You’ve probably seen the headlines. Every few months, like clockwork, a snippet from the George RR Martin blog—famously titled "Not a Blog"—gets chewed up by the internet’s giant content machine. One day he’s talking about the New York Giants' abysmal defense, and the next, he’s accidentally triggering a global meltdown because he mentioned he’s "still working" on The Winds of Winter. Honestly, the "Not a Blog" has become more than just a diary. It’s a cultural barometer for the most patient (and sometimes most toxic) fandom in literary history.
But here’s the thing: most people aren’t actually reading the blog. They’re reading a Tweet about a Reddit thread about a screenshot of the blog.
The Chaos of the Not a Blog in 2026
If you haven’t checked georgerrmartin.com lately, the vibe is... complicated. We are now well into 2026, and the digital landscape of the George RR Martin blog is a mix of high-stakes updates and surprisingly mundane slice-of-life posts. One week, George is mourning a lost friend or celebrating a Hugo Award win; the next, he’s defending himself against "fan" heckling at conventions like Worldcon 2025.
It’s personal.
Back in late 2025, George dropped a post that basically broke the fandom. He admitted that while he’d produced new pages for The Winds of Winter and Blood & Fire (the Fire & Blood sequel), his television projects had "eaten up" most of his time. This kind of transparency is George’s trademark, but it’s also his curse. By being an open book—pun intended—he gives critics exactly enough rope to hang him with.
Why We Keep Refreshing the George RR Martin Blog
Why do we do it? Why do we keep clicking?
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Basically, it’s the only place where the man himself speaks without a PR filter. In a world of polished Instagram feeds and corporate press releases, George still uses a platform that looks like it was designed in 2004. He writes about the "mood" he’s in using little mood icons. He talks about his "minions" and his theater, the Jean Cocteau Cinema.
The AI Controversy and the Human Element
Just a few months ago, the blog became a battleground for a different reason: artificial intelligence. When a 20th-anniversary edition of A Feast for Crows dropped, fans claimed the art looked "AI-generated." The George RR Martin blog was where the pushback happened. Raya Golden, Martin’s art director, had to step in with a forceful denial, stating unequivocally that George’s camp will never work with generative AI.
George is actually suing OpenAI right now.
He’s one of the lead plaintiffs in a massive copyright case, arguing that these models are essentially "systematic theft on a mass scale." He even made a point to say that "no computer will ever write The Winds of Winter." That statement alone was a double-edged sword; it confirmed his commitment to the craft, but also subtly reminded everyone that the "human process" is taking a very, very long time.
Decoding the 2025 Progress Reports
Let’s get real about the numbers. For years, the running estimate was that the book was about 75% done. Then, in a late 2025 update, the tone shifted. The "75%" number felt more like a weight than a milestone. Fans on Reddit's r/asoiaf have spent the last year debating if the book is actually regressing.
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"I have bad days, which get me down, and good days, which lift me up, but all in all I am pleased." — GRRM on his writing progress.
Is he actually pleased, though?
The blog often reveals a man caught between two worlds. On one hand, he’s the architect of the most successful fantasy franchise of the century. On the other, he’s a guy who just wants to talk about Howard Waldrop short stories and travel to Seattle for Worldcon. When he posts about A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (the upcoming Dunk & Egg show), the comments section—if it were open—would be a war zone.
People want the "Main Quest," but George is out here doing side missions.
The "Not a Blog" Strategy: How to Actually Read It
If you want to understand what’s actually happening with the George RR Martin blog, you have to look past the Winds updates. Here is how you should actually digest his posts:
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- Look for the "Mood" Icons: They are unironically the best indicator of his productivity. "Productive" or "Busy" is good. "Depressed" or "Melancholy" usually follows a period of heavy criticism or the loss of a contemporary.
- Watch the Wild Cards Posts: If he’s talking a lot about Wild Cards, it means he’s in "Editor Mode." This doesn’t mean he’s not writing Winds, but it means his administrative brain is at the steering wheel.
- The HBO Rants: Occasionally, George gets spicy about adaptations. His recent gripes about "butterfly effects" in TV writing (specifically regarding House of the Dragon) show that he’s still deeply protective of his lore, even if he isn't finishing the books as fast as we’d like.
The reality is that 2025 was a "dark year" for progress, according to most hardcore analysts. The radio silence during certain months was deafening. But then, a flicker of life—a mention of visiting Braavos or a chapter for Cersei—and the cycle begins anew.
Actionable Insights for the Weary Fan
Stop looking for a release date. It’s not coming in a "Surprise! It's out tomorrow" post. The George RR Martin blog will likely announce when the manuscript is delivered, followed by months of editing and production.
If you’re feeling "Winds-fatigue," here’s what you can actually do:
- Read the Dunk & Egg Novellas: With A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premiering soon, these are the best "bridge" to the main series. George has already said he has plans for 10-12 more of these stories once Winds is done.
- Support the Howard Waldrop Projects: George is spending a lot of his "legacy" energy on bringing the works of his late friend to the screen. If you want to understand George's taste beyond dragons, look at The Ugly Chickens or Night of the Cooters.
- Ignore the "Leaked" Dates: Every year, a fake "October release" or "Early 2026" rumor goes viral. If it isn't on the George RR Martin blog, it is 100% fake.
Ultimately, the blog is a reminder that George is a human being, not a content-generating machine. He gets tired. He gets cranky. He gets distracted by the Jets. And as long as he’s still posting, there’s still a chance the story finds its ending.