Why Winter Isn’t Coming (At Least Not Yet)

Last month The Ringer suggested that the proliferating projects competing for George R. R. Martin’s time might be why he’s years late in finishing The Winds of Winter. “If Martin really wants to finish Winds, why does he do so much work that doesn’t help him finish Winds—and, in fact, appears to prevent him from doing so? Let’s consider several possible explanations.” Beyond the most likely possibilities—he’s stuck, he’s lousy at saying no or at time management—is an intriguing hypothesis: he’s simply responding to economic incentives. “Martin stands to make a vast sum of money for finishing Winds, but people are already paying him handsomely not to. […] Martin’s HBO deal sure seems like a setback for Winds, but you try turning down mid-eight figures in favor of finishing something that’s already taken 10 years.”