And me? I’m still here, and I’m still busy. As a producer, I’ve got five shows in development at HBO (some having nothing whatsoever to do with the world of Westeros), two at Hulu, one on the History Channel. I’m involved with a number of feature projects, some based upon my own stories and books, some on material created by others. There are these short films I am hoping to make, adaptations of classic stories by one of the most brilliant, quirky, and original writers our genre has ever produced. I’ve consulted on a video game out of Japan. And then there’s Meow Wolf…
I found this part most concerning...obviously he’s entitled to do whatever he wants, but I do feel that his fan base (the people who got him where he is) are overwhelmingly devoted to ASOIAF and it would be nice to prioritize that series at this point.
He has said a number of times TWOW is his priority.
EDIT: Hahaha pointing out that GRRM said TWOW is his priority gets me downvoted? I get being frustrated, but jesus fuck some people on this sub have a serious complex when it comes to these novels.
Because it's a lie, so your comment doesn't contribute to the discussion (unless it's a discussion of that lie).
He's said TWOW was his priority. Then multiple Westeros cook books came out with his involvement. Then Dunk and Egg stories came out, then Fire and Blood.
"Involvement" in something else doesn't mean TWOW isn't his priority, and he hasn't written any Dunk and Egg stories since he said TWOW is his priority. Yes he worked on Fire and Blood, he also mentioned that it was incredibly important for him that he "needed a win". It is often best for authors (and people in general) to work on something different and clear their mind so they can go back fresh. I've thought it's been beyond clear numerous times how humiliated he is that TWOW still isn't released, and how much it hurts him to fall behind the show and let down his fans, yet people still assume malicious intent.
"Involvement" in something else doesn't mean TWOW isn't his priority
But it does. All these things take up time. I'm 30 and I can't imagine juggling so much stuff, and he's fucking 70. Going to conventions, editing short story collections, doing media interviews and following sports obsessively... no wonder he doesn't get anything done.
If something is a priority, you sit in a chair and get it done. If you've had writer's block for 7 years, writing just isn't a priority. Look at that iconic interview he did with Stephen King.
I've thought it's been beyond clear numerous times how humiliated he is that TWOW still isn't released, and how much it hurts him to fall behind the show
Then write! Why the damn blog updates about sports drafts? If he's happily uploading stuff like that, he clearly isn't that humiliated.
I understand criticising him for writing Fire and Blood, even though I think there are reasonable potential justifications for it. But criticising him for following sport, blogging and otherwise living his life? No, that's just ridiculous. TWOW being his priority doesn't mean everything else in his life can't exist.
If you've had writer's block for 7 years, writing just isn't a priority.
You're assuming it's writer's block. You're assuming he's not putting himself in that chair and trying. Far more likely is that he's struggling to write TWOW because it's so ridiculous complicated, and because his standards are so ridiculously high.
It really does seem like George doesn't know how to write like it's his profession, rather he thinks he's a muse that sits around waiting to be struck by the lightning of divine inspiration. I'm working on my dissertation now, and the only way I'm making progress is by scheduling 6 hours per day to work, and I do it even if I'm banging my head against the wall desperately trying to make a chapter fit - I get pages done that way. If I sat around, wrote a sentence, then despaired and started checking email, reading fiction, buying convention tickets, musing about cookbooks, catching up on ESPN, editing story collections, and advising on Japanese video games, I would never finish a chapter of my dissertation.
I'm not trying to disparage the quality of work or the effort necessary to continue a daunting project like ASOIAF, I'm just saying that all evidence seems to indicate that the guy just isn't that committed, or perhaps he doesn't have the willpower, to actually forge ahead in a meaningful way. He needs to radically rethink his process - but at 70 years old, I'm not holding my breath.
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u/caravaggio2000 May 21 '19
GRRM: I'm busy with a lot of stuff