First off, sorry for the clickbait feature image. I couldn't fit the whole book cover because of the dimensions .. . but no, The Winds of Winter has not been released. I just needed a cover photo for the post. Thought I'd get that out of the way first before the Internet buries me alive.

Now that I have your attention! There’s been a disturbance in Westeros, and it has to do, unsurprisingly, with The Winds of Winter. Recent articles about George R. R. Martin struggling to finish the final two books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series have surfaced, and the usual tirade of rudeness that surrounds all conversation about the conclusion to the saga ensued. Thus, I wanted to go to bat on Martin’s behalf and share a few reasons why maybe, just maybe, we should withhold the hurtful Twitter/X comments and let the man write in peace.

First, let’s consider the art and craft of writing. As a writer myself, the process is not always linear, and I can only imagine the complexity of tying together a high fantasy series as dense as Martin’s world has become. A lot of world-building and consideration goes into writing high fantasy, and the A Song of Ice and Fire universe is no exception. In fact, it is leagues denser than the average fantasy novel or series and equals out to about two or three times the length of most works. For instance, there are approximately 2,000 named characters and at least 207 named locations in the A Song of Ice and Fire universe, compared to the usual few hundred or so named characters and locations for the average fantasy novel, if that. We also can’t discount the publishing timeline for traditionally published novels, which takes around two years from start to finish, including editorial rounds, even if your manuscript is fairly “clean” or without many plot or technical errors. Additionally, recent word has come out that Martin met with one of his publishers about The Winds of Winter, so there might be news on the horizon.

Secondly, let’s be realistic. Martin is not sitting at his computer for eight hours a day working on one project. He currently assists with House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. House of the Dragon is expecting four seasons, all of which Martin has been or will be involved in. I'd venture to guess he's intentionally more involved with his shows this time around after what the previous GOT showrunners did to Season 8. He helped Hidetaka Miyazaki and FromSoftware craft the story of Elden Ring. In addition to shows in his own universe, Martin also executive produces Dark Winds and other television shows. When he’s not working on his writing, he edits some works in the Wild Cards universe and is also likely somewhat involved in the production of companion ASOIAF material, such as maps and world references. I mean, just look at his bibliography. How many other humans can say they've accomplished anything remotely close to that?

Thirdly, he's not been sitting idle, writing nothing. Readers may be unaware it took J. R. R. Tolkien 17 years to publish The Fellowship of the Ring after The Hobbit, and Martin has not yet passed that mark. In the A Song of Ice and Fire universe, Martin has written five main novels: A Game Of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. While no immediate sequel has been published since A Dance with Dragons' release in 2011, he's released various prequel-like stories including A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms in 2013, Fire and Blood in 2018, and several anthologies and other works. Fire and Blood adds important history and context to Daenerys and House Targaryen, and led to the making of House of the Dragon, which included important confirmation of the A Song of Ice and Fire prophecy. He likely already has partial notes for the next volume of Fire and Blood and has mentioned more Dunk and Egg stories. As for television, the Game of Thrones original series was world-changing, and several spin-offs are in the works. House of the Dragon broke records for viewership, and the Season 2 teaser trailer currently holds the title as the number one most-watched teaser of an HBO original series since the company's streaming platform launched in 2020. And, if we’re lucky, some of the other spin-offs will be greenlit, as well. I’m hoping for Snow. Like, really, really hoping for Snow. 

Realistically, if we never get a book ending, we have a television ending, so there is closure. If we do get a Martin ending, we can be certain it will be epic. Instead of looking at what he may not accomplish, I will always advocate that we, as fans, prioritize the health and happiness of the human being who poured his heart into this world to share with us. Let’s not forget he created an immersive and inspiring fictional universe with characters many fans will carry with them throughout their entire lives, which is no small feat. Thus, I advocate we look at what he made out of his passion for his characters and his story. It’s entirely possible to strain the love for your craft by overworking yourself. When creatives start trying to churn out a product instead of letting their passion lead them, the world can tell. If Season 8 isn’t proof enough (D and D, I’m looking at you. Yes, I hold you accountable for that disaster), he deserves to take his time and write the ending he wants for the franchise he built. So, fellow Thrones fans, don’t lose the love! Let him cook, people. Let him cook.