Publishing insider clears up rumor about the status of The Winds of Winter

As an ardent reader and connoisseur of epic fantasy novels, I find myself entangled in the labyrinthine world of George R.R. Martin’s “The Winds of Winter.” Having traversed countless tomes in my quest for captivating narratives, I can confidently say that the anticipation for this book is as titanic as the Wall itself. The protracted wait for updates has left us fans famished, and we’d gladly devour any scraps of information that may come our way.

It’s likely unnecessary to mention, but you might already know that “The Winds of Winter” is the long-awaited sixth book in George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series, which was turned into the popular TV show “Game of Thrones” by HBO. Martin has been working on this for 13 years, starting from when “A Dance With Dragons” was published in 2011. Fans are eagerly anticipating updates, to put it mildly. A clip from a new episode of the “Bend the Knee” podcast recently made waves within the fan community.

On the podcast, host Jimmy Nutts talked about something that author Shawn Speakman said at Dragonsteel Nexus, a literary event put together by Stormlight Archive author Brandon Sanderson; the latest gathering was held earlier this month. Speakman is the author of The Antiquity Chronicles series, the operator of Grim Oak Press, and someone who works with fantasy author Terry Brooks, known for his Shannara Chronicles series. He has connections in the publishing industry, which is why fans perk up when he says something about George R.R. Martin and The Winds of Winter. When it comes from someone with authority, it might just be true.

At Dragonsteel, Speakman reportedly shared his thoughts on the progress of “The Winds of Winter”. “I try to give George some privacy and not inquire about it directly,” he’s quoted as saying. “However, I have an idea of how many pages he has sent to Harper Voyager. I also know roughly how much he has written elsewhere. I frequently speak with his editor Anne Groell, often monthly. I understand the number of pages a book can physically contain. He seems to be close to or at that amount. So it’s more about whether they can persuade him to divide ‘The Winds of Winter’ or if he will wait for the ending he has been aiming for.

Essentially, Speakman implies that Martin might have drafted an excessive number of pages for “The Winds of Winter,” which could potentially result in a reoccurrence seen in the last two books of his series: “A Feast for Crows” and “A Dance with Dragons.” Initially intended as one book, the extensive writing led to Martin and his publisher deciding to publish them separately instead.

It’s unclear how many total pages George R.R. Martin has written for his upcoming book, but what’s been released so far suggests a substantial amount of story. Even the pre-released chapters of “Winds” indicate this. In a 2018 blog post, Martin himself hinted at the possibility of splitting the book, stating that he was resisting the idea proposed by his publishers. Given these facts, is it reasonable to believe that the split might occur even if Martin is hesitant?

Instead of proceeding based on the rumor circulating on Reddit, Speakman himself has come forward to clear things up. He stated in a discussion thread that his analysis is speculative, derived from the number of manuscript pages George R.R. Martin has mentioned (on his blog and on the Colbert Show, for instance) he’s completed and the physical space a book can occupy within a binding. It’s important to note that Speakman hasn’t had direct contact with George in at least two years. However, he does communicate regularly with Martin’s editor due to his work with Terry Brooks, but their conversations seldom revolve around George and the progress of his writing.

Speakman expressed that he appreciates the eagerness of the Bend the Knee host, but feels his words and intended meaning were misconstrued. If he possessed any further information, he would never disclose it because it’s not his place to do so, hoping this helps clarify the misunderstanding.

It appears that Speakman may have mentioned “The Winds of Winter” at Dragonsteel, but he didn’t provide a definitive statement on whether or not the book will be published. He simply has a little more information than us, and we still know very little about it.

Essentially, Martin himself holds the keys to the outcome of “The Winds of Winter,” and he’s made it clear that he’ll announce developments on his personal blog when appropriate. As for the exact timing, we can only speculate. In the interim, if you’re looking for another massive fantasy series to lose yourself in, Brandon Sanderson has recently released a new book that could be right up your alley.

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2024-12-17 18:41