Game of Thrones: George RR Martin QUIT reading fan theories as worried THIS would happen

GEORGE RR MARTIN reveals he stopped reading Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire fan theories as he didn’t want them to influence his writing.

By George Simpson, Film & Music Editor

14:41, Mon, Aug 19, 2019 Updated: 15:30, Mon, Aug 19, 2019

Winds of Winter: George R.R. Martin discusses novel in 2018 1769444256tTKdgBpE

The 70-year-old has spoken out in a new interview of how he steers clear of Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire fan theories on the internet now. Speaking with The Observer, Martin said: “At first I was very flattered and I’d go on message boards and think: ‘Oh, this is cool, they’re all really excited.’” However, the author soon realised he couldn’t continue reading predictions for The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, especially if they were wrong. After all, he might be tempted to be inspired by them.

Martin continued: “But then I began to think: ‘No, I should really steer clear.

“‘I don’t like the fact that some people have figured things out that are correct, and I don’t like the fact that other people have figured out things that are wrong but that could influence me too.’

“So I took myself out of all that and let fans have their theories, some of which are right and some of which are wrong. They’ll find out which when I finish.”

The author has also spoken of his relief that Game of Thrones is over, admitting it had a bad effect on him.

george rr martin and ASOIAF

Game of Thrones: George RR Martin QUIT reading fan theories as worried THIS would happen (Image: GETTY/AMAZON)

George RR Martin

George RR Martin is 70-years-old (Image: GETTY)

He said: “I don’t think [the TV series] was very good for me.

“The very thing that should have speeded me up actually slowed me down.

“Every day I sat down to write and even if I had a good day … I’d feel terrible because I’d be thinking: ‘My God, I have to finish the book. I’ve only written four pages when I should have written 40.’”

Meanwhile, Martin has set himself a personal deadline to complete The Winds of Winter.

winds of winter and george rr martin

George RR Martin has set a personal deadline for The Winds of Winter for next summer (Image: PACKSHOT/GETTY)

Martin has been struggling to finish The Winds of Winter, what with its complexity and the distractions of also working in TV.

Nevertheless, he’s set himself a personal deadline of next summer.

He’ll be heading to WorldCon in New Zealand and he’s said that if he doesn’t have a published copy in his hand when he arrives, he gives fans “formal written permission to imprison me in a small cabin on White Island, overlooking that lake of sulfuric acid, until I’m done.