"The Winds of Winter" is slated to be released on the first half of 2016. Fans of "Game of Thrones" could not wait to hear more details about the next book in the "A Song of Ice and Fire series but author George R.R. Martin explained that he could no longer write faster even if he wanted to.
Speaking at his alma mater Northwestern University, Martin shared that he was surprised that the HBO series "caught up to him." Because of his huge lead, he said that he never thought that it would happen. He shared that he had a 17-year head start given that the he started writing the series in 1991 and it was only picked up in 2008. The author, however, admitted that he was a very slow writer.
Speaking to Vulture, Martin said that he had come to terms with his writing speed, adding that there is really no way to make him go faster. He
"I write at the pace I write, and what the show is doing is not going to change what the books are," he said.
Martin added that he always has an idea of how the series would end. Although he refused to reveal more spoilers, he said that he always envisioned it as "something bittersweet."
When asked about his inspiration for writing "Winds of Winter," Martin said that he usually got it from reading popular history and drawing from his and friends' personal experiences. He added that he has always been intrigued with characters who "reflect the complexity of human experience."