Just gonna throw out some stuff at the wall and see what sticks:
I love both authors, and I am not trying to disparage. However, over time I've have noticed how Gillian Flynn has yet to release a new novel. A long delayed (and hopeful) search showed that it has now been 13 years, and not a single novel since then.
Now, we all know that A Dance with Dragons (2011) brought the world's greatest cliffhanger (to my knowledge) 15 years ago, right? Curious that it was the same year Game of Thrones started on HBO. Not saying that there's some absurd grand illusion with invisible parties pulling the strings; but how intriguing, from a psychological perspective; that both parties would virtually stop writing altogether after signing contracts with HBO?
By many viewpoints, this is only natural: you're now making more money to develop TV shows for HBO? I would do the exact same thing. I totally understand both author's perspectives. But why has the output stopped? Does a person only have so much creative energy or ideas that it are eventually exhausted? Does the influx of money outright kill the creative drive? Are there personal pressures like publicists or PR we don't see?
I don't know the answers, and this is not intended to be a loaded question or words of condemnation. Just, what's going on? They seem like perfectly capable artists that have plenty more ideas. It's been over a decade, for crying out loud.
And while they've both written several short stories since 2012, the coincidence of both authors starting up an HBO show, and their authorship output screeching to a halt is not a correlation that ought to be ignored.
Thoughts?
by branflakes4547
9 Comments
HBO curse real
I really think the tv show GOT getting ahead of the books really put a damper on George’s writing. I remember a lot of people being disappointed with the ending of the show. He also has a lot of other projects he works on like House of the dragon. So who knows.
I have no idea what George RR Martin has been up to, but it looks like Gillian Flynn has been writing for TV and producing shows.
I think they both presumably made enough money from HBO that they’re only working on projects that interest them, at a pace that suits them. For GRRM, this doesn’t really seem to include ASOIAF.
I thought Flynn’s case was that she simply came up for ideas on books three different times and the last one became a best seller (which retroactively boosted her other two books). I’m not sure if she ever really had a career goal to be Stephen King or anything.
Authors burn out or move on to different things. It happens.
The difference, to me at least, is that Gillian Flynn hasn’t left any of her stories unfinished while exploring her other interests. There’s no expectation of a Gone Girl sequel.
GRRM doesn’t get off that easy.
I don’t know much about Flynn. But GRRM has kept writing and publishing books. One of which, ironically, was published in 2018 and turned into another HBO show. His writing output has not stopped. It’s one particular book that causes the issues.
I understand your point but I think you’re stretching it a bit. He’s writing less, for sure. And I’m sure the HBO work plays a role in that. But it hasn’t stopped.
interesting take, OP. maybe the pressure of adapting their work for TV messes with the creative flow or they just got burnt out from the industry. can’t blame them for cashing in though, would do the same if I were in their shoes.
She didn’t stop writing, though…
Oh my sweet summer child…George stopped making any progress long before Game of Thrones started airing.
A Dance With Dragons was basically just the other half of A Feast for Crows (2005.)
George wrote ASOIAF from the perspective of ~30 different characters. Every chapter would switch point of view.
George had such a difficult time with his rapidly sprawling plot lines and trying to get them to converge that he had to split A Feast For Crows in two and only include ~half of the POV characters.
I still remember reading AFFC in 2005 after the ending there were a couple pages saying something to the effect of “dear fans you’re probably wondering where your other favorite characters are. Fear not their chapters have already been written! But the book had to be chopped in half due to length. Fear not, ADWD will be hitting bookstores this fall and you can hear about what Tyrion, Dany, etc. have been up to!
It took six more years to get ADWD.
And of course because ADWD was (mostly) the other half of AFFC we still have cliffhangers from 2005 that aren’t resolved (except maybe in pre-released bonus or preview chapters.)