George R.R. Martin Gives Quick Update on Winds of Winter Progress

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by drofgnal

But Winds of Winter? I still have my doubts it'll ever come out. If it does then there's A Promise of Spring. A 77, that'll never happen and he's already said he won't allow someone else to finish it.

It's a rather silly line in the sand for him to stick to at this point. He already allowed someone to finish writing the ending to his series: HBO. It's the only ending people are going to get. An honest man would come clean with his fans. Admit to them that he doesn't have the interest/drive/inclination to get this thing over the finish line.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

An honest man would come clean with his fans. Admit to them that he doesn't have the interest/drive/inclination to get this thing over the finish line.

In my experience, very few authors do that. Mostly those with serious health problems. Those who just lose the drive usually choose to procrastinate endlessly, like GRRM. As they're not as famous, only their fans are aware of it.

And sometimes it does happen that an author releases a sequel 10-15 years later. Seldom, though.

[Aleron Ives]

Originally Posted by drofgnal

he's already said he won't allow someone else to finish it.

I mean, once he's dead, he won't have a say in that anymore. Where there's money to be made, the lawyers will find a way around whatever last wishes he put in writing and get the last books written somehow. Maybe they'll be labelled as fan fiction, so they will legally not be official sequels.

[DNSB]

Perhaps he'll emulate Sir Terry Pratchett. His wish for his computer and unfinished works was to have a steam roller crush them in the middle of a road which his former personal assistant carried out. The hard drive proved very resistant and after multiple passes by Lord Jericho (the steam roller), it was placed in a steam powered stone crusher which finished the job.

[Quoth]

I always wondered about backups and assumed it was purely symbolic.

[rantanplan]

George Martin uses an old word processor. Word Perfect something like that. He’ll probably not have a modern backup.

[Quoth]

Wordstar on CP/M?

Backups are possible on anything. I have readable backups from CP/M and DOS on my Linux server. I do have to use an old laptop or PC to convert MS Write files as MS orphaned that (a VM is no use as no Guest Utilities for older than XP, though DOSBox can work). Wordperfect & the two main incompatible versions of Wordstar are not a problem on Linux. Wordstar 2000 isn't actually compatible as Wordstar bought that in.

Someone or himself must be able to transfer and convert the files. You can read most CP/M disc 3", 3.5", 5.25" and 8" soft sectored on a PC, or transfer by cable.

No way would I go back to Wordstar (either kind), Wordperfect, MS Word on DOS or earlier than Word XP/2002 (and it's poorer than LibreOffice 5). Loads of distraction free editors that are better. No subdirectories on CP/M (or early MS-DOS, CP/M-86 and PC DOS).

[DiapDealer]

WordStar 4.0 on DOS is what I've heard mentioned in the past.

I'm sure his DOS word-processing fetish for writing is just that--a writing fetish. No way he doesn't have modern automated backups of his stuff. But then you still actually have to sit down occasionally and write something ASoIaF-related on your steam-powered difference engine to even need new backups in the first place.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

George Martin uses an old word processor. Word Perfect something like that. He’ll probably not have a modern backup.

GRRM uses an old DOS computer with Wordstar 4.0. The computer is not connected to the Internet.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

WordStar 4.0 on DOS is what I've heard mentioned in the past.

I'm sure his DOS word-processing fetish for writing is just that--a writing fetish. No way he doesn't have modern automated backups of his stuff. But then you still actually have to sit down occasionally and write something ASoIaF-related on your steam-powered difference engine to even need new backups in the first place.

Yes.

Also backup/transfer from DOS is trivial. Even LAN is possible more easily than USB stick / SD card, though there are boxes for those that emulate a floppy (Gotek).

After DOS 2.11 you can organise with directories but only 8.3 file names!


However I've recovered a PhD thesis from a computer that failed (win 10). Made harder by disc encryption. Zero backups of two years of work! Someone I didn't know at all.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Quoth

No subdirectories on CP/M (or early MS-DOS, CP/M-86 and PC DOS).

Minor nit. My last update to CP/M with ZCPR supported directories and time stamps.

[graycyn]

I saw the "update," but as someone approaching her 7th decade on the planet, I'm dubious. I don't think we are getting either Winds of Winter or A Promise of Spring.

But, I can also understand if he's keeping his options open. He might well hope he comes up with the energy to do it, even if he's probably deluding himself. It's not really nice for the fans, but I understand it. I've got stuff I'm holding on to thinking that I'll "do something with it." It's not always easy to just give up.

As far as what happens when he passes, we'll find out, or, in my case, who knows? You don't count on tomorrows after a certain point, you just appreciate them when you get them!

As for backups, one can definitely have backups. I swear I've got files still from my Tandy 1000 and then my first Windows machine. You know, back when we were limited to 8 characters for a file name.... I'm still sorting through my computer, and as I find them, giving those ancient cryptically named files new file names. Most were plain text files, so alive, well, and readable.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by graycyn

I've got stuff I'm holding on to thinking that I'll "do something with it." It's not always easy to just give up.

Same. But then I don't have anyone waiting for me to do it. It's solely my own personal business. Once you've got waiting fans, it's no longer solely your own business if and when you do something; there are expectations. The correct thing to do in such a situation would be to admit you've lost the drive and say something like "it's not likely I'll finish this, but not entirely impossible". Yes, some fans would be indignant or angry, but I think most folks would understand. It's certainly better than to leave people hanging for decades.

Still, very few authors do this, as I said. And I'm not sure I'd have the courage to do it myself, if I had a lot of expectant fans. Do as I say, not as I do...

[rantanplan]

My reasoning is that George Martin doesn’t owe me any books. It would be great to have more of them but I’m not angry if he never gets to write them.

[DiapDealer]

That's a bit of a non-sequitur. I don't think George RR Martin owes me any books, either. I do, however think he's a bit of a putz. And don't believe any of his tired excuses for not finishing. I'm capable of thinking all of those things at the same time.