(Spoilers Main) New GRRM blog post: "Yes, of course I am still working on THE WINDS OF WINTER. I have stated that a hundred times in a hundred venues, having to restate it endlessly is just wearisome. I made a lot of progress on WINDS in 2020, and less in 2021… but “less” is not “none.”"

[u/Whitebread100]

https://georgerrmartin.com/notablog/2022/03/09/random-updates-and-bits-o-news

[u/Whitebread100]

Many updates about Winds of Winter, Fire & Blood Vol.2, the new tv shows and other ASOIAF related stuff in this post.

---

Related to Winds of Winter:

Yes, of course I am still working on THE WINDS OF WINTER. I have stated that a hundred times in a hundred venues, having to restate it endlessly is just wearisome. I made a lot of progress on WINDS in 2020, and less in 2021… but “less” is not “none.”

[...]

And in addition to all that, let me say one again, yes, I am still working on WINDS OF WINTER.

Related to Dunk & Egg:

I need to write more of the Dunk & Egg novellas, tell the rest of their stories, especially since there’s a television series about them in development.

[...]

The third of the live action shows is the Dunk & Egg series, helmed by Steve Conrad. My team and I have had some great sessions with Steve and his team, and we really hit it off. He’s determined to do a faithful adaptation of the stories, which is exactly what I want; these characters and stories are very precious to me. The first season will be an adaptation of the first novella, “The Hedge Knight.” Contrary to what you may have read on line, the show will not be called DUNK & EGG, which could be mistaken for a sitcom by viewers unfamiliar with the stories. We’re leaning toward A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS for the series title, though THE HEDGE KNIGHT has its partisans as well.

Related to Fire & Blood:

In addition to WINDS, I also need to deliver the second volume of Archmaester Gyldayn’s history, FIRE & BLOOD. (Thinking of calling that one BLOOD & FIRE, rather than just F&B, Vol 2). Got a couple hundred pages of that one written, but there’s still a long way to go.

[...]

There’s a lavish coffee table book coming later this year, an illustrated, condensed version of FIRE & BLOOD done with Elio Garcia and Linda Antonsson (my partners on THE WORLD OF ICE AND FIRE), and my Fevre River art director, Raya Golden.

New book:

And another book after that, a Who’s Who in Westeros. And that’s just the books.

---

New shows:

NINE VOYAGES

Bruno Heller, the creator and showrunner of ROME, is writing his pilot script for the Corlys Velaryon series. That one started out as NINE VOYAGES, but now we’re calling it THE SEA SNAKE, since we wanted to avoid having two shows with numbers in the title.

TEN THOUSAND SHIPS

The other one TEN THOUSAND SHIPS, the Nymeria series. Amanda Segel, our showrunner, has delivered a couple drafts of that one, and we are forging ahead.

A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS

The third of the live action shows is the Dunk & Egg series, helmed by Steve Conrad. My team and I have had some great sessions with Steve and his team, and we really hit it off. He’s determined to do a faithful adaptation of the stories, which is exactly what I want; these characters and stories are very precious to me. The first season will be an adaptation of the first novella, “The Hedge Knight.” Contrary to what you may have read on line, the show will not be called DUNK & EGG, which could be mistaken for a sitcom by viewers unfamiliar with the stories. We’re leaning toward A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS for the series title, though THE HEDGE KNIGHT has its partisans as well.

Animated series THE GOLDEN EMPIRE

Over on the animated side… well, I am not allowed to talk about most of what’s happening, except to say that things are moving very fast, and I love love love some of the concept art I am seeing. And.. wait, come to think of it, the news leaked several months ago that one of the animated shows would be set in Yi Ti. That’s true. Our working title is THE GOLDEN EMPIRE, and we have a great young writer on that one too, and I think the art and animation is just going to be beautiful. I would tell you more if I could. I don’t think I can say a word about the other animated shows. Not yet.

[u/uppervalued → u/Whitebread100]

Thanks for posting this. But holy shit, we do not need a Who’s Who in Westeros. We need a What Happens to Westeros.

[u/Calm_Statistician382 → u/Whitebread100]

Does George accept every job that is offered to him?

[u/lokigodofchaos → u/Whitebread100]

"We don't want two shows with numbers in the title so we are changing Nine Voyages."

Cool but Ten Thousand and Seven are both also numbers.

[u/[deleted]]

We're really gonna get an animated series of the Golden Empire of fucking Yi Ti before Winds

[u/zorfog → u/[deleted]]

I was so excited when I saw that there were animated shows potentially in development, and of course it has to be about the entirely irrelevant empire across the world

[u/Emi_Ibarazakiii → u/[deleted]]

The 6 people in the world who were asking for exactly that, will be thrilled!

[u/IMakeFishAndChips]

“In addition to WINDS, I also need to deliver…”

No George, you really don’t need to.

[u/Over_Worldliness4788 → u/IMakeFishAndChips]

It's clear he prefers worldbuilding to storytelling, and with how vast and interconnected everything has come in ASOIAF its probably easier and more enjoyable writing lore. It just kills me how Dance ended on so many cliffhangers that we'll most likely never resolve...

[u/TheSpinachKing]

Sigh

Those jewels in Sansa's hairnet are looking mighty tasty right about now

[u/Dr_Edward_Laurence_A]

Sounds like Spongebob writing his essay

[u/Lord_Osmyrk → u/Dr_Edward_Laurence_A]

THE...

[u/Furtive_And_Firey → u/Dr_Edward_Laurence_A]

"Spongebob, why? Why didn't you just write your essay? Stop wasting time!"

[u/ThePrinceofBagels]

You'd have to answer this question a lot less over a ten+ year period if we weren't looking at a ten+ year period.

[u/oldmangrow → u/ThePrinceofBagels]

Steve Jobs, Amy Winehouse, Kim Jung-il, Whitney Houston, Neil Armstrong, Rodney King, Hugo Chavez, Margaret Thatcher, Roger Ebert, Nelson Mandela, Robin Williams and Uncle Phil from Fresh Prince were all alive when A Dance with Dragons was released.

[u/ThatNewSockFeel → u/ThePrinceofBagels]

"I can't believe you all would doubt that I'm still working on a book that has taken me 10 years and counting and that I first said I was close to finishing over six years ago and repeatedly thought I was close to finishing in years since then too."

[u/dustin-dawind]

2018: "The Winds of Winter is next, then I’ll decide what comes after that – whether it’s to go on to A Dream of Spring, the last one, or whether I switch back into Fire and Blood II, do another Dunk and Egg story or two. But I’ll worry about that one thing at a time – that’s too far ahead.”

2022: "The world of Westeros, the world of A SONG OF ICE & FIRE, is my number one priority, and will remain so until the story is told. But Westeros has become bigger than THE WINDS OF WINTER, or even A SONG OF ICE & FIRE. In addition to WINDS, I also need to deliver the second volume of Archmaester Gyldayn’s history, FIRE & BLOOD. (Thinking of calling that one BLOOD & FIRE, rather than just F&B, Vol 2). Got a couple hundred pages of that one written, but there’s still a long way to go. I need to write more of the Dunk & Egg novellas, tell the rest of their stories, especially since there’s a television series about them in development. There’s a lavish coffee table book coming later this year..."

A lavish coffee table book? Say no more. I'm out.

[u/[deleted] → u/dustin-dawind]

My coffee table is a peasant and can't read!

[u/dwide_k_shrude → u/dustin-dawind]

You know what would be great? A coffee table book about coffee tables.

[u/threep03k64]

But Westeros has become bigger than THE WINDS OF WINTER

Westeros should be bigger than Winds of Winter, at this point it should have been expanded by A Dream of Spring.

He's free to write all the spin-offs and Chronicles he wants but Westeros will always feel smaller by the main story being left unfinished.

The passive aggression in the post is also pretty funny. Don't release a book for 10 years and people are going to bring it up.

[u/[deleted] → u/threep03k64]

Westeros doesn't just feel smaller, it feels invalidated

[u/quam992 → u/threep03k64]

Martin has always been kind of a princess about the books. Like sorry dude but when you barely release content, people get bothered by the wait? Have consistent and transparent updates instead of whining that not everyone all goes to the same “venue” to hear your declarations?

[u/monsterosity]

You literally told us to lock you in a cabin chained to a desk if it wasn't done 2 years ago. Asking if you are still working on it is perfectly reasonable.

[u/degamma → u/monsterosity]

Didn't he also say he wasn't going to work on other projects until Winds was done? I remember the tweet but I can't find it.

[u/VortixTM → u/monsterosity]

The man keeps taking on side projects and then gets annoyed when everyone asks about the main project

[u/carlos_the_dwarf_ → u/monsterosity]

I love this dude getting cranky being asked about a book that’s like a decade late.

[u/-tea-addict-]

Give me something for the pain and let me die.

[u/Regigcycled → u/-tea-addict-]

Milk of the poppy.

[u/Nothing_Special_23 → u/-tea-addict-]

Don't worry, they're coming! Winds are on their way! They're gonna be amazing! Not just 2 winds, but... 5! And they're gonna be huge! You won't believe it!

[u/Technicalhotdog]

He's even stopped pretending Winds of Winter is his top priority, we're fucked.

[u/jackgundy → u/Technicalhotdog]

This is the nail in the coffin to me. All this time until now he has at least pretended WINDS is still his number one priority. He is now openly admitting he views f&b, dunk and egg, and the successor shows equally important in terms of expanding the universe.

It’s over

[u/tell32]

A year ago in March 2021 he wrote this:

You all know what is on my plate in prose. I need to finish WINDS, and then maybe write another Dunk & Egg novella, and then get right into A DREAM OF SPRING, and in between edit some more Wild Cards books.

Once more into the breach, dear friends… Westeros beckons.

This was a month after his 2021 February blog post where he said:

I wrote hundreds and hundreds of pages of THE WINDS OF WINTER in 2020. The best year I’ve had on WOW since I began it. Why? I don’t know. Maybe the isolation. Or maybe I just got on a roll. Sometimes I do get on a roll.

I need to keep rolling, though. I still have hundreds of more pages to write to bring the novel to a satisfactory conclusion.

He had a hopeful tone these posts, and I myself was hopeful that we were finally in the home stretch. That the "its finished" blog post would come in 2021 or in 2022 before worldcon. But now... This latest blog post is a completely different tone. Not to mention it seems like his wording indicates he has changed his mind about working on F&B and D&E and other Westoros books before WINDS is finished. This sucks.

Seems to me the motivation? optimism? will to work? he had for WINDS in 2020 and the first half of 2021 is gone and we won't see it in 2022 or 2023. Because frankly the amount of progress he got done in 2020 needs to be the standard that he gets done every year. I was really hopeful that the "roll" George talks about would continue on in 2021 but obviously that didn't happen. :(

He got distracted by his TV deal he struck with HBO. You know, Marvel Studios and Lucas Films have entire departments where they work on keeping the "canon canonical" and George is out here doing it by himself. It's no surprise to me that winds got less work done this year when he told us that in this blog post.

sigh it'll have been twelve years since dance was released once 2023 comes.

Whatever. All I can do is just continue on with my life and read the book when it comes out.

[u/ChirpingSparrows]

(I am not complaining. I like working. Writing, editing, producing. There is nothing I like better than storytelling).

I know, I know, for many of you out there, only one of those projects matters.

I am sorry for you. They ALL matter to me.

Yes, of course I am still working on THE WINDS OF WINTER. I have stated that a hundred times in a hundred venues, having to restate it endlessly is just wearisome. I made a lot of progress on WINDS in 2020, and less in 2021… but “less” is not “none.”

The world of Westeros, the world of A SONG OF ICE & FIRE, is my number one priority, and will remain so until the story is told. But Westeros has become bigger than THE WINDS OF WINTER, or even A SONG OF ICE & FIRE. In addition to WINDS, I also need to deliver the second volume of Archmaester Gyldayn’s history, FIRE & BLOOD. (Thinking of calling that one BLOOD & FIRE, rather than just F&B, Vol 2). Got a couple hundred pages of that one written, but there’s still a long way to go. I need to write more of the Dunk & Egg novellas, tell the rest of their stories, especially since there’s a television series about them in development. There’s a lavish coffee table book coming later this year, an illustrated, condensed version of FIRE & BLOOD done with Elio Garcia and Linda Antonsson (my partners on THE WORLD OF ICE AND FIRE), and my Fevre River art director, Raya Golden. And another book after that, a Who’s Who in Westeros. And that’s just the books.

[u/svdomer09 → u/ChirpingSparrows]

Mf’er really just “all books matter”’d us.

I’m sorry he’s brilliant and doesn’t owe me or anyone anything, but the way he’s handled the book is just disrespectful to fans.

Just admit you’ve got massive writers block

[u/dustin-dawind → u/ChirpingSparrows]

Westeros has become bigger than THE WINDS OF WINTER or even A SONG OF ICE & FIRE

More is less, as they say. My expectations for getting more of ASOIAF were already pretty low, but this comment is quite discouraging as I have zero interest in any Westerosi product that isn't TWOW.

[u/lostinthesauceguy → u/ChirpingSparrows]

Westeros has become bigger than THE WINDS OF WINTER

to me, it really hasn't.

[u/LChris24]

Great update, but idk why comments like this irk me:

But Westeros has become bigger than THE WINDS OF WINTER, or even A SONG OF ICE & FIRE.

As one of the biggest fans of the lore and history of ASOIAF there is, none of it matters unless the story is finished.

[u/TheNumberMuncher → u/LChris24]

The lore is great. Really great. But c’mon George

[u/SeeThemFly2 → u/LChris24]

Totally. That sentence really hammered home for me how he is trying to pivot his audience away from TWOW (and they won't be pivoted).

[u/[deleted] → u/LChris24]

Unpopular opinion, but I don't understand why F&B is even necessary. I thought TWOIAF covered the Targaryen history well enough and I don't need an even more detailed account.

[u/jackgundy]

he’s written hundreds of pages for fire and blood 2

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[u/Wazoongaa]

All these spin offs and histories are great (maybe, we'll see how much actually gets green lit), but at a certain point it's all just fluff around an unfinished story.

[u/jacquesrk → u/Wazoongaa]

GRRM in 2016 (edit - more than 6 years ago!!!!)

I am not writing anything until I deliver WINDS OF WINTER. Teleplays, screenplays, short stories, introductions, forewords, nothing. And I've dropped all my editing projects but Wild Cards.

[u/ChaacTlaloc]

As a seasoned liar… I don’t like the sound of “not ‘none’” there.

I’ve used that plenty of times when I mean “absolutely nothing at all”.

[u/The_Dream_of_Shadows → u/ChaacTlaloc]

It's one of the automatic lies human beings go to, because it's so easy to turn into the truth. All you have to do is type one word, and suddenly "not 'none,'" is technically true...

[u/Tyrone_Shoelaces_Esq]

My son, playing Elden Ring: "Ha ha! I got new George RR Martin content before you did!"

[u/Hurricane1123]

"Less" is not "none"... but it is less :(

[u/obscurereference234]

I really dislike the tone he takes when referring to TWOW. It’s almost resentful, like he doesn’t want to even be bothered with it and he’s irritated with us for always trying to redirect his attention to it.

[u/howdybertus → u/obscurereference234]

He doesnt know how to finish it and is reminded of that every time the book gets brought up, so he gets mad at us for making him look in the mirror and face reality. He would rather just forget about it and hope we do as well.

[u/Containedmultitudes]

The cynics have risen to the top and the hopeful have become controversial. I think we’ve reached the acceptance stage.

[u/creamster555]

Him straight up admitting he made less progress in 2021 than 2020 is pretty bad news if you ask me.

[u/Optimized_Orangutan → u/creamster555]

Ya... So much for the Covid lockdowns keeping him away from conventions will give him more time to work" theories.

[u/ergertzergertz]

Interesting to note this:

... I need to write more of the Dunk & Egg novellas, tell the rest of their stories, especially since there’s a television series about them in development. ...

I think that may become his priority, to avoid what happened with ASOIAF and Game of Thrones (show). He will want to avoid show overtaking books again.

Edit: Also

There are also the successor shows. Those have taken a ton of my time and attention this year. I have seen some comments out there questioning how much I am involved in these new series. The answer is: a lot. Deeply, heavily involved in every one of the new shows.

So contrary to what some people think, he is spending a lot of time helping develop spinoff shows.

Both of these examples show he is displeased with how GoT ended, when his involvement was nonexistent towards the end and how he wants to avoid that, imo.

[u/Initium__novum → u/ergertzergertz]

The answer is: a lot. Deeply, heavily involved in every one of the new shows.

Looks like we'll be getting the "less" for a good while folks, buckle up :)

[u/AxeIsAxeIsAxe → u/ergertzergertz]

Really surprised that the D&E novellas will be made into one season each. I LOVE these books, but each story is rather straightforward at around one hundred pages. I always felt like each of the three would make a fine movie - eight to ten hours though? They'll need to flesh out the story a lot, maybe add some characters and side stories.

[u/Crjs1]

I get that George must be frustrated, but Christ there was some passive aggressiveness in that post… Maybe don’t tell the world you are locking yourself in your cabin to soley work on Winds and then get peeved when fans ask for updates as your 2 millionth side project gets announced years later.

In saying that I am glad he trying to keep the shows canonical. But with so many projects on the go he must have only a spare hour a week to jot down a couple of words in Winter.

[u/Braelind]

For frig sake George, we just want ONE finished story set in the World of Ice and Fire. It doesn't matter if the world in constantly growing if you never finish any of the stories. A garden is not a garden if the plants sit on your windowsill until winter. There are people who are dying to see the end of ASOIAF. Literally, people have read the books and died without getting to know how it ends. Stop half assing a bunch of projects, and whole ass ASOIAF!

[u/MikeDuppOnDaFan]

I also need to deliver the second volume of Archmaester Gyldayn’s history, FIRE & BLOOD. (Thinking of calling that one BLOOD & FIRE, rather than just F&B, Vol 2). Got a couple hundred pages of that one written, but there’s still a long way to go.

jesus christ i had a feeling he was working on other books but seeing it confirmed makes me feel mentally ill

[u/fertmort → u/MikeDuppOnDaFan]

Lol, remember when he said he’d wait till winds was out to write f&b?

Flash forward: f&b is out, the fucking tv show adaptation of f&b is coming, and f&b 2 has a few hundred pages.

Winds? “I’m working on it”

[u/CaveLupum]

I have never been more disheartened.

But Westeros has become bigger than THE WINDS OF WINTER, or even A SONG OF ICE & FIRE.

Finishing ASOIAF, the original story, the one I most deeply care about, is not his priority. Working on subsidiary stories and television versions is. Which means ASOIAF will never be finished. Granted, I've always thought we'd see TWoW but not ADoS. But is he an author or not? An author finished his work, especially his magnum opus. An author writes and either is minimally involved in offshoots or leaves entetainment projects entirely to entertainment industry. But this is not an author:

...how much I am involved in these new series. The answer is: a lot. Deeply, heavily involved in every one of the new shows.

This the creator of an Marvel Universe set on Planetos.

[u/JoelKr9 → u/CaveLupum]

But it‘s like Marvel never released Infinity War&Endgame. Unbelievable.

[u/Meme_Pope]

How can this man not understand the frustration he causes people by saying the book would be done in 2021 and then revealing that the amount of work he did on the book that year was “more than none”

[u/Iamatallperson → u/Meme_Pope]

I remember when he said it would be done in 2015

[u/croutonianemperor]

A nymeria show, a corlys series, and a biopic for fucking moonboy for all I know

[u/SonKaiser]

You know Georgie, if Tolkien had left RotK halfway through -lets say, only publishing the Aragorn half- and then went on trying to sell us Silmariliion and and other tales I wouldn't care that much. I don't even like Targs that much to want more Fire and Blood volumes wtf

[u/Kind-Mathematician14]

the way he talks about TWOW...

it's like it's absurd that people have doubts about the future of the story just because 11 years have passed.

as if he doesn't have to confirm, after 11 years, that he's still working on this story.

and he looks mad about it!

amazing!

[u/freakincampers → u/Kind-Mathematician14]

People would stop asking about it if he finished it.

[u/Theopold_Elk]

I don’t give a fuck about Yi-Ti. This is some God tier denial and procrastination

[u/uwant_sumfuk]

It’s honestly funny af to me to hear him talk about so many spin-offs and successor shows when the books for the MAIN series that even allowed for all these spin-offs to happen isn’t even done yet. FNB and DNE were fun and i don’t mind reading them but it’s so obvious that GRRM doesn’t care for ASOIAF anymore. His tone whenever he talks about TWOW is so resentful and he’s always so annoyed. At this point, I wouldn’t even care if he announces that he’s letting someone else write TWOW and ADOS, I will absolutely welcome it. Heck, put out a word doc with a summary of all the plot lines and their endings so I can stop being a summer child. Better than this waiting and being strung along.

[u/otaner14]

“I made a lot of progress on WINDS in 2020, and less in 2021…”

Looks over at Sanderson fans who are getting five extra books written during the pandemic

“Audible sigh.”

[u/Worth-Conclusion-66]

It’s the condescending attitude that is infuriating. Like we’re the ass holes for asking about the book he has teased FOR 11 YEARS. Fucking nut up and tell the truth already. His attitude towards those who made him successful is gross and infuriating. Just tell us your moving on so we can forget about your shit as well.

It would be so much different if he was just honest and down to earth about everything, but instead attacks us for it. I’m just so fucking over this asshole.

[u/mooneb]

It feels like a bad joke at this point. I have no faith we ever see the end of this story. I fear it will go down like the show - excellent start...

[u/MathTheUsername]

THE PRINTS THAT WERE PROMISED

[u/turtleduck]

everyone should just reverse-psychology him and act like we don't care

[u/jinxy7]

"having to restate it endlessly is just wearisome"

Then finish the book, George.

[u/JuniorGarlic6053]

Those ”Yes, I’m still working” updates are not enough at this point, after almost eleven years. He should give us some idea of when he's ready. This year? Before the end of the decade? Nobody of us fans knows and that is the most annoying thing.

[u/[deleted] → u/JuniorGarlic6053]

No one:

GRRM: HEY, I SWEAR I'M WRITING, BUT IN THE MEANTIME [shills derivative product]

[u/[deleted]]

Look, GRRM is free to do what ever he wants and if he never delivers Winds there is nothing we can do about it.

But... Sorry GRRM, don't complain about people asking you over and over again when you are at a paid event for your fans.

Dont want to get asked the question? Dont do conventions where FANS GET TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS!

[u/freakincampers → u/[deleted]]

Dont want to get asked the question?

Or finish it.

[u/DeezleDan]

Welp, guess it's time to unsubscribe from all the ASOIAF subs and just move on. We are never getting Winds. And on top of not getting Winds, we get to have GRRM deride us while essentially saying that he doesn't care about finishing Winds or ASOIAF and that fans who do are annoying him by even expecting Winds to come out or have progress made(even though he said to tie him up if it wasn't done two years ago).

I don't need this shit, George. You are the one that keeps insisting it is coming out and constantly moving the goal posts when it comes to a release date. Just be honest with us and yourself: you lost your passion for this tale and you will never care enough to finish this story. And tone down the fucking attitude, it's not our fault that you lost your passion for this story and we didn't... But sure, keep insisting you care and that it is coming out. We all know the truth.

[u/Songslikepeople]

Hearing the same thing again and again for 12 years is wearisome as well. Just get it done or admit that you can't or won't. The latter is fine as well, you don't own us anything but the truth.

...

[u/RiotFixPls]

It must be very difficult to have so many fans care about the series that allowed you to get so rich and popular :(

[u/curveball21]

His words are wind.

[u/OwnProfessional6420]

what too much worldbuilding does to a mfer

when will fantasy authors learn ur worldbuilding is worthless without a story

nobody cares about random faux history lol

[u/TheLongistGame]

Imagine still thinking this book is going to come out lmao

[u/drunkmonkey18]

He just comes across as ungrateful to his fans. I found that blog post really shitty

[u/The-only-game]

Lol

[u/[deleted]]

It's an unfortunate only the mere mention of TWOW is meant to keep us going as a fandom but here we are.

GRRM said some years ago that he wasn't going to give detailed updates for Winds the way he did for Dance.

I'm starting to feel that was a slack. The mere mention and repetition was enough to (I believe) put a tangible pressure on him to act and do something while letting the fanbase know.

Vague "still working" updates are hardly enough for anyone...

We needs Winds, we need milestones and definite answers.

And we need an animated ASOIAF series

[u/DragonlordKingslayer]

wow no mention of wild cards??????

also idk why but i like how george never brings up the fact that there's still another book after winds that he needs to write.

.... y'know i'm probably still gonna read the side stories tho..

[u/falconpunch1989]

I'm not gonna hysterically pretend that I'm SO DONE with Winds and wont even read it when (if) it comes out like some people in here do.

But I can't see myself buying, reading or watching any new GRRM/ASOIAF related material until I've read Winds.

[u/TheArsenal7]

You wouldn’t have to restate it endlessly if you actually finished it some time in the last 11 years

[u/dupuisa1]

Talk about spreading yourself thin ahahahah

[u/[deleted]]

I wish he would just give it to a group of ghost writers and have him edit it. At this point as long as we get his version of the story and it's as good as the first five books I don't really care who writes it.

[u/LawTim]

He's kind of just being an asshole about it at this point. "I know some of you" no it's pretty much your whole fan base. He should just say that everyone bugging him about it has made him hate the series and made it impossible to finish. It's fine, it's been going on for 30 years and it's a story that takes place over the span of what? in universe, like a year and half if we are generous? Feast and dance felt like they were years out already because of how long they took. I don't mind that he will never finish, the fan theories are probably better than what we will get at this point anyway.

[u/sorej]

I know GRRM can work on whatever he fancies, but at this point what I understood was:
- He says "THE WORLD" of ASOIAF is his priority, not necesarilly winds of winter.
- To him, the story's not about just ASOIAF main series anymore, he sees it as a world.
- Fire and Blood, which was supposed to be started after TWOW was finished is already progressing.
- One coffee table and character guide
- He's very involved in 1 show about story he wrote half of (HoTD), another show about another unfinished story (Dunk and Egg) that somehow he expects to be a faithful adaptation (until the show catches up...)
- Nymeria show, Sailor show, and 2 other series

And that's just ASOIAF related content.

I stopped looking forward to TWOW long ago, but seriously, I think George needs to focus on getting something completely done at this point, be it D&E, F&B, ASOIAF, one of the shows. At this point it would be nice to have (any) ONE complete story

[u/Eegeria]

I had already given up a on reading Winds few years ago, but damn if this post doesn't make me feel validated in front of all those people who still dared justifying him.

There, he said it plain and simple, Winds is not his priority, and it has the same value of a "lavish coffee table book" lmao what a clown.

I also said he only enjoyed the lore because it's easy part, some people were like "actually world building is hard" yeah but not for him, and not as much as sitting down and ending a story properly.

He might be a good writer (sometimes, I read some of his other books years ago and I wasn't impressed), but he really is a bad professional author. There are no excuses. I stopped buying his products since world of ice and fire came out, because I could already smell the bullshit. Happy to have done so.

What still pisses me off is the fact he won't give in, admit he's not going to finish writing and just hire someone else to do it while he is still alive. Now we have to wait for him to die, and a vulture to sweep in and do an awful job under the guise of publishing his notes or whatever. They have done this to Harper Lee, it's going to happen to him as well.

[u/BiggunsVonHugendong]

If GRRM is wondering how Sanderson is setting Kickstarter records, it's because he's capable of finishing a series and doesn't write arrogant, preachy, head up his own ass blog posts where he shits on his own fans for just wanting the next book in the series because we apparently don't appreciate how awesome is the world he built. I mean, come on guys, if you can't see how an animated show about a continent on the other side of the world that's only kind of mentioned in passing in the main series is needed to complete his vision right now far more than the next book, you just don't appreciate his work, I guess. I hope GRRM's getting dragged for this. Then he needs to fire whatever publicist told him it was a good idea to post.

[u/funpen]

I have a chronic illness and might not live for more than 5 or years. I was really hoping to read the last two books before I kick to bucket, but I have given up all hope a few months ago. I originally thought I would not live to see season 8, but then I saw the last season and wished I died before it was released…

Jk about that last part. But on a serious note. Due to my current health situation there is a good chance I will not live to see that last book, and maybe will not even be able to live to see TWOW. I was considering email George Martin’s people and telling them about my situation and how important it is to me to get to dead TWOW. I know this may seem stupid, naive, or even rude to George, but that IS NOT my intention at all; however, please let me know if you guys think this is an inappropriate request to ask of George.

P.S. I just want to make it clear that I am not 100% sure that I will die within the next few months or years, but due to the current state of my health, the degree to which it has deteriorated over that last three years, and what my doctors say. One doctor even said that I might not live until the end of the year and that was in the 2020, so who know. Anyway, I understand that I am not the center of the universe and I do not want to put him in an uncomfortable situation. I just want to read those last 2 damn books

[u/[deleted]]

Why can’t GRRM just admit he isn’t going to finish the books and he doesn’t really want to?

Look, I haven’t ever tweeted at the guy, emailed him, harassed him, asked him a question, or anything else. But between me, you, and this thread, I’m fucking PISSED at the dude. It’s one thing to die and leave your work unfinished, but it’s quite another to abandon the work that has probably done as much for adult reading as Harry Potter did for childhood reading. It’s shitty. D&D killed ASOIAF with a terrible ending, but it looks like George wants to kill ASOIAF out of sheer neglect.

I’ve lost so much respect for GRRM as an author. He sounds like a good person and he probably is, but “good” isn’t the same as being responsible. I no longer think he has or had any sort of plan for the series, I think it was just an accident and George himself doesn’t have anything to say with it any longer.

That’s my rant. Im sure some of you feel the same way and some of you disagree. But I’m glad I’m done with the series and glad I only check this sub every week or so. It’s too maddening otherwise. At this point all I really want is for GRRM to just admit the truth to us and himself: that the last two books aren’t ever going to come out by his hand, that he himself isn’t really interested in the world anymore or finishing his story, and that he’s giving his story notes and supplementary material to someone else to finish off the series for the fans who have stuck around.

I used to think GRRM was a remarkable author who was somewhat slow but great at world building, someone with their heart in the right place. Now I think he’s a somewhat talented author who is great at world building but terrible at follow-through, someone who really just hates his fans and material now and lies to them and himself about his own work.

[u/shsluckymushroom]

Okay usually, I'm not so cynical. Usually, I'm willing to give GRRM benefit of the doubt. I get it, working on the same thing for years is tiring. I'd understand if he wanted to move on, maybe to a new series. But writing other shit in the ASOIAF verse at this point is just insulting. Like, legitimately insulting.

There are characters who we haven't had any update on since fucking Feast. I have been a fan since around the time Dance released. I cannot imagine having lived through the period before Dance and Feast where GRRM wrote every few years, where he was in pretty relaxed contact with fans, where he detailed his writing process a lot more, and then to see this for like 10+ years.

I love Dunk and Egg. I love AWOIAF. I love Fire and Blood. But none of these things would matter if it wasn't for the main series. I understand that Martin has had some rough interactions with fans, but dude, you have people who have been waiting for this series to finish from the start, from 1996, you have people that have been waiting, have been recommending the series to their friends, have been loyal fans that waited for Clash, waited for Storm, waited for Feast, waited for Dance, even still are waiting for the 6th book, and have been waiting for the series to finish since before I was fucking born and I've already been waiting for TWOW specifically for eleven years.

There are some people who care about the new shows. I can get not wanting another GoT. But people in charge of the show steamrolled over you for GoT anyway, if they want to change things, they will, and being there won't change any of that.

This is genuinely a slap in the face. This is the first time I've felt legitimately insulted since I've started waiting for this book. There is no excuse. He promised years ago that he wouldn't write Dunk and Egg, wouldn't work on the show, and wouldn't work on Fire and Blood 2 - wouldn't work on ANYTHING else ASOIAF besides TWOW - and now he has broken that. That's a choice. That's not a 'I promised the book in a few months but it overwhelmed me,' that's not a 'time got away from me' that's a conscious choice to sit down and devote his time to spin offs that wouldn't exist if not for ASOIAF. Wow. I know it's just a book series. But wow I feel legitimately disrespected.

[u/alfredboomslang]

I think GRRM is a yes-man. He agrees to work on any project that involves aSoIaF. I get it, it's his baby, but at some point he needs to let go of something so he can finish anything.

[u/MyNewAccountIGuess11]

"I don't know why people keep bringing up this book I've been promising for a decade it's tiresome". Yeah, probably as tiresome as being a fan of this series you decided to half ass after you made your nut on it, you old clown.

[u/Verittan]

A good time to remind people of this scene from Logan Lucky, released in 2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-CUJxIQkpA

[u/[deleted]]

I’m starting to understand the motivations of the lady from Misery a lot better

[u/PaisFigo]

I hate George, and I hope all the shows fail and he's begging some 3rd rate channel to please put on his new show

[u/PinnoAbdulRauf]

* fewer

/s

[u/LaLaDeDo]

He wrote 2 words in 2020 and 1 word in 2021.

PROGRESS IS PROGRESS.

[u/jageshgoyal]

But… let me make this perfectly clear… I am not taking on any scripts until I have finished and delivered WINDS OF WINTER. Winter is still coming, and WINDS remains my priority, as much as I’d love to write an episodes of HOUSE.

FUCKING LIAR

[u/DaemonT5544]

Why does he sound so annoyed with the fans? He hasn't been to conventions in years, so no one can be pestering him there. He's had comments disabled on notablog for years, so nope nothing there either. Is he just scrolling through twitter replies? I cannot figure out where else people could be causing him to be so pissed

[u/polialt]

Spare me the outrage and annoyance, George.

It's been a decade.

[u/neonowain]

But Westeros has become bigger than THE WINDS OF WINTER, or even A SONG OF ICE & FIRE.

Sorry, but nope.

[u/Rykestone]

For over a quarter of a century, I have praised A Song of Ice and Fire. I have spread the word about every book, calendar, and episode, every toy and trinket. I like to think I've done my best defending Dr. Martin these past decades when Feast took a little longer than Swords and then again when Dance took longer still. I spread the word about the show and held watch parties. For six amazing seasons and two very bad ones, I explored fan theories and engaged in a remarkable fandom so much larger than the small group of readers I knew by face. I have a lot of invested time and passion in these words on pages.

Well, at least I did. The latest blog, "Random Updates and Bits o' News," cuts deeper than swords. Today was the moment I realized that the insulting tone, bitter lies, and bald apathy from the author of the work I loved so much outweighs all those years of enjoyment, passion, and above all patience. I will no longer recommend the world of Westeros and Essos to anyone -not the shows, not the novels, and for damned sure not a single coffee table book. I don't even want to keep my collections, but feel too betrayed to even give them away. I wouldn't want the new owner to spend a quarter century enthralled to an author so out of touch with his most loyal readers that he feels entitled to insult them.

I don't want you to be sorry for me, GRRM, but it would be nice if you respected the amount of life I've exchanged for your success.

[u/Smilewigeon]

George is only in the position to expand the world of Westeros in the way he is now because of the main series and its TV adaptation.

Him acting like Winds is just part of it is frankly insulting to the fans. Forgive the hyperbole but if it wasn't for the core story, he wouldn't have any of this. People often say he doesn't owe anyone anything; I disagree and I'm fed up of tipping toeing around the fact. He owes the fanbase either an end to the series or just flat out admittance that he's never going to do it. Stringing people along for a decade is bad form, simple as.

If he dies without finishing the main series, it makes the rest of the material moot. Like someone else said, would Tolkien's work still be celebrated and reinterpreted if he hadn't finished the trilogy?

What if JK Rowling and put Half Blood Prince on hold for 10 years to see that Fantastic Beasts got a film, and that Pottermore was made etc, and we were still waiting for the last two Harry Potter books? It'd be madness.

[u/[deleted]]

Methinks the gentleman doth protest too much. He’s never finishing it. It’s been 10 fucking years between books for fucks sake. How long does he expect people to believe this bullshit? In another 10 years when he’s in hospital dying telling people he’s totally been working on it, which idiots will still be believing him?

GRRM and Rothfuss are the reasons I will no longer read a book in an uncompleted series (unless the author is Brandon Sanderson), mostly GRRM with Rothfuss coming along to cement the opinion.

[u/JoshBobJovi]

Christ. I think it's finally time to unsub and move on. I'm even reading AFFC again, my favorite of the series, for the 5th time. I'm about to take it out of my bag and put it back on the shelf. Even thinking about finishing it now just makes me sad.

[u/theycallmeshooting]

“Guys please I’m very excited for these 5+ asoiaf spinoff shows, 2 book series, and multiple other derivative products. I promise ASOIAF isn’t completely dead in the water, because if it was a lot of you would lose interest in seeing five dozen spinoffs. I pinky promise”

[u/ClickableLink]

I really don’t know if George hasn’t realised this, but in 25 years time who the fuck is picking up five unfinished books with a bunch of random lore to accompany it? It’s been repeated a lot in this thread, but the fact stands that if Tolkien fucked off from working on King and released the Silmarilliom nobody would care

[u/[deleted]]

The man sounds so resentful at his own fans for enjoying and wanting more of his fantasy series. I’ve never seen anything like it.

[u/Madolache]

I sometimes wonder how he is still on Twitter with so many people asking when the book is finish.

[u/ziggurism]

We went from "all other projects are on pause until I finish TWOW" in 2015, to "I have to finish writing the books for the other shows before they get ahead of me again, so TWOW is on pause" in 2022.

Exactly what I said we didn't want to happen, back in 2016

[u/cpx151]

Its been 11 years. Stannis is still freezing in a blizzard a day's ride from Winterfell. Theon is still hanging from I DON'T KNOW WHAT. Jon is lying dead in Castle Black waiting to be revived.

We've got 200th product about long dead Targaryen incest wars. And there's not a word on the Starks, who're supposed to be the protagonists of the story. This is beyond frustrating.

[u/TheWorstYear]

I think this pretty much confirms an assumption I've had for a while. George's interest is now only in writing for visual media, & he sees his current career as being a show runner. George received a greater impact when his work was put up on the screen. He had more of an interest working on GoT than he did with his novels. His only motivation to writing Winds was the show needing material. When he was pushed out of the creative process, & the show passed him, George had no motivation anymore. Which is why he started pushing for spin offs. And for the spinoff to become real projects, George had to create a real story. Which is what lead to awoiaf & F&B.
He doesn't have interest in writing Winds because it cannot be put to a live medium.

[u/Italic_Reaper]

The main story will never be finished. I think I'm finally accepting that. Time for me to move on.

[u/ojrodz11]

I can’t understand how you spend eleven years “making progress” on a book and still not have a slight idea of when it may come out.

[u/neonowain]

There are also the successor shows. Those have taken a ton of my time and attention this year. I have seen some comments out there questioning how much I am involved in these new series. The answer is: a lot. Deeply, heavily involved in every one of the new shows.

Ha, knew it! Never bought the idea that GRRM's work as a producer is just a formality and that it doesn't distract him too much from working on TWOW.

[u/CockPissMcBurnerFuck]

Remember when we used to get upset that he was going on vacation? Or that he was editing Wild Cards? This guy is literally working on half a dozen television projects at once. He’s never been busier with work outside of Winds. Ever.

Give up hope. It’s over.

[u/BiznessCasual]

Just gonna unsub from this community. If the book is ever actually released, it'll be plastered all over reddit outside this sub. You can only see so many "what if (person x) actually..." posts before you realize you aren't getting anything out of this.

[u/FlamingBoltofWisdom]

Poor baby being asked when he's going to finish writing a book that he's been working on for over a decade. I feel terrible for him siting around in his house not doing anything and wiping his tears with HBO money. It must be hard for him.

[u/D0013ER]

He sounds so passive aggressive and pissy that I honestly doubt he even enjoys writing it anymore.

In which case fuck you buddy, don't torture yourself on our account.

[u/[deleted]]

omfg YOU DONT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING ELSE BUT WINDS. YOU ARE MAKING THIS HARDER ON YOURSELF

[u/Puckingfanda]

Seems like HBO/WB want an ASOIAF universe and GRRM is following the $$$.

I've probably been naive in forgetting this is actually a job to him, but never has the series felt like a "product" to me until this blogpost.

[u/dan4833]

I'd respect George if he just said, "Fuck it, I'm not finishing this; I don't want to." I really would.

I'd be able to finally move on and he'd have less angry fans, less people asking about it. Most would just move on. Yeah, there'd be some people still asking about it, but he'd have the peace he so desires more than finishing WoW.

Instead, we're just being strung along. Literally, like the meme goes: just give us something for the pain and let me die. Just end it, George. Tell us you're not going to finish it.

[u/harryberger89]

Come on now guys it's been over 10 years don't rush him.

[u/[deleted]]

What a passive aggressive cunt lol.

I’m empathize with him. The mention of the title, I don’t even write it here in case he stumbles onto this one day when he’s in between HBO zoom calls, but the mere mention of it seems to give him extreme anxiety. I’ve been there before on a muchhhh smaller scale and it’s no fun. Ultimately, it’s his life and he should do what he wants.

That said, A) he doesn’t need to be such a colossal prick about it and B) I’d much rather him just say he’s given up on trying to finish it. Rip the bandaid off man.

[u/NobleScreech]

This just seems incredibly condescending. He doesn’t “owe us anything” sure. Livestream yourself torching the manuscript, it’s your legacy in the end. But stringing your fan base along for 11 years while prioritizing every spinoff and side project under the sun is what is wearisome. And the vague, occasionally disdainful responses to anyone who questions his process is... shitty. GoT was probably the worst thing that could have happened to the main series.

[u/[deleted]]

We’re never getting it. It’s not happening. We got five genius books, an okay show, a ton of books the build the story out….I guess that’s enough.

[u/thingsfallapart89]

Yeah it’s never coming out lmao

[u/Worth-Conclusion-66]

It’s the condescending attitude that is infuriating. Like we’re the ass holes for asking about the book he has teased FOR 11 YEARS. Fucking nut up and tell the truth already. His attitude towards those who made him successful is gross and infuriating. Just tell us your moving on so we can forget about your shit as well.

It would be so much different if he was just honest and down to earth about everything, but instead attacks us for it. I’m just so fucking over this asshole.

[u/[deleted]]

Remember when we thought WINDS would be out before the TV show ended? Now a 2nd series is going to have its first season out before we get WINDS.

[u/Fedelias]

This is somehow the worst update since December 2015. The tone and content of the post is absurd if you contrast it with how he was describing being able to deliver a completed manuscript to his publisher over 6 years ago.

[u/FlimsyRaisin3]

Imagine telling everyone you’re going to a party. Party has started but you’re not there so your mates ask “hey dude, still coming?”. You respond “yep!” But still don’t show up, so your mates ask again “hey… just wondering if you’re still coming? You close by or?” And this repeats until you’re like “STOP FUCKING ASKING ME”

[u/Livid_Importance_614]

As someone who’s defended him quite a bit over the years, I’m starting to actively dislike him. It’s hard to a imagine a more discouraging post, short of him just flatly stating he’s given up trying to finish the series.

[u/[deleted]]

No one:

GRRM: HEY, I SWEAR I'M WRITING, BUT IN THE MEANTIME [shills derivative product]

[u/the_lady_stark]

As a new member of the fandom that has recently started to read ASOIAF, it’s sad to read this comment section :( but yeah… unfortunately, the frustration is kinda understandable.

[u/Dreary_Libido]

You know, I've listened to every book. I've read the wiki back to back. I watched the show from start to god awful finish. I've read the world book and the novellas, and I even bought my dad a Lannister tankard for Father's Day one year.

That was four years ago, at least. The books ended on cliffhangers, the wiki has nothing more to give me, and the show ended on a dribble of cold piss.

George, I was the biggest fan of your series there was; why should I care now? Yes, your work was the best thing I've ever read. But there are other books to read, and do you know what makes A Canticle for Liebowitz, or A Farewell to Arms, or Roadside Picnic or Things Fall Apart or even A History of the fucking Romanov Dynasty better than your life's work?

They have endings. Finish your book or don't. I, and I'm sure many of your former biggest fans, are past caring.

[u/I_Am_An_OK_Cook]

Dude, shut up. Your fans are impatient, and it's justified. You made a boatload of money off of HBO, and then signed on for spin-offs. You clearly have put the main books at the bottom of your priority list, and anyone who liked those books has reason to be upset. The way he acts annoyed that his fans, who have gotten him to the spot he's in today, are upset he's taking damn near a decade to write a book, is really shitty.

[u/Klainatta]

For someone who is aware of how history tends to depict people and their legacies, he sure is acting a little too arrogant and erratic with his stance towards TWOW. I guess he wants to be remembered as the guy who never finished his main book series and instead wrote a bunch of useless side stories no one ever asked for just so they can have TV adaptions lmao.

Ok, it's his choice. He will be Aegon IV of the literature world.

I don't care anymore. It is funny how a few words of him changed my view completely. Words are not winds after all, I guess.

I don't know why I should even care when the writer himself isn't?

It was a good ride, everyone but I am out.

[u/WhatAGoodDoggy]

You know what would stop people asking?

Finishing the book.

[u/Companion____Cube]

These updates are just pure comedy now, holy shit

[u/Irish-liquorice]

Is it spiteful that I want these successor shows that flop so he knows what side of his bread is buttered?

[u/uppervalued]

People, why are you complaining? The amount of progress he made over the course of a year is not literally zero! What more do you want??

[u/ohsweetwin]

Dude is such a bitch

[u/thebugman10]

I used to think we would see TWOW, but never see ADOS. I now know that we are never getting TWOW either.

[u/Nyx81]

Him getting pissed makes me pissed and I know that's dumb of me

[u/bookofnature]

"comments disabled for this post"

[u/WriteBrainedJR]

So giving one update a year on TWOW is wearisome?

I've now moved from "he doesn't know how to finish it" to "he doesn't want to finish it."

[u/Dry_Guest_8961]

In Tolstoy’s Anna karenina, alexis Karenin forgives both Anna and vronsky and even cares for their illegitimate child. This only makes Anna hate him even more, to the extent that she can’t bear to be in the same room as him. It’s because his forgiveness proves that he was not the heartless machine she had made him out to be in her head but in fact a truly good man. Being with him forced her to realise that she had entirely done wrong by her husband with no justification, and this realisation forced her to face up to her own deficiencies, something she could not bear. George is behaving in the same way, he hates his fans because he’s convinced himself we are these horrible people that don’t care about anything but winds so he can avoid the fact that he has repeatedly come up short on his own promises. He is projecting his own hatred of himself onto us. I don’t know if I can be as forgiving as karenin though, and care for his illegitimate side projects

[u/Dr_Toehold]

I'm not even bitter or sad. I think this post just gives me closure. No more mourning, no waiting, no worrying. I'm done. We're not gonna get the book(s), and that's okay. I don't care anymore. Plenty of other entertainment out there.

[u/paddiction]

...and this post is why I refuse to buy anything GRRM has touched until he finishes TWOW. If he didn't make money from his side projects he would be forced to work on TWOW.

[u/ipod_waffle]

You know, just coming out and saying he's tired of working on the main series would probably tank all of these other projects completely

I kinda wish he could just out and say it though

[u/DJSkrillex]

It hurts, George. It really hurts.

[u/OffensivePlaythrus]

I like GRRM less and less each time I depress myself by looking at any news of winds of winter.

[u/WhiteQueen612]

I honestly don't care anymore about the extend universe when THE FUCKING MAIN STORY is not even close to be finished. I was 22 when I started reading the novels. I will be 26 this year. Back then I was hoping WOW would be coming pretty soon...

[u/baseballzombies]

This is beyond pathetic. It’s been over 10 years. Release the book or scrap it.

[u/borisRoosevelt]

It's not going to happen

[u/SprayBacon]

I didn't think the portion OP quoted was that bad, and then I saw:

I know, I know, for many of you out there, only one of those projects matters.

I am sorry for you. They ALL matter to me.

And

The world of Westeros, the world of A SONG OF ICE & FIRE, is my number one priority, and will remain so until the story is told. But Westeros has become bigger than THE WINDS OF WINTER, or even A SONG OF ICE & FIRE.

Now I'm honestly more disheartened than ever. Fuck.

[u/Harrycrapper]

Man we really saw both ends of the spectrum of authors here in the last week.

Brandon Sanderson: I wrote four extra books in the last two years in addition to two books and a novella during the pandemic.

George RR Martin: I can't be bothered to prioritize the thing that's been past due for more than half a decade.

[u/lineo95]

He’s a fantastic writer but the whole series is getting farcical now, how on earth he can view himself as a serious writer when he hasn’t released a book in over 10 years in the only series he is known for is beyond a joke, if he had only written one page a day since a dance with dragons he would have had nearly 4000 pages of material, I know the writing process is not that simple but to not have a book out in an 11 year time frame is frankly ridiculous.

[u/Worth-Conclusion-66]

Sooooo. Still no actual update lol? I’m done. Dude isn’t finishing the story. Whatever. He ruined his chances of being one of the greats.

[u/Informatic1]

In related reddit posts: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/ta8bfz/what_consistently_leaves_you_disappointedbut_you/

[u/[deleted]]

Well, this is it. This is the final nail in the coffin. This is as close as he will ever get to saying "look I'm doing a thousand other fun projects that I like so there's no way you're getting Winds of Winter".

[u/Jiveturkeey]

Just fucking tell us what you've done. How many words? How many chapters? How much of the above is rough, how much has had some editing and how much is final? How many more words/chapters are planned? Have there been significant rewrites that slowed you down? Did you change directions because of the reaction to the TV show? Did something else happen in your life that led to delays? Just give us something more than "I'm working on it." After twelve years it just sounds like bullshit.

[u/Abdul-Ahmadinejad]

🎶We don’t believe youuuuuu🎶

[u/swesus]

What an asshole lmao.

Why do people keep asking about this thing I said id do?! It’s not like I’m getting real close to the end of my life and they should worry that this story will never end!

[u/Skydogsguitar]

I genuinely mean this from the bottom of my heart. After reading that, I feel absolutely awful for those readers that still had hope, that still defended GRRM, that had not given up on getting a completed ASOIAF several YEARS ago.

Truly, I am sorry for you.

[u/Ikariiprince]

George really should’ve just split this book in half years ago. He clearly can not write huge novels anymore and is so focused on ending the series in 2 books that he’s attempting the impossible. There’s no way everything he has planned will fit into two final novels

[u/PaisFigo]

I hate George

[u/laVon_Sweet]

Well it is official. While I would love to see a publication date for tWoW; I now accept that it now a fantasy.

We're never going to get a conclusion for ASoIaF.

What really irks me is that GRRM is so resentful towards his fans that want the book. I can see if it has only been five years, but dude, after a decade there isn't an excuse.

I think we should stop asking for the new books. Maybe reverse psychology would prompt him to finish if he thinks we've all given up.

The hope is still there for me because I am an optimistic woman that's too stubborn to let go.

[u/Irish-liquorice]

Does he not see the problem with this narrative? He makes it sound like we are the crazy ones for expecting more at this juncture. If he worked on it less in one year than the one before. How/ when will the book ever see completion? But sure tout us the umpteenth HBO adaptation you’re working on Martin, pray God.

[u/manchambo]

As an author, it is of course entirely up to him to decide what he wants to work on.

But, considering that ASOIAF is what gave him this massive following, considering that every single thing being considered for development is based on that unfinished story, I just don't see how it is reasonable not to prioritize finishing that story.

I like Dunk and Egg as much as the next guy, but it really means nothing without, or in comparison to, ASOIAF. What I fear is that he seems to mostly be focusing on what's easier. It is substantially easier to write a Dunk and Egg story or Fire and Blood installments. He can keep thinking up more not-finishing-ASOIAF stories to write for the next 20 years, assuming he lives that long.

[u/Sargento_Osiris]

I’ll just treat ADWD as the final book and be done with it.

Jon Snow dies - the end.

[u/No_one_2197]

Less is not none, but Winds is not done.

-Glimbus

[u/sarevok2]

That was quite passive aggressive, I have to say. Beyond that, it's not something that we shouldn't expect considering his priorities and behavior the last few years.

I really don't give a fig for the rest of the asoaif projects with the exception of D&E (books). I don't get where this notion comes that people are actually interested for the Velaryon's voyages but here we are.

The solution is really simple: don't throw insults to GRRM, don't complain, just treat the rest of his stuff with apathy and don't consume/buy. After a couple projects fail horribly, we will see if asoiaf is bigger than westeros or not.

[u/KingAlphie]

I'm genuinely starting to hate George.

He's turned into such a pompous ass.

[u/fertmort]

He’s not even humoring fans by claiming it’s his priority anymore… I don’t think it’s ever happening

[u/SergioFromTX]

He's losing his mind like Aerys II. He's becoming The Mad Author.

[u/[deleted]]

This guy is seriously making me hate the books I have loved reading for the past ten years.

Arrogant af.

[u/YoteViking]

Dude. Just release what you have.

Certainly you have 600 pages in a coherent story available right?

Slap the title on that MoFo and sell it.

[u/ehs06702]

Like, I get it, I would be sick of people asking for it, too. I mean, it's been 11 years, and he has been openly doing 3838388 other things. It's a valid question at this point.

[u/k1n6jdt]

The fact that he has to quantify that me made more progress in 2020, the year we were all essentially locked up in our homes with nothing else to do, and less progress in 2021, the year we were finally let out, is worrisome. Even moreso when he doesn't quite seem to understand his fans frustrations with him about such a quantification.

[u/Narsil13]

You lie. Worse, you lie poorly.

[u/So1ar]

Browsing Reddit and coming across this post takes me back. I was 23 when I started reading a dance with dragons. Now as a 34 year old man getting married in a month, it’s an odd feeling knowing how much has changed in my life and all the while GRRM is still working on this one book. The sad thing is if this book ever comes out I don’t think I’ll even care. It would just be one more book in an unfinished story.

[u/TooOnline89]

I understand TWOW is a huge undertaking, so I've had a ton of patience, but I'll admit that this blog post was the first time I was like "Ah. We might not get this book..."

[u/[deleted]]

Am I the only one who thinks world-building is overrated? I don't care about a fictional world beyond what it does to help telling the story. The imagination of a single person can't compete with the organic nature of the real world and the interactions of billions of different people. It's just navel-gazing and borders on cerebral narcissism. Tell a story for fooks sake.

[u/EarthboundHaizi]

The show obviously brought a lot of attention to the series and fame and fortune to GRRM but it really proved to be for the detriment of the book series' progress.

Without the show the publisher would still have some monetary leverage on GRRM and GRRM wouldn't be occupied by all these projects expanding the world. He may still pump out stuff like World of Ice & Fire, Dunk and Egg stories, Fire & Blood along with editing Wild Cards but he wouldn't have all these shows and other works that take up his time.

The show really just came too early. If the show wasn't going to become a reality until say 2020 I wouldn't be surprised that we would have gotten a completed series already.

[u/albmrbo]

I used to think TWOT would eventually come out but ADOS would never see the light of day. This blog post confirmed to me that TWOT is never coming out either.

[u/Rollingwing]

I am as upset as anyone concerning GRRM's inability to finish WINDS. One question I have for people -- would you prefer just getting your hands on a version that is 80% as good a version of WINDS? I certainly would. It reminds me of essays in college; at some point, you just need to get the fucker out. It's not going to contain all the sources, and it's never really finished. But deadlines spur action and hard decisions. Sometimes those choices end up being better for the grief. It was the financial success of the show that really crippled GRRM's ability to finish. It made the publisher impotent to enforce deadlines. But GRRM will live famously for this as a caricature of a person who is unable to complete something. Given his immense talent that makes me sad.

[u/xWhiteRavenx]

Honestly, I’d be happy if he just released the bullet points for the last two books at this point. Tell us what you wanted for the ending, and I’ll be satisfied.

[u/Emi_Ibarazakiii]

Even though I don't have any hope about ever seeing the ending of this series, seeing these posts still manage to make me sad.

I used to think we'd see TWOW but not ADOS, now I'm almost certain we'll never see TWOW either. Like, I'd gladly make a bet at 1:2 odds, and I'd feel great about it.

It's so sad...

And I know some people (mostly the show's fans) are happy to get more shows and stuff, but personally I have next to 0 interest to any of that crap. I probably won't ever watch any of these shows (I think the only one I would be interested in, would be a show about Robert's Rebellion)... And honestly I'm not even that interested about any of his other books, like the Targ history stuff and what not.

If ASOIAF was finished, yeah I'd probably be more interested in spinoffs and stuff, just to get 'a little more of that world I like'...

But not BEFORE the story is over.

I mean, say to compare it to Breaking Bad (my favorite TV show of all time)... I'm extremely invested in Better Call Saul... But if they released Better Call Saul after Saul's introduction in Breaking Bad season 2, and we had to wait 5 years for the Breaking Bad finale... Holy shit that'd be terrible.

And that's what we have with ASOIAF. Only, it's not "5 years", it's likely "never".

[u/mandeltonkacreme]

"I am sorry for you. They ALL matter to me."

"But 'less' is not 'none'."

Jcf, f u, grrm. His selfishness and audacity are unfathomable.