10 Years Ago Today, The Winds of Winter Missed Its FIRST Deadline (Why It’s Still Taking So Long)

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Many fans are aware that The Winds of Winter, the next book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, has been delayed for quite some time. The first season of Game of Thrones actually premiered shortly before the fifth book, A Dance with Dragons, came out in 2011. Since then, Game of Thrones completed its entire eight-season run, we’ve seen two seasons of a prequel (with a third coming soon), and another spin-off series is about to debut. While it’s true that creative work shouldn’t be forced, this timeline really highlights just how long the wait for The Winds of Winter has been.

Around the beginning of 2016, as the release of Game of Thrones Season 6 neared, George R.R. Martin wrote on his blog about the delays with his book, The Winds of Winter. He’d always aimed to have the books finished before the TV series caught up, but Season 6 was about to go beyond the existing source material, making that increasingly unlikely. Martin admitted he’d even been given – and failed to meet – an initial deadline for the book: Halloween 2015.

I was hoping to have The Winds of Winter published before the end of March, since the TV show was expected to return in early April. My publishers said they’d need the finished manuscript by the end of October to make that happen. At the time, back in May, that seemed achievable, so that became my first deadline: Halloween.

Why Is The Winds of Winter Taking So Long?

As early as 2015-2016, George R.R. Martin admitted there were reasons why The Winds of Winter was taking so long. He explained that the success of Game of Thrones had increased his commitments, and he was juggling many projects – not just writing, but also editing and producing. He acknowledged the writing wasn’t going as smoothly as he’d hoped, saying things like travel, his blog, and other work might have contributed to the slowdown. He even wondered if his age played a role, but ultimately admitted, “Sometimes the writing goes well and sometimes it doesn’t.”

His explanation aligns with everything he’s previously said about the delays – it’s not due to one specific issue, but rather his fluctuating ability to work. Whenever George R.R. Martin announces a new project other than The Winds of Winter, fans of A Song of Ice and Fire generally react with disappointment, many believing the series will never be completed. This frustration is understandable given the long wait, but it’s important to remember that Martin isn’t obligated to finish the books and is free to pursue whatever projects he chooses.

The continued delays are particularly noticeable, considering it’s already been another decade. While other commitments likely play a role, they don’t fully explain the hold-up, and there seems to be more to the story. Originally planned as three books, the series is now expected to be seven. Even when The Winds of Winter is finally released, it won’t be the last book – and it will be massive, at least 1,500 pages long. In fact, Winds may end up needing to be split into two volumes, as George R.R. Martin has introduced so many characters and storylines that bringing everything together for a satisfying conclusion is proving difficult.

The author’s approach to writing also plays a role. He sees himself as a gardener rather than an architect – meaning he doesn’t meticulously plan everything out in advance. Instead, he has a general idea of where he wants the story to go, starts writing, and lets the characters and plot develop organically, revising as needed. While this method has resulted in five beloved fantasy novels, it’s also led to some dead ends and complicated plotlines, which are now making the writing of The Winds of Winter particularly challenging.

The popularity of Game of Thrones likely complicated things for George R.R. Martin, especially considering the show covered similar ground and faced criticism for its ending. Knowing how viewers reacted to plot points like Bran becoming king or Daenerys’s descent into madness might make him hesitant. Beyond that, Martin seems to be shifting the focus of his story. He’s moving away from the complex moral ambiguities that defined earlier work and towards a more traditional conflict between good and evil, specifically with the threat of the White Walkers. This simpler narrative approach could prove challenging to execute effectively.

George R.R. Martin has actually written a substantial amount already. He estimated in 2023 (according to Bangcast) that he’s completed around 1,100 pages and is about 75% finished with the writing. That’s a hopeful sign. He remains enthusiastic and committed to finishing the series, and it’s clear he cares deeply about it – you wouldn’t dedicate 14 years to a project you didn’t value. He could have easily released a rushed, lower-quality version or let someone else finish it, but he hasn’t, which is encouraging despite the ongoing delays and difficulties. Hopefully, if The Winds of Winter does eventually come out, we won’t have to wait another decade.

All seasons of Game of Thronesare available to stream on HBO Max.

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2025-10-31 20:43