think its a valid concern... 65 over weight in a bad way. But I don't think its something that needs to be at the forefront of peoples mind either. He's not been diagnosed with anything as far as I know and I assume that his wife and family care about him beyond his books so they are I imagine making sure he's going to his regular doctor visits. But if he maintains his current pace the books are going to be overlapped by the series so he does need to get cracking regardless. I know that somewhere in his contract with HBO there is a clause about the completion of books or at the very least a plan on what to do if the worst happens.

 

[Soulrender95]

slow news day? the site reported on this three days ago, couldn't the video link have just been placed in the original article as an update?

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/136022-George-R-R-Martin-Dislikes-Fans-Questioning-His-Health

Ot.
I mean I love the fact the guy is telling the more fanatical members to fuck off, and I'd be doing it too in his position, it's a shame they don't care about him or his health, they just want 'their' books and keep pestering him despite the fact he's made it clear he's planned for this potential problem if it does occur, honestly I want the guy to go on till a hundred and ten and confound medical science and the public.

 

[Thaluikhain]

As I understand it, a lot of people are simply having a go at him for being fat.

Not read any of his stuff, but I can definitely agree on his reaction to this.

 

[Roofstone]

Haven't you already reported this very same thing? Just a few days ago?

 

[RealRT]

Haven't you already reported this very same thing? Just a few days ago?

That they did, the entier first half is copy paste. They only added Martin's quote and changed the headline. WTF?

 

[Michael Legault]

They could always get Brian Sanderson on it if the worst happens now that he's done killing the wheel of time series, we miss you Robert Jordan! >_<

 

[FalloutJack]

It's still your own fault, ya old fart. Shouldn't say you want your legacy to die with you AT AGE 65 AND BAD HEALTH!!

 

[BayouStalker]

I cheer him on in that response. I understand that fans want there book, but honestly, if you force someone to just hammer out what you want, the quality dip will be even more drastic. If it doesn't get completed, it will suck big time but, Oh Well. Let him do it at his own pace.

 

[Alex Co]

slow news day? the site reported on this three days ago, couldn't the video link have just been placed in the original article as an update?

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/136022-George-R-R-Martin-Dislikes-Fans-Questioning-His-Health

Ot.
I mean I love the fact the guy is telling the more fanatical members to fuck off, and I'd be doing it too in his position, it's a shame they don't care about him or his health, they just want 'their' books and keep pestering him despite the fact he's made it clear he's planned for this potential problem if it does occur, honestly I want the guy to go on till a hundred and ten and confound medical science and the public.

Sorry! Updated the post to reflect what's new. Honestly didn't know. And nope, it's never because it's a "slow news day." =)

 

[gphjr14]

Im actually more concerned with his health than whether he can finish a book.
Bravado alone won't save hime from an early death linked to obesity. He doesnt have to walk around looking like Jeffry Life but looking at that picture some exercise wouldnt hurt...

 

[Fox12]

Okay, just this once, I'll say it: I agree with George r.r. Martin. You have to be in the right mindset in order to write. Some people write in cafe. Others can't do it in public places. I imagine its the same here. Besides, how much time would he add if he did write on a plane? A few hours? And he wouldn't get much written anyway. He'd probably throw out what he wrote. His problems isn't that he doesn't spend time writing. It's that he doesn't plan, and has no idea where the stories going. In any case, people need to leave him alone. When your critics (me) treat you better than your friends, there's something very wrong.

 

[josemlopes]

I just want him to finish the last book and hide it, then keep in his will a statement to start a treasure hunt after his death.

 

[el_kabong]

I say this as a fan of the book series: Now that HBO has flat out said that they're not going to pad to delay for the books to be done (since GRRM is part of the creative team and they know the end points), George can take as long as he wants.

He's set up a world where fan speculation is RAMPANT about the end game and, at this point, I really just want to get the speculation over and have a completed vision. If GRRM wants to continue slow-roasting his final books and allow the TV series to steam-roll past him, that's his decision to make. I'll get my answers either way and I don't really care if those come through written format or not.

 

[frizzlebyte]

As I understand it, a lot of people are simply having a go at him for being fat.

Not read any of his stuff, but I can definitely agree on his reaction to this.

Yep, that's a lot of it, I think, which is a pretty petty thing to be bitching about. In any case, as a writer myself, those who say he should change his method of writing to "go faster" are painfully ignorant of how the creative process works. You can't write well if you're uncomfortable, and if the only place he feels comfortable is at home with a large chunk of time to get lost in the world he writes about, then...what else can he do? The issue is with the fans, not him.

If he doesn't finish the series before he dies, well, at least the fans had fun while it lasted.

You guys did have fun reading his books, right? It wasn't all just obsessive nitpicking and like a second job to you all, right?

Riiiight?

 

[themyrmidon]

In concept I agree with him. It's his story, he doesn't want to get any details wrong, and he has a life just like anyone else.

In practice, they guy is taking 6 years per book, has 3 books left (I'll believe the series can be wrapped up in 2 books with a satisfactory ending when I see it), is 65, and is overweight. Not to mention a TV show that is very close to surpassing him in his own story. If there are 3 books and he cuts it down to 5 years, he'll be 80. Or dead. Whichever comes first. If it's only 2 and he takes the full 6 years per book he'll be 77. I'd say that's even odds on whether he makes it. And even if he does live to be 80 or 85, his health will deteriorate to the point that it will impede his writing.

I'm not going to tell him to hurry up and finish. I'm more a fan of the show than the books, and HBO will finish the story before he's done writing (GRRM consults on the show). I will say that he needs to admit this is a valid concern and probably announce that he has a backup writer in the event of his death.

 

[frobalt]

The reason people are getting so annoyed at him is because he will only write in the comfort of his own home yet is never home because he's too busy doing other stuff.

What doesn't help this is when he says stuff about wanting the show to last 8 seasons and then finish with a movie and that it's entirely possible there could be more than 7 books.

Also, after book 3 it took him 5 years to write and release book 4, then another 6 years to release book 5. Book 5 was release in 2011 and Game of Thrones started in 2010, so he wouldn't have even been as busy writing the previous 2 as he is while writing the (supposed) last 2.

He's 65 and quite overweight, so it's a pretty valid concern that people think he might die before finishing the series. The rate at which he's writing books, he could easily be in his mid-70s before book 7 is released.

The makers of Game of Thrones have also stated that they only want 7 seasons out of the show and have a rough idea which direction the story is going in, as G.R.R Martin told them how it ends.

But what annoys people the most is that it seems like he's too busy basking in the limelight that the show has cast on him so much that he doesn't seem to care anymore if he'll get round to finishing the series.

 

[Grabehn]

I SO wanted him to finish like "I only write at home, so I'm going on vacation now, fuck you." I only watch the TV series and only then I care so far as when it's airing, so I couldn't care any less about it taking a long time or not being finished at all.

Having SO many people going over and over on him being overweight, old, etc, and how much their precious series won't be finished because of "this guy" must get really fucking annoying. If he went on to finish the book, and then made a video of him burning it I'd be pretty ok with it considering how people go on about this.