Fans have grown from restless to having nearly given up on The Winds of Winter release date.
We are already in 2024 and are still awaiting the book's release! Will Winds of Winter be released anytime soon, and what can we expect from George R.R. Martin?
A Timeline of Winds of Winter Updates
In one of his previous updates, Martin used his blog, Not a Blog, to share that after a case of COVID he “[hoped] to wrap up the storyline for one of the viewpoint characters of WINDS OF WINTER this week. Maybe even two.”
Until the book is actually on our shelves, of course, we can't know exactly what this means - given that the main POVs are currently more than 20 - or even if the character arcs have indeed been confirmed.
Back in 2021, Martin informed his fans about a trip he took Midwest.
By June he was back home but delayed the post as there was a lot of admin to work on.
Paraphrasing a well-known poem by Robert Frost, the author concluded: "The woods were lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep and books to write before I sleep."
Could this be an allusion to his promise to deliver The Winds of Winter to his fans? It was too much to hope, as we're already well into 2024, but maybe one day.
In April of 2021, George R.R. Martin gave a disappointing update on Winds of Winter. He confirmed he wouldn't be finished with the book anytime soon.
"I am hugely behind right now, and the prospect of trying to catch up is increasingly oppressive," Martin wrote.
It sounds like the expectation of a satisfying conclusion to the series in addition to the toll of Covid-19 has created an environment not well suited to completing the book.
As of June 2021, the 71-year-old author has admitted that he wishes the books had stayed ahead of the Game of Thrones series. For fans and students alike, the prolonged wait has led to exploring other avenues to engage with the series. Many are turning to essay writing service for US students to delve deeper into the themes and characters of the existing books. These services offer in-depth analyses that keep the spirit of the series alive while we await the next installment.
Martin went on to update fans that he is excited about a five-year Game of Thrones contract with HBO and HBO Max for new original content.
In a 2019 post, A Song of Ice and Fire Author George R. R. Martin gave his fans explicit permission to lock him up in a cabin in White Island if he had not finished The Winds of Winter by July 2020, when WordCon was supposed to take place.
With the in-person event in New Zealand canceled due to the pandemic, Martin, who had given little indication of being closer to completing the sixth A Song of Ice and Fire book, seemingly escaped that fate.
Little did we know that the imprisonment he jokingly suggested would become more than a joke.
In another blog post, published on June 23, 2020, Martin admitted he is no stranger to the cabin fever that has plagued many of us since March. However, in his case, the first part of the phrase is quite literal.
Was a Cabin Enough to Bring Winds of Winter to Our Shelves?
Over the years, many fans have yearned for Wind of Winter updates, wondering why Martin is taking so long to finish writing it.
In a turn of events, fans would never have been able to foretell a few months earlier, George R. R. Martin informed them that he was spending quarantine in an actual cabin… and some good came out of it..
While reasonably tired of living in isolation, the 75-year-old author mentioned that he kept a regular, if a bit dull routine and tried to stay healthy.
With most distractions removed, and journeys abroad replaced by Zoom calls, Martin had plenty of time to spend with his characters.
The ones he was focusing on, as of June 2020, were enemy siblings Cersei and Tyrion Lannister, Ser Barristan Selmy, Asha Greyjoy (known as Yara in the HBO TV series), and Areo Hotah, the captain of the Martell guard.
Arya Stark was also mentioned, and, as always, she intends to kill someone.
Over the years, Martin has released several Winds of Winter chapters from multiple points of view.
Did Martin Tease the Release of Winds of Winter?
Martin has yet to find the impressive writing pace he had maintained in the late 1990s.
When he worked on the series' third installment A Storm of Swords, producing something during his enclosure can only be good, it didn't last long enough.
Back in 2021, Martin expressed the hope that both Covid-19 and The Winds of Winter will be done" within the year.
For fans of the books, many of whom were greatly disappointed with the TV series conclusion, this might be the best news they have had for some time.
Since this announcement, Martin has written two additional posts with updates about his writing, both titled, "Back to Westeros."
In the first one, published in August 2020, the author described a steady routine, which, thankfully, involves a lot of writing.
As of November 2020, Martin mentioned that he was still spending a lot of time writing about the Lannister siblings and Dorne, the Martells' seat of power.
While Martin, who rarely encourages his fans to keep their hopes up about his eagerly anticipated book, has been known to work on side projects such as House of the Dragon, his return to a steady writing routine was welcomed.
While waiting for The Winds of Winter, Game of Thrones fans can enjoy the other 5: A Song of Ice and Fire books if they haven't already, or try other must-read books by George R. R. Martin.
Is There Any Update This 2024?
In a July 2023 blog post, Martin shared the following:
And, yes, yes, of course, I’ve been working on WINDS OF WINTER. Almost every day. Writing, rewriting, editing, writing some more. Making steady progress. Not as fast as I would like.. .certainly not as fast as YOU would like… but progress nonetheless.
Hopefully, we'll get to see that progress at some point, but it's debatable.
In November 2021, Martin mentioned that he was working on The Winds of Winter among other projects.
Several other posts followed since then, but there has been no mention of the hot topic, that is, the release of the sixth ASoIaF book.
Earlier in 2023, rumors circulated the internet, suggesting November 2023 as the possible The Winds of Winter release day, supposedly leaked by the author.
However, Martin's website does not suggest such a leak, and there is no official resource suggesting it. If the author has commented on a new release day, he must have done so privately.
In March 2022, Martin shared another update whereby he confirmed that he is still making progress on The Winds of Winter, though 2021 was not as good a writing year as 2020.
The author also pointed out that the world of A Song of Ice and Fire has become about more than just The Winds of Winter. While true, this isn't exactly encouraging for fans.
In July 2022, Martin confirmed that The Winds of Winter, along with the next book, A Dream of Spring will be different from TV show's final season.
In October 2022, in a live stream with Penguin Random House, Martin revealed that The Winds of Winter is now about three-quarters done, but there is still a lot of work until the book is anywhere near finished.
Still, this was the most positive update we had in a long time.
On Martin's Delays
Martin isn't exactly a plotter; while he knows of big plot points, he's open to things changing as he writes.
The author wasn't happy with Season 8 of the TV show, so he confirmed, in his blogs that the books - if and when they come out, will take a different approach.
Even for big-name authors, it is hard to predict a comprehensive publication timeline when the book isn't even close to completion.
After the manuscript is handed in, edits will likely be required. Only when the manuscript is officially completed, can we begin the countdown, until the book reaches our shelves.
With the House of the Dragon finally on our screens, interest in The Winds of Winter is bound to intensify but to what effect?
Martin's involvement in HBO shows doesn't hasten the writing process and many fans have given up by now.
Fast forward to 2023, and there's a new George R.R. Martin sci-fi project in development.
Hunter’s Run, a 2007 sci-fi novel by George R.R. Martin, Daniel Abraham, and Gardner Dozois will be adapted into a TV show, as Exile Content Studio has procured the rights.
George R.R. Martin has expressed excitement for the project and it is very likely that he will be involved in the production. It remains to be seen if this development will mean further delays for The Winds of Winter.
Martin's most recent update suggests that he's still working on it, but many fans are fed up thinking they've heard this one time too many.
Related: That Shocking Game of Thrones Twist Was Part of George R.R. Martin's Plan All Along
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