George RR Martin to his detractors

[Crothian]

Seriously, how many novels have his detractors written?

Why does that matter? Just because other people don't do what he does does not mean they can't complain about it or be disappointed in him.

Many writers have long periods between books but Martin more then others I've noticed has a lot of excuses. Maybe it is because he's trying to be more communicative with his fans and that's just not working for him. I don't know. What I do know is that for some reason he seem to be the only writer who gets threads like this of people complaining about him.

 

[Remus Lupin]

Well it matters to me because I don't think a lot of them understand that writing well is a very difficult task. Writing poorly is rather easier. Martin's problem is that he has a blog where he talks about his life, and then people judge him for watching football instead of working.

Not that anyone's really waiting for a book from me, but if I wrote on my blog that I was playing with my kids or watching TV, it would probably annoy me if I then got a bunch of emails excoriating me for not spending every waking minute on my ever-forthcoming book.

And again, it's not like he's doing nothing. Two new "Wildcards" books have come out in the past two years.

I'm as impatient as anyone for the next book. But I'm not about to write the man nasty emails.

 

[Fast Learner]

I certainly don't mind. As long as the quality is maintained, I'll be perfectly happy to read a new one every 5 years or so.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Martin's problem is that he has a blog where he talks about his life, and then people judge him for watching football instead of working.

No, to me the problem is that he once had been productive. Putting out three books in the series in four years. Then one more in nine years since and leaving folks hanging that more is coming. I think that If he had left it ambiguous that more was on its way, people not would be hanging on every thing he did, analyzing his moves, to see how far along the next book was.

 

[Krug]

No, to me the problem is that he once had been productive. Putting out three books in the series in four years. Then one more in nine years since and leaving folks hanging that more is coming. I think that If he had left it ambiguous that more was on its way, people not would be hanging on every thing he did, analyzing his moves, to see how far along the next book was.

It's only been a small percentage that's been impatient. Seriously I don't think 98% of readers care that much.

 

[Felon]

Buh? I think it was pretty clear I didn't mean "poor" from a financial perspective. I agree that Martin is a talented and successful writer who probably makes pretty good money (although, probably not as much as you might think).

I don't care if the guy sleeps on a solid gold mattress or a piece of cardboard under a bridge . . . .

OK, let's hold it right there a tick. The distinction between a wealthy person with problems and a homeless person with problems is not small. To equate nasty emails as meriting as much sympathy as hypothermia and malnutrition is irrational. You should care.

So? Doesn't change the fact (well, fact IMO) that his detractors are out of line and most definitely "losers" (again, IMO, of course).

I don't buy the crap that celebrities don't deserve pity. Because Tom Cruise is rich and successful beyond imagining gives the paparazzi (and the overly curious public they serve) the "okay" to follow every detail of his personal life, and that of his wife and child? Does John Travolta deserve little to no pity over the death of his son, and the relentless media coverage of the tragedy? Does Anna Nichole Smith deserve no pity for the tragic mess her life became, ending with the death of her son and then her own too-soon-demise?

Or, to bring it back down to a scale similar to GRRM's issues with detractors, does George Lucas deserve all the ire from fanboys over his decision to take the Star Wars franchise in a direction different from what many of us would have preferred (i.e. more kid-friendly, kid-focused)? (heh, I'm sure to catch some hell myself for a defense of Lucas!)

All I can say to that attitude is, "Whatever, dude."

It is hard not to note that your own posts are full of inflammatory words and unilateral hostility, evoking the same qualities of "nerdrage" you condemn.

The logic behind why celebrities aren't truly victims is inescapable: they are in a hell of their own choosing. You want fame-based success, you know what the price of admission is well beforehand. Meanwhile, there are millions of other folks who are genuine victims of circumstance, with real problems like disease and poverty and mass slaughter--stuff that paparazzi and "nerdrage" don't hold a candle to. Guess there's not much satisfaction in sticking up for a bunch of stinking nobodies.

Whether or not someone has a big pile of money to sleep on is not a minor, easily-disregarded factor. So, again, in that big line of folks entitled to pity, Martin can wait near the rear, though he does warrant a spot in front of the highly pity-undeserving Cruise (self-important nutjob who fancies himself a guru), Anna Nicole (gold-digger with a lethal case of gluttony), and Lucas (who went "kid-friendly" not because he's a Willy-Wonkaesque nice old chap who wants to make all the little children happy, but because he's a greedy, greedy sod who sold out his opus to pimp Happy Meals and Legos). But in front of Martin, there are millions of folks really hurting.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

It's only been a small percentage that's been impatient.

I disagree that those who are impatient is small, much less 2% of his fans. It may be a vocal 2% who are all nerdrage over it though. Nerdragers and the generally impatient aren't the same thing though there is overlap.

 

[drothgery]

I decided after reading book 2 of A Song of Ice and Fire that Martin wasn't for me. In retrospect, I'm thinking this was a very wise decision.

 

[James Heard]

Meh. George wrote Sandkings. After that he doesn't need to make apologies to anyone for anything.

 

[Simplicity]

Meh. George wrote Sandkings. After that he doesn't need to make apologies to anyone for anything.

You're right. He just has to be eaten alive by the throngs of insects who used to worship him as a god.