A biography for George R. R. Martinhasn’t been written yet.
“The vast majority of writers out there, they finish their books, and no one cares whether their book is late or ever comes out at all. And then it comes out, and two reviews are published, and it sells 12 copies.”
“I have done a lot of work in Hollywood myself. I worked in television for roughly 10 years, from the mid-'80s to mid-'90s. And I was on staff at a couple of shows. I did some feature films, including originals and adaptations.”
“As Faulkner says, all of us have the capacity in us for great good and for great evil, for love but also for hate. I wanted to write those kinds of complex character in a fantasy, and not just have all the good people get together to fight the bad guy.”
“I've written some standalone novels, but a book series allows fans in. There's much more intense involvement.”
“I don't know if I have any particular views about women in positions of power, though I do think it's more difficult for women, particularly in a Medieval setting. They have the additional problem that they're a woman and people don't want them in a position of power in an essentially patriarchal society.”
“I had a couple of friends, but I was mostly the kid with his nose in a book.”
“I know some writers can write on the road, but I'm not one of them.”
“I've always preferred writing about grey characters and human characters. Whether they are giants or elves or dwarves, or whatever they are, they're still human, and the human heart is still in conflict with the self.”
“I have idea files of books that I want to write one of these days, stories I want to write one of these days, but I'll probably never get to them.”
“The cable makers are the ones who are willing to take risks and do something original and push the envelope some.”
“It's like these ideas, these characters, kind of bubble up inside me, and one day they're not there, and the next day they are there. They're alive, and they're whispering in my head and all that stuff, and I want to write about those things.”
“Don't write outlines; I hate outlines.”
“Nobody is a villain in their own story. We're all the heroes of our own stories.”
“I've been many kinds of writers in my career: novelist; tele-playwright; short story writer. As a high-school student, I wrote amateur pieces for fanzines, and I've written for Hollywood.”
“The prejudice is still there, but it's breaking down. You have writers like Michael Chabon and The Yiddish Policemen's Union. He's a writer who's determined to break down genre barriers. He's done amazing things.”
“You want people to be eager for your book; the downside is when the people forget the series even exists.”
“I have always been a dark writer.”
“In my 10 years that I spent out in TV and film, I had my shares of frustrations and annoyances and disappointments, but also I think it was, in the long run, it was very good for me in a whole bunch of ways.”
“I watch NFL football on Sundays. I enjoy gaming with friends, meaning role-playing games; I still enjoy going to conventions and traveling.”
“I prefer to work with grey characters rather than black and white.”