George R.R. Martin once slammed Internet rumors about his still-uncompleted book, The Winds of Winter, and asserted that these were completely false.
In 2017, he expressed his disapproval regarding reports about his upcoming novel being either already done or that there was no progress at all (via LiveJournal):
I don’t know which story is more absurd, the one that says the book is finished and I’ve been sitting on it for some nefarious reason, or the one that says I have no pages. Both ‘reports’ are equally false and equally moronic. I am still working on it, I am still months away (how many? good question), I still have good days and bad days, and that’s all I care to say.
The author was aware that his fans were anticipating the release of The Winds of Winter at the time, since Game of Thrones was already advancing towards the final season. Still, Martin failed to deliver on his promise.
GRRM Is Fed Up With Reports Claiming The Winds of Winter Has No Progress
Martin has addressed fans’ persistent nagging at him to finish The Winds of Winter on numerous occasions, and while he understands their frustration, he’s not evidently amused with the rumor mill spreading false reports about the progress of his book.
His last update on the novel merely revealed that he’s still working on it and that he’s facing some struggles with the writing. Still, there had been reports shared by a publishing insider that the author completed it in 2016 and another one that claimed he’s 70% done with the book, in contrast to Martin’s 2022 update that he’s three-quarters of the way done.
Either way, fans should take these rumors with a grain of salt. At the end of the day, the official update about The Winds of Winter comes from Martin himself.
Martin Isn’t Happy With Fans Blaming His Other Projects For The Book’s Delay
It’s quite obvious that the delay was brought about by Martin’s divided attention on top of his struggle with writing. He has been juggling several projects over the past years, and fans are certainly not pleased every time he makes an announcement, and it’s not the book’s release.
The author wasn’t thrilled as well. He has firmly asserted in his conversation with Time Magazine that what he’s doing isn’t completely hampering his writing.
When Martin revealed his involvement in the dire wolf de-extinction project, many concluded that he spent more time getting involved in it than in writing the book. The famed writer then defended himself and argued that it “did not seriously impinge on the writing of Winds of Winter.”
While Martin admitted he has out-of-town travels and event attendance, he assures his loyal readers that he has been making steady progress, although he cannot tell when he will finish the book.
What’s the most bizarre rumor you’ve heard about The Winds of Winter? Let us know in the comments!
