George R.R. Martin Ponders the End of ‘Game of Thrones’

Sure, the HBO version of Game of Thrones has caught up to the books and George R.R. Martin should be home, typing as fast as his fingers will go to het to the end of his epic fantasy series. We all agree there.

But the bearded author was nevertheless in New York over the weekend to attend the Staten Island Yankees‘ “Meet George R.R. Martin Night.” There, he took a moment to at least muse about the end of the books when The Observer asked if plans to kill off everyone in the end…

“I haven’t written the ending yet, so I don’t know, but no. That’s certainly not my intent. I’ve said before that the tone of the ending that I’m going for is bittersweet. I mean, it’s no secret that [J.R.R.] Tolkien has been a huge influence on me, and I love the way he ended “Lord of the Rings.” It ends with victory, but it’s a bittersweet victory. Frodo is never whole again, and he goes away to the Undying Lands, and the other people live their lives. And the scouring of the Shire — brilliant piece of work, which I didn’t understand when I was 13 years old: ‘Why is this here? The story’s over?’ But every time I read it I understand the brilliance of that segment more and more. All I can say is that’s the kind of tone I will be aiming for. Whether I achieve it or not, that will be up to people like you and my readers to judge.”

Season six of GoT premieres on HBO next year.

Steven Moffat on Writing

The BBC website has a truly fascinating video interview with DOCTOR WHO and SHERLOCK executive producer/lead writer Steven Moffat in which he talks about writing and his process. Yes, he mentions examples from DW and SHERLOCK, but the important stuff is (I think) his explanations of how he approaches things like writing itself, creating characters and what makes a great dramatic moment. He also doesn’t think writing should be such a solitary process. (Not sure I agree with him on that one, but who am I to argue…)

Follow this link to Writer’s Room to see the video (because BBC won’t let me embed it here); I think it’s totally worth devoting 11:20 to hearing about how and why a master of the craft of TV writing works!