George RR Martin on Character Development

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A song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones Author George R. R. Martin Interview

[@TheCanadian0495]

I’ve gone down a hole and I can’t stop watching GRRM interviews. Please send help

[@megadeth1818]

A Dream of Spring is never coming out

[@jesstallica4089]

Two weeks later and I’m following your trail.

[@FsocietyGS]

Post-GOT/ASOIAF life is really hard ffs

[@ECXLEvan]

White Wolf I’ll send help if I get out myself

[@lalarie831]

Me too! I think it’s helping me grieve

[@hannahlouise7210]

I keep imagining George’s laughter as he’s writing a death scene of a pivotal character.

[@JAugusto17]

Loool

[@squidlytv]

He actually struggles with killing his characters

[@mirayoquese8608]

@@squidlytv yeah it's kinda the opposite way around. He always has said that the Red Wedding was the most difficult chapter to write for him, to the point that it was the very last chapter he wrote in ASOS, because he delayed it as much as possible. He refused to write the episode of GOT where it happens, because he didn't want to go through that again.

[@malahamavet]

He knows when to make jokes and when to be serious. Not everyone can do that while being interviewed

[@valdaniels4078]

“The only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself”. ― William Faulkner.

[@burgerwater6300]

Said that in the video dumbass but thanks anyway

[@Birrrrra]

@@burgerwater6300 calm down

[@thomy1955]

@@burgerwater6300 I guess we found somebody with some conflict in his heart

[@borysvengerov3398]

@@thomy1955 and he dared to write about it. A solid writer here!

[@joefriedman9843]

So prevalent in his books

[@lucasimonelli5038]

I wish we had writers like him in Hollywood. He really understands what makes a story interesting and compelling

[@Mael_Str0M]

We used to, then he had some vision of a boy witnessing a beheading and then finding dire wolf pups in the snow back in 1991.

[@AndyRoidEU]

I guess that this video will become popular after the premiere of S08E05

[@nickwolf6544]

Or episode 6

[@samc9516]

Weirdly I enjoy being called a "bloody bastard" by GRRM

[@CATDHD]

It's an acknowledgement of readers' wit by the writer

[@darkprinceofdorne]

"Yes George, yes we are."

[@peachyedwards]

“A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities.” - J.R.R. Tolkien

[@cheydinal5401]

"I kinda forgot about the Iron Fleet. But then I ripped that chapter out the book and redrafted it"

[@cbabygags2553]

0:32 The way he said, "do I do that?"

[@sharik6862]

Yeah, GRRM is a really fun guy

[@NavinLuke]

Asking those questions that only blackout drunks and Steve Urkle can ask

[@seponsacoolya]

Tyrion loses his tongue confirmed....

[@malahamavet]

😂😂🤣🤣 that would be so fucked up but he is so smart he would find a way to overcome it. I don't think it will happen but if it does, i want to read that shit

[@Beraksekebon21]

@Jethro Torczon lol

[@coreyburkeen9455]

Well I think GRRM just confirmed that losing his name and money was what will define him just like Jamie losing his hand and Cersei losing her vanity

[@TheTonyEntertainment]

@Jethro Torczon 😔

[@asmartistenthusiast3469]

@Jethro Torczon 😂😂everyone lost their mind s8

[@johnlovesbananas]

I've just realised after listening to this that George RR Martin's alter ego is actually Tyrion Lannister

[@suspicioustumbleweed4760]

Plus he says he’s the most similar to him in another interview.

[@JezielProdigalSon]

I believe G.R.R.M has several alter egos in his story. Sam Tarly and Bloodraven also being some of them.

[@dromeus21]

I don't know. He looks more and more like Grand Maester Pycelle

[@juldor93]

all great writers have vast imagination, thats why they are able to create captivating stories with amazing world bulding and fantastic characters. This to an untrained eye would seem as having alter egos and in a sense it certainly is

[@timholt6287]

I might be crazy, but Quentyn Martell is a Young G.R.R Martin.

[@jarrod5855]

I feel like George cutting Jamie's hand off was his way of forcing Jamie to think more like a politician than just a warrior.

[@natekinch]

Duh duh dar doi? Daaarrr doidah

[@carmendiez5214]

And it forced him to figure out who he is, because if he isnt a knight, he does not know anything else.

[@chuckles3116]

Jaime’s arc almost seems like George regret the fact that Roberts’s struggle to find self-worth outside of battle and fucking was cut short by his death, so George realized that Jaime had sort of retreated into the same hedonistic glaze and explored what would happen if he was cut off from his vices and had to look at himself.

[@craz5634]

@@chuckles3116 I really like this interpretation

[@LadyPrincessDiana]

I wanna hug him like the genius, big teddy bear that he is ♡ Stay healthy for a long time Mr. Martin!

[@chiefbeef5777]

Sure you can call the interviewer unprofessional and even obnoxious but at least he knows his stuff and comes off as a genuine fan. So many of these interviews do I see the interviewer fumbling over name pronunciations and even flat out getting facts wrong. I'll take someone obnoxious over someone who doesn't know their stuff any day of the week.

[@Nemoticon]

Its just banter...

[@aussieboy4279]

Dude his not obnoxious.... His Australian. I can see how you could get confused :P

[@kizi180]

@Mauro Cigliuti Or maybe it just a different culture.

[@Nobody-fb7ni]

I 2000 of course he can handle it but I think it’s annoying.

[@RRSmurf]

His voice is annoying but he was fine as an interviewer imo.

[@mackfarlainethebarenakedau5113]

I love hearing a writer talk about writing.

[@Bartooc]

I must say good job to the interviewer. He ask question often in a funny way but then let George express himself without interruptions. Unlike the one interview with a certain lady.

[@squidwarden226]

seen the interview with the lady, I was fuming.

[@metromafiabigson]

Sheesh I remember that laaaadyyyyy ***in bill burr voice**

[@QueenDaenerysTargaryen]

They say every time George laughs, a character dies.

[@dreambrother16]

This has aged well.

[@Beraksekebon21]

How so?

[@AsaNoGaijin]

I love his laugh

[@JeromeKT]

I was at the wheeler centre and met George at this event, good to see the interview is still doing the rounds

[@Musaaa1]

Who's here after season 8 ? Bam character development out the window

[@bp56789]

Umm his name was Bran?

[@sadisticwinter8354]

I never watched all of game of thrones, neither have I read ANY books, not even held one...but I think he's so interesting and his writing tips and insights are great.

[@MD-du5fj]

Thank you for uploading these!

[@didimockets]

Jaime's hand was his ego. When he lost his hand, he lost his ego, thus opening his path to redemption.

[@AndyRoidEU]

19 dislikes are from D&D and their production staff

[@Nobody-fb7ni]

What do the production staff have to do with anything? The problem with s8 was the writing.

[@samuelleask1132]

*just D&D and their 17 other accounts

[@RoboEpic]

LMAO

[@BrianWilliams4556]

If only DnD watched this

[@GenericUsername-qp1ww]

or Di$ney/Lucasfilm

[@madamedurand4830]

“The only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself” _includes white walkers_

[@thedude6307]

A good interviewer!!!!!!!!!! FINALLY no fake laugh ladies

[@alltimesad9288]

guy’s really hung up on jaime’s hand

[@queenshersei896]

This is why I read his work and what makes asoiaf so fantastic

[@Thaistickthai]

I miss reading the series and listening to my fav youtube asoiaf content creators discuss their favourite theories... cuz twow is taking a decade... Ya bastard, ya magnificent bastard.

[@eduardocunhadecarvalho4778]

Such a legend

[@TajuAlim]

That quote by William Faulkner is everything!

[@mykls8712]

I enjoyed this clip~

[@gerrysabron]

his brilliant, the rationale he gives in his answers are dynamic but consistent logically...sure he can speak more profoundly, but amazing how he translates it to his audience...

[@abdalabi3617]

Legend!

[@aleksilaine2758]

5:39 Martin when he kills off characters...

[@slagveldtd82]

disney star wars should listen to this ;)

[@wr9411]

Or season 5-8 Game of Thrones

[@slagveldtd82]

@@wr9411 I totally agree with you

[@nordicgaming2572]

He gets faced with a lot of stupid questions, yet he answers them with such finesse. Got nothing but respect for this man!

[@meurer13daniel]

Those are not stupid questions, tho

[@ValerianWitch]

I agree with him, ASOIAF is perfect.

[@MrTaxMan666]

The human heart in conflict with itself = having the knowledge of Good and the knowledge of Evil putting u in the middle.

[@RSKEDITS]

His laugh is haunting me!

[@timothyshaw5498]

I just have to say, for all of those who question a Good God who allows Evil to befall good people, why? He may just be an author like George R.R. Martin. Who knows, your crappy life may be on the Best Sellers List on a higher plane of existence...

[@GestaltCipher]

Well, would a God that's trying to make our lives the coolest story be good? Maybe, for some people. But since we're talking about the structure and nature of a story (GRRM mentions the Faulkner quote about writing about a human soul's conflict), the thing that grabs us all is a story of change, of growth. This is closely echoed in Judeo-Christian scripture. The Lord in these texts repeatedly refers to the "refiner's fire" and "the furnace of affliction" and many similar ideas when speaking of his people. In other words, a process of great heat and difficulty that purifies, that makes better. Is it a coincidence these ideas intersect with exactly what we want to read about, or is it touching on something deep in our psyche?

[@mercurialpierrot7073]

"Do I do that?"....yes George, yes you do. 😂🤣

[@gmwarriorx]

"Not your hero has a really good time." Entourage would like to disagree!

[@adamseidel9780]

I love this interviewer. He’s researched, he’s asking questions he’s interested in, he’s not asking questions to make some other point, and he’s having fun and encouraging GRRM and the rest of us to enjoy it too.

[@sanjokazooee8136]

This guy looks like he just finished leading praise and worship for hillsong

[@kamuelalee]

Annoying fellow

[@TH-xq7ic]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha the IRONY

[@khaliddiallo3658]

Such a great wrriter I respect him like if he was god What is dead may never die 😂😂

[@sportsnewz5608]

You have to put your character in crisis. The dark night of the soul.

[@xcuzion]

Eagle eye... well, no Azor Ahai in the HBO GoT

[@xcuzion]

@@anip1027 In the serie, Melisandre helps Stanis because she thinks he was the chosen to be Azor...Jon was revived because Melisandre says he's gonna help in the battle against Night King and he do nothing in the battle...

[@siakoahmed6840]

guys hear me out. I recently watched a video about grrm's mistakes in asoiaf. a huge fan had done the video and he didn't miss a thing. in the video he mentions the horse that used to be male and in the future books were female or the other way around. he also mentions the eyes mistake I think it's renly's that was supposed to be a certain colour but it was different in the later chapters. the entire video were around were around 7 such mistakes and the "biggest one" was supposed to be the fact that (SPOILER ALERT) a valyrian dagger is a mistake to give to an assassin for bran's murder. so by the end of the video I was genuinely shocked. imagine building a world, writing a series that's FANTASY, 1.5 MILLION WORDS, 30 MAJOR CHARACTERS, HUNDREDS OF MINORS, THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF HISTORY. and you only make 5-7 mistakes. this is fucking Briliaaaaaant.... as he once said: "10 years from now, no one will say how late they were published, but how good they were". so take your time with the last books george, we expect nothing less than perfect from you.

[@JohnnyCatFitz]

38 seconds in and George doesn't even have to say what a stupid question that was. Just make the observation and question that detail.

[@SicilianoLDS]

Finally a good interviewer 👍🏻

[@George-um2vc]

Rey Skywalker has left the chat

[@knurdyob]

maybe this is god's thought process as well, sure helps me to make a bit more sense of this whole thing

[@ojaycandraw1945]

Santa Claus tells us who is naughty or nice

[@jamomma7296]

Bran has his legs taken from him. Arya has her family taken and basically has to become a crazy homeless assassin. Catelyn has her family taken, Robb loses his childhood, Jon loses everything. Lmao Daenerys whole family has been wiped out, I mean they all some sad ass mf’s. Tyrion loses his lovers and his family. Cersei loses children, Jaime loses his sword hand. Sam loses his title and has to love with rapists and murdereres and live in misery with Jon.

[@IchibanOjousama]

Is there a character Michel?

[@Daemonussy]

1:03

[@ashleyandmicahenglish5587]

"Character development? I just kill them and introduce new characters..."

[@ashleyandmicahenglish5587]

@Jethro Torczon Ha... Ha... Ha...

[@GenericUsername-qp1ww]

still more character development than MaRey Sue in the Star Wars fanfic trilogy

[@legrandliseurtri7495]

Martin has killed three pov characters... Out of like 20.

[@ricoco7891]

​@@legrandliseurtri7495 You're right that it's not that many, despite what it feels like. But again there are also plenty of important characters who aren't POV's, so maybe that's why people feel like so many important characters are killed off.

[@yevheniishyshko7961]

GRRM: #noregrets

[@nikhilyenumula3207]

Daenerys, Jon, Sansa and Arya are under constant crises. Cersei, Tyrion and Jailor are away from crises.

[@citizensguard3433]

Ah yes... nothing like a good old “nurse novel” lol

[@anthonyduarte841]

Asoiaf is the new bible. and GrrM is Gawd

[@gerrykline744]

YOu all have to know the dragons are going to die, its a marvelous tactic, we have grown attached to them as being a savior, but its coming....Calling it now! Final battle, Drogon will be changed to a warged whitewalker, Danny will have to pull the trigger on the last remaining BALLISTA to bring him down as he will destroy everything. Her relationship has been written to have such a heart breaking ending that this would be the last , LONGEST running true intimate connection that will be a bittersweet ending!

[@gbeach85]

gerry kline Sucks to be so wrong, huh?

[@jessicatang5162]

Meanwhile... isekai

[@Cryogenius333]

Watched this interview has me now hunting feverishly for evidence of this androgynous horse.

[@dragunov815]

Hmph.

[@GenericUsername-qp1ww]

*sees title* a.k.a what Di$ney/Lucasfilm dont know anything about. George should b the director of ep 9 (mainly becuz I have no doubt he'd kill off Rey)

[@citizensguard3433]

Next time I go to the public library... Where’s the Nurse Novel section? “Oh, nursing books are right over there in non fiction medical section” No no no no no... not nursing books... nurse NOVELS “Ummm like what? Novels about nurses?” No... the genre Nurse Novels!!! George Martin recommended them to me!!! “Sir, can you please leave?”

[@MatthewJBD]

He's never finishing these books.

[@verydifferentthought]

George looks like a Hobbit, but with no problems

[@someguy7723]

i will beat him to death if he kills off Jamie just for the "shock"

[@markmotarker]

Interesting . He doesn’t like dead ends. Well... thats exactly what the end of the series was. A bunch of dead ends.

[@jamisonwonch4715]

The show wasn't made by him. He had no part in the last few seasons.

[@marcbauerett1232]

The interviewer is terrible. Instead of genuinly asking questions for which he is excited about, he tries to catch GRRM off guard and put him on the spot. And not just in this video.

[@cowboyanimal6700]

Could they not afford to give the host a haircut before interviewing the man?

[@MrINTERVENTIONS]

Game of Thrones isn't perfect till its completed.

[@MatteeTheRogue]

I hate how that guy is sitting on the couch.

[@DTHRocket]

Boooooooo

[@ripLunarBirdCLH]

Yeah, character development is good. But there is that slight problem that killing characters makes their character development useless. Essentially if you kill your characters on regular basis, a good part of potential readers will never even reach for your books. Because why would they? All character development in your books is essentially bullshit because the reader already know that those characters will certainly die anyway.

[@DarthNicky]

this might be true if he just randomly killed characters for no reasons, but the way in which characters die in ASOIAF is almost always a consequence of some decision they've made, or a flaw in their character. By having some major characters die, it ramps up the stakes and keeps the reader guessing as to whether or not their favourite character(s) will be able to remake themselves and be better, or if their flaws will lead them to their deaths like in the cases of Robb Stark or Tywin Lannister.

[@RRSmurf]

Very good interviewer but his voice is... umm.. annoying 🤣 Love listening to GRRM's answers 👍🏼

[@cbktheguy]

First

[@darllington8995]

Indeed

[@RobWright1981]

The Australian guy asking the questions is obnoxious.

[@enlighten92]

1 minute in and that is already one of the most annoying interviewers I have seen.

[@hungothanh4913]

the interviewer was obnoxious

[@Beraksekebon21]

4:40 thats cringe

[@jackbharucha1475]

The horse's pronoun is they.

[@bjudah]

I don’t like this interviewer 😓 or his hair

[@TheAherm123]

Annoying interviewer.

[@pleasedontwastefood]

This interviewer is obnoxious. I mean, at least sit up straight, man! Have some respect, jeez.

[@samguy7654]

Wtf ? He was alright

[@samguy7654]

You sound like my dad sheesh

[@chaiteasheet1102]

Tf you talking about

[@PigeonCrash]

I agree.

[@geminiwriter8875]

The OP has a point people. GRRM is a very low energy and serious person who jokes often but not all the time. People feed off the interviewer’s energy which makes it awkward when a philosophical and thoughtful person like GRRM because of the differences in energy and hype. Also, in defence of the interviewer, from his accent (similar to my own in NZ) he’s Australian, and knowing those Kangaroos, they get hoppy if a major celeb visits their shores. So cut him SOME slack.

[@bytefoundry8702]

The only character development GRRM has been working on is himself... One cheeseburger at a time.