Quotes from George R. R. Martin

Many writers will get a contract by selling chapters and outlines or something like that. I wrote the entire novel, and when it was all finished, I would give it to my agent and say, 'Well, here's a novel; sell it if you can.' And they would do that, and it was good because I never had anyone looking over my shoulder.

Don't write outlines; I hate outlines.

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.

A lot of writing takes place in the subconscious, and it's bound to have an effect.

The wildlings seemed to think Ygritte a great beauty because of her hair; red hair was rare among the free folk, and those who had it were said to be kissed by fire, which was supposed to be lucky.

The wide world is full of people wanting help, Jon. Would that some could find the courage to help themselves. - Lord Commander Mormont

None of us is ever ready,' he (Ned) said. 'For knighthood?' 'For death.

I have a huge emotional attachment to characters I've created, especially the viewpoint characters.

I write from this tight third-person viewpoint, where each chapter is seen through the eyes of one individual character. When I'm writing that character, I become that character and identify with that character.

When I'm writing from a character's viewpoint, in essence I become that character; I share their thoughts, I see the world through their eyes and try to feel everything they feel.

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.

Tolkien made the wrong choice when he brought Gandalf back. Screw Gandalf. He had a great death and the characters should have had to go on without him.

Sleep is a little death, dreams the whisperings of the Other, who would drag us all into his eternal night.

The eunuch had looked death in the face, so near he might have kissed her on the lips.

Why do our dreams become so much smaller when they finally come true?

Sorcery is the sauce fools spoon over failure to hide the flavor of their own incompetence.

Faith is like porridge. Better with milk and honey.

A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.

The best fantasy is written in the language of dreams. It is alive as dreams are alive, more real than real, for a moment at least, that long magic moment before we wake.

We read fantasy to find the colors again, I think. To taste strong spices and hear the songs the sirens sang.

I like grey characters; fantasy for too long has been focused on very stereotypical heroes and villains.

Start with short stories. After all, if you were taking up rock climbing, you wouldn't start with Mount Everest. So if you're starting fantasy, don't start with a nine-book series.

Yes - 90% of fantasy is crap. And so is 90% of science fiction and 90% of mystery fiction and 90% of literary fiction.

Unfortunately in television, for whatever reason, fantasy became thought of as a kids' genre.