Re: A Song of Ice and Fire [2]

by Bluebottle Thu Feb 19, 2015 8:31 am

Why did you believe it was a wise decision to cut the three major battles from ADWD?

ANNE: Yes, the battles. Structurally, it would have been nice to have them. But there were two severe and real limitations. First, there are only so many pages you can actually physically bind between covers, and less than a handful of binderies out there who are actually capable of handling the larger books. When we wrapped ADWD—minus the battles—it was 1513 pages in manuscript. To include the battles… Well, we’d physically not have been able to bind it. We would have had to split it into two books, which would have felt even less satisfying. And it would probably still not be published yet, as he would STILL be writing. So we had to make a call to get the best book possible out of what actually existed at the time, which is what we did. Despite the lack of the battles, I am still really happy with it. And I know a lot of other people were, too.

I still don't agree with it. But the phrase "STILL .. writing" is certainly terrifying to contemplate. affraid

by Bluebottle Thu Feb 19, 2015 8:36 am

Really interesting run through of the roiginal manuscript of aDwDs, with annotations going back and forth between George and his publisher/editor.

http://www.reddit.com/r/asoiaf/comments/2rtcaa/i_went_to_the_cushing_library_and_went_through/

And some new, whie a month old, fodder for speculation.

by Eldorion Thu Feb 19, 2015 3:17 pm

Bluebottle wrote:I still don't agree with it. But the phrase "STILL .. writing" is certainly terrifying to contemplate.

So am I misinterpreting that, or did she just imply that four years on from ADWD, and GRRM is maybe 200 pages into the new book. Despite the fact that a significant portion of those 200 pages were already written before ADWD was published. That can't be right. Maybe she's just guessing because (IIRC) GRRM hasn't been sending regular updates to his editor. Shrugging

by Eldorion Thu Feb 19, 2015 3:25 pm

Woah major spoilers in the reddit thread regarding

Spoiler:

by Bluebottle Fri Feb 20, 2015 11:35 am

Spoiler:

by Bluebottle Fri Feb 20, 2015 11:37 am

Eldorion wrote:
Bluebottle wrote:I still don't agree with it. But the phrase "STILL .. writing" is certainly terrifying to contemplate.

So am I misinterpreting that, or did she just imply that four years on from ADWD, and GRRM is maybe 200 pages into the new book. Despite the fact that a significant portion of those 200 pages were already written before ADWD was published. That can't be right. Maybe she's just guessing because (IIRC) GRRM hasn't been sending regular updates to his editor.

With regard to that quote? I'm not sure. I mostly posted it to complaiin about them cuting the end of Dance. And their reasoning for it. I do think that quote is quite old. As for Georges progress with Winds, I was strangely just reading about that..

To attempt tor surmize what I read. George has a writing style where he will write rough drafts of chapters or partial pieces, when inspiration takes him, that he will later expand into rough drafts. These are then worked on until they are considered in a finished state, a state ready for publication. Only when finalized will these chapters be counted in Georges current page counts.

Now, up until Dance George would as part of his process finish chapters and concurrently, once every couple of months, send his progress off to his editor to be finalized. And as such consistently build his page count of finished material. He would also quite often give updates on his progress on his blog or elsewhere to his readers.

With Dance this method of working became a problem, as the problems he experienced with the different storylines, the Mereneese knot and so on, meant that he consistently had to go back and rework chapters that had previously been considered finished. As such he dropped when working on Winds both his habit of keeping his publishers updated and sending them new material as he finishes it and keeping his readers up to date. Choosing to a large degree to plod along on his own, without all the ouside pressure. With all the problems he had with Dance, I guess that's undertstandable.

So, the current situation.George has stated that Winds, as Dance, will be about 1500 MS Word pages. In excess of a hundred pages were moved from Dance to Wind as part of finalizing that book.

Because of all the problems with Dance the last time we've have comfirmation of him sending his editor Winds pages are the 168 pages he sent to his publishers in February 2013. These were pages meant to fullfill a contractual obligations, where he would get paid for his progress with the new book. These had to be all new pages, so pages already submitted and cut as part of reducing the length of Dance could not be resubmited. So, you can add those 168 pages to the 100+ pages that will be carried over from Dance. That means at least 268 MS word pages of Winds were in the hands of his publishers in February 2013.

In April 2013, at the season 3 Game of Thrones premier George stated he was a quarter of the way through the book. Meaning he either had a quarter of the book in what he considered a finished state, which would be roughly 380 out of 1500 MS-word pages, or considered a quarter of the job with the book done. Either way it seems like promising news. George has stated that Winds is taking a lot less reworking and restructuring than Dance and we do know George has more material then he has sent his publisher, as his publisher stated publicly that he keeps talking to her about chapters he hasn't sent her yet.

That's the last official update on his progress, I think. Apart from his British publisher stating the book wasn't on their 2015 schedule. Thought it's good to note neither Dance, nor Swords for that matter, was on the release schedule in January of the year of their release.

While he has been busy over the last two years, I do find it hard to belive he wouldn't have made some sort of significant progress over that two year period. So, hopefully he's further along than most people fear. And with taking time off from the tv show this year, maybe a release date in early 2016 isn't out of the question. Shrugging

(Fingers crossed, anyway.)

by Bluebottle Fri Feb 20, 2015 11:38 am

Also summed up pretty well here.

http://www.reddit.com/r/asoiaf/comments/2rruka/spoilers_all_some_clarifications_insight_into/

by Eldorion Fri Feb 20, 2015 6:46 pm

Thanks for the info, Blue. I knew some of that, but there was a lot of stuff new to me, especially in the reddit thread. Certainly encouraging news there. Smile

by Mrs Figg Fri Feb 20, 2015 10:56 pm

But surely even if he sent his editor the new chapters he would have kept a copy to work on, so that he could keep a tight hold on continuity etc?

by halfwise Fri Feb 20, 2015 11:03 pm

I know he works on computer, so he has electronic copies. And it's a very, very old computer that I think can't directly connect to the internet, so it can't be hacked.

by Eldorion Sat Feb 21, 2015 12:57 am

Yeah, he's talked about using a DOS computer for his writing alongside a more modern one for his Not A Blog and e-mail and such. IIRC he uses the old computer because he likes the word processing software on it (no spell-check that thinks Targaryen isn't a word), and because it makes it easier to focus without the Internet being a constant potential distraction. I'm sure the security side is a positive as well, though.

by halfwise Sat Feb 21, 2015 2:40 am

Every time you use an acronym like "IIRC" I have to sit down and re-puzzle it out. Not sure it's really a time saver.

by halfwise Sat Feb 21, 2015 2:44 am

In fact I had to give up and look it up. IMHO URB PITA. CIO! Rolling Eyes

IRDHTW....

by Eldorion Sat Feb 21, 2015 3:22 am

I'm sorry I didn't come visit you in the nursing home this week, Halfy. I didn't realize it would make you this cranky. Crying or Very sad

by halfwise Sat Feb 21, 2015 3:41 am

by Bluebottle Sun Feb 22, 2015 2:34 pm

ROFLWSST

by Bluebottle Sun Feb 22, 2015 2:43 pm

Eldorion wrote:Yeah, he's talked about using a DOS computer for his writing alongside a more modern one for his Not A Blog and e-mail and such. IIRC he uses the old computer because he likes the word processing software on it (no spell-check that thinks Targaryen isn't a word), and because it makes it easier to focus without the Internet being a constant potential distraction. I'm sure the security side is a positive as well, though.

He actually uses Wordstar 4.0. (Not sure if you remember that one, Halfwise. Sofa

)

4.0 was the second WordStar version to work on DOS, but was a rewrite of 3.0, which had been directly ported to DOS from CP/M. Martin says that to this day it fulfills his every writing need.

I actually like it. It does everything I want a word processing program to do and it doesn't do anything else. I don't want any help, you know? I hate some of these modern systems where you type a lowercase letter and it becomes a capital. I don't want a capital. If I wanted a capital I would have typed a capital. I know how to work the shift key!

by halfwise Sun Feb 22, 2015 2:53 pm

Yes, I remember the days when there was more than one word processor, not just one with others copying it. And more than one spreadsheet. But I only remember punch cards as something my dad would bring home for his kids to play with.

"ROFLWSST"

You lost me after 'ROFL'. Suspect

by Bluebottle Sun Feb 22, 2015 2:58 pm

Eldorion wrote:Thanks for the info, Blue. I knew some of that, but there was a lot of stuff new to me, especially in the reddit thread. Certainly encouraging news there.

Yeah, I'm crossing my fingers. Smile

It's weird to think he'll be getting up to almost the amount of time Dance took him, with the amount of problems he's gone public about having writing that, even if it comes out as soon as early 2016. Being the originator of the biggest show on television takes up the time, I guess. I am very happy for his success, but it does seem to have postponed this book a couple of years. Which is quite annoying considering all the damn cliffhangers they decided to leave us.

by Bluebottle Sun Feb 22, 2015 3:00 pm

Talking blood oranges, I always found this quite evocative.

The blood oranges are well past ripe,” the prince observed in a weary voice, when the captain rolled him onto the terrace.

After that he did not speak again for hours.

It was true about the oranges. A few had fallen to burst open on the pale pink marble. The sharp sweet smell of them filled Hotah’s nostrils each time he took a breath. No doubt the prince could smell them too, as he sat beneath the trees in the rolling chair Maester Caleotte had made for him, with its goose-down cushions and rumbling wheels of ebony and iron.

For a long while the only sounds were the children splashing in the pools and fountains, and once a soft plop as another orange dropped onto the terrace to burst. Then, from the far side of the palace, the captain heard the faint drumbeat of boots on marble.

by Bluebottle Sun Feb 22, 2015 3:23 pm

halfwise wrote:"ROFLWSST"

You lost me after 'ROFL'.

That's kind of the point. Wink

"Rolling on the Floor Laughing Yet Somehow Still Typing, originated by British comedian Bill Bailey to highlight the logical inaccuracy of modern internet abbreviations, and for a bit of a laugh. "

by halfwise Sun Feb 22, 2015 3:28 pm

I always loved ROTFLSTC.

by Bluebottle Tue Feb 24, 2015 11:18 am

And what did the cat do to deserve that.

by Bluebottle Tue Feb 24, 2015 11:18 am

Someone pointed this out..

Drogon roared. The sound filled the pit. A furnace wind engulfed her. The dragon's long scaled neck stretched toward her. When his mouth opened, she could see bits of broken bone and charred flesh between his black teeth. His eyes were molten. I am looking into hell, but I dare not look away. She had never been so certain of anything. If I run from him, he will burn me and devour me. In Westeros the septons spoke of seven hells and seven heavens, but the Seven Kingdoms and their gods were far away. If she died here, Dany wondered, would the horse god of the Doth raki part the grass and claim her for his starry khalasar, so she might ride the nightlands beside her sun-and-stars? Or would the angry gods of Ghis send their harpies to seize her soul and drag her down to torment? Drogon roared full in her face, his breath hot enough to blister skin. Off to her right Dany heard Barristan Selmy shouting, "Me! Try me. Over here. Me! "

Barristan the bold, indeed. Very Happy

by Mrs Figg Tue Feb 24, 2015 12:14 pm

she is fire proof isn't she? affraid