Throughout the pandemic, Game of Thrones creator George RR Martin has spent much of his time squirrelled away in a remote mountain cabin writing The Winds of Winter. And now the 72-year-old has shared an exciting update on his progress for the long-delayed book. The ASOIAF author admitted he is getting closer to completion, despite taking an emotional “gut punch” in August.
Martin wrote on his blog that he has continued to work on The Winds of Winter despite everything else going on in the world.
But the author admitted: “No, sorry, still not done, but I do inch closer.
“It is a big big book. I try not to dwell on that too much.
“I write a chapter at a time, a page at a time, a sentence at a time, a word at a time. It is the only way. And sometimes I rewrite.”
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Martin said: “Yes, some stuff I read at cons ages ago, or even posted online as samples.
“I tweak stuff constantly, and sometimes go beyond tweaking, moving things around, combining chapters, breaking chapters in two, reordering stuff.
“None of this is even remotely new. It is how the first five books were written.”
The author then went on to share how his progress with The Winds of Winter has been over the last few months.
Martin shared: “I was really on a roll back in June and July. Progress has continued since then, but more slowly…
“I suffered a gut punch in early August that really had me down for a time, and another, for different reasons, in early September.
“But I slogged on, and of late I am picking up steam again.”
Aside from The Winds of Winter, the author wrote how there’s been some “great progress” on Game of Thrones prequel TV show House of the Dragon.
Martin added: “On other fronts… well, aside from Covid-19 slowing everything down, we are making great progress on the HBO prequel HOUSE OF THE DRAGON.
“Ryan and Miguel are in London, casting has begun, it is all looking very exciting.”
He signed off: “Hang in there, friends.”
The Winds of Winter is currently set for possible release in 2021.
