Bryan Cogman

“After we map out all the main characters' individual arcs, using color-coded index cards, we arrange them by episode and get a rough idea of the scene order.”

“I come from the theater, where the response to your work is immediate, and I suppose there's a part of me that still craves that.”

“As far as engaging with fans... it's a tricky thing. I enjoy seeing the feedback on Twitter, etc. It's probably the actor in me.”

“When we're shooting, I'm in producer mode.”

“'A Storm of Swords' is a massive volume, and it seemed like it would be shortchanging it to try to cram it into ten episodes.”

“I think 'The Americans' is exceptional on every level.”

“I tend to work in coffee shops. I need to get out of the house, and, well, I need the coffee.”

“Coming out of Juilliard, I had a big head, and a lot of people wouldn't want to be an assistant. But I am so fortunate, and I've learned a ton.”

“I tend to write the episodes in the middle of the season, which can be a challenge because you've got to balance all these threads that have begun - and also make sure they will make sense with the overall plan going forward.”

“I'm a big fan of the underdogs.”

“I hate when the major event of a show I watch is spoiled for me. And I'm wracked with guilt when/if I spoil something for someone else.”

“I don't think of the characters as being good or bad because that doesn't help me as a writer.”

“I couldn't enjoy 'A Dance With Dragons,' unfortunately. Of course, I enjoyed it, but it was the first of the books I read as a writer on 'Game of Thrones,' so all I could do is think, 'We're going to have to shift that,' 'We won't be able to afford that,' or 'That's a great scene.'”

“The pressure used to wear on me. I was on Twitter a couple years ago, and I couldn't handle it all that well. Don't get me wrong, because 90% of the feedback you get is fantastic.”

“Don't limit yourself to one thing.”