Interview
George R.R. Martin goes into a “trance” while writing Game of Thrones novels
George R. R. Martin is one of the most celebrated authors today. His works combine elements of both the real world and fiction, which add a unique flair to his novels. Martin’s characters are very unique, a tinge of grey, and some of them possess unique abilities. And it seems like he himself has an innate power, he goes into a trance-like state when walking through the world of Westeros, before writing it down.
George R. R. Martin is conscious of fan expectations
Martin has often been criticized for his slow writing speed, and he acknowledges that. In an interview with The Guardian, he said, “The show has achieved such popularity around the world, the books have been so popular and so well reviewed, that every time I sit down I’m very conscious I have to do something great, and trying to do something great is a considerable weight to bear.”
The trance-like state is hard to achieve
Martin explained how he imagines characters and the world before he starts writing, “On the other hand, once I really get rolling, I get into the world, and that happened recently with Fire and Blood. I was going to sleep thinking of Aegon and Jaehaerys and waking up thinking of them and I couldn’t wait to get the typewriter.
The rest of the world vanishes, and I don’t care what I’m having for dinner or what movies are on or what my email says, who’s mad at me this week because The Winds of Winter isn’t out, all that is gone and I’m just living in the world I’m writing about. But it’s sometimes hard to get to that almost trance state.”
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