Thought I’d do something a little bit different. Hell. Maybe you’ll actually read this one day. Humor me. Either way, hope 2021 treats you well, and bless whatever project you’re currently working on, whether that be The Winds of Winter or otherwise. You’re probably sick of being asked about it by this point, especially with…well, all the publicity the Game of Thrones finale received. I was a very casual fan of the show, but it did motivate me enough to sit down and read the first five books. Their quality is intimidating, and it’s easy to see why many people-including myself-are hungry for more. Yet I ask you now, do you ever feel trapped by it? By A Song of Ice and Fire?
The thought struck me shortly after I finished the first draft of my latest project, a book I intend to try and sell before the end of this year. I do the first draft longhand, on notepads. I then transcribe it into the “second draft”, editing along the way. It’s a lot less fun (editing always is), so I’ve allowed myself to take small breaks and begin outlining my next projects. It will either be a new book, or a batch of articles for the website. And that’s when it occurred to me: I can do whatever the fuck I want.
You can’t.
I mean, hypothetically you could. You’ve said it before that if you pass away before completing the books, Game of Thrones will become the canon ending to A Song of Ice and Fire. Yet with the reception to the series finale being…ugly, I can’t imagine the pressure you’re under to finish the last two books so that that won’t be the case. I mean, how could I? I’m still just starting out, learning the ins and outs, without a published credit to my name. I’m a nobody. A nobody without expectations constantly breathing now my neck. This isn’t a knock against the fans. All that passion has to go somewhere. Especially when the people running the show seemingly lost their passion for it ten or fifteen feet from the finish line.
Yet, like dominoes, this line of thinking led me to another realization: Your story, or at least a version of it, has already been shown to the WHOLE WORLD.
I’ve come to peace with the fact that the first, second, and usually even the third drafts of whatever I’m working on will be outright crappy or-if I’m lucky-simply majorly flawed. What did Gaiman say? “Editing is about making it look like you knew what you were doing all along.” Yet the world will never get see any book or article I write unless I either publish them or put them up on the site. And if I’m not feeling a project, I can always call it quits, put it away for a while or even eternity. That’s a right that you, and most published writers lose (though it probably varies from case to case) when they launch a successful series. You can take time off, start another series or project, but you’re always expected to go back and finish what you started, what made you famous in the first place.
And for you that’s A Song of Ice and Fire. But you’ve already had the story taken from you and told in ways that you likely didn’t always agree with. This isn’t just storytelling anymore. It’s now a competition to prove that you can outdo a multimillion-dollar television company with just a pen and paper or computer. Alone.
“But if he didn’t want the show to catch up, George should have written faster!” is the usual response to this or some variation of it.
And to that I state the obvious: “Writing is fucking hard, man.”
As a writer, you eventually figure out a process that works for you. You refine your writing style; sharpen your instincts through constant trial and error, draft after draft after draft. And even then, you’re still looking at months’ worth of work, if not a year or more. And, George, buddy, your stuff is dense. To a writer who absolutely hates describing scenery (me), you’re a god. And food. You’re really good at describing feasts and banquets. Bonus points for that.
But getting back on track, this is where execution becomes in vitally important. If all the major story beats in Game of Thrones have a book counterpart, are you going to be able to make them resonate with us unlike the show? Will we care when Jon comes back to life, meets Danny, and they fall in love? The Night King isn’t a thing in the book, so who will the big bad leading the white walkers be? Will Cercei do anything other than staring out the window, sipping wine? Will she blow up the Sept of Baelor? And-most importantly-will we care when Bran becomes king?
You can’t make everyone happy. There are fans out there who have already decided to hate your ending unless it’s the polar opposite to the books. That makes me more than a bit sad. You’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t, and having that looming over your head must be making the writing process infinity tougher than it otherwise would be. I’m sure The Winds of Winter-and A Dream of Spring-will turn out great. But as excited I am to see you end this story on your terms, I’m looking forward to the day that you’re finally free and back to being able to do whatever the fuck you want.
When that day comes, I’ll be there.
Sincerely,
Barnaby
P.S. Outdo the Red Wedding. I fucking dare you.
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