Since the previous Song of Ice and Fire book was published in 2011, fans have eagerly been awaiting the next two installments to cap off the series. On average, author George R.R. Martin has taken 4 years to release each new installment, but since the significant success of its HBO adaptation Game of Thrones, Martin has been enjoying fame on a new scale. The show, having since surpassed the books and come to a close, has only brought more attention to his books, but as a result of its success, The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring have been 12 years in the making so far.

In addition to the entries on this list, Martin frequently writes to his fans via his blog ironically named "Not a Blog" and is active on Twitter. Although George R.R. Martin is free to spend his time and life however he so chooses, fans might be curious as to what he may have been working on in the meantime, in order to tide them over while we wait for more from the maestro:

Game of Thrones (2011-2019 TV show)

Kit Harington playing Jon Snow in Game of Thrones
Image via HBO

To begin with the obvious one - the job that is most likely responsible for the long delay in writing book 6 - HBO's Game of Thrones is its biggest hit to date. A record-breaking 16.5 million people tuned into its Season 8 Finale in 2019, with another 15 million catching up at a later date. The show has become a critical, audience and awards favorite, and its merchandising has put George on the same level of fame and notoriety as his hero, J. R. R. Tolkien. As well as having created the world and characters, Martin was a writer on 4 episodes from 2011 to 2014.

The Lands of Ice and Fire (2012 book)

The Lands of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin
Image via Bantam

After the TV show's second season, Martin released The Lands of Ice and Fire, a boxed collection of 12 maps from the world of his A Song of Ice and Fire novels. The maps were illustrated by cartographer Jonathan Roberts, and cover everything from Westeros to Asshai. This is the first instance of Game of Thrones' success influencing Martin's writing outside of the show itself, proving the high demand for all things Westeros amidst the Thrones-mania of the 2010s.

Game of Thrones (2012 Video Game)

Game of Thrones video game
Image via Cyanide

Not to be confused with the Telltale Games adaptation from 2014, Game of Thrones is a 2012 action role-playing game developed by Cyanide. Based on the television adaptation, it features the voice talent of the show's stars Conleth Hill (Lord Varys) and James Cosmo (Jeor Mormont). Written by Martin, it is a gritty immersive opportunity for fans of the books and show to dive into the world of Game of Thrones themselves. It was released on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Dangerous Women (2013 anthology book)

Dangerous Women by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois
Image via Tor Books

The first installment with nothing to do with A Song of Ice and Fire, Dangerous Women is an anthology book of short stories edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. Its 21 short stories and novellas span several genres from some of the biggest authors usually known for science fiction and fantasy. The theme that threads through each one is "dangerous women"; the stories showcase the supposedly fairer sex's capacity for bloodshed and horror.

Old Mars (2013 Anthology Book)

old-mars-george-r-r-martin
Image via Bantam

Another anthology of short stories edited by Martin and Dazois in 2013, Old Mars is a collection of retro-style science fiction stories set on the red planet. A celebration of what Tor Books calls the "Golden Age of Science Fiction", this is a loving throwback to an era before modern space exploration understood what we know now. In 2014, Old Mars won a 2014 Locus Award, and its popularity as a niche anthology introduced many of Martin's new fans to his works in other genres.

Game of Thrones Ascent (2013 video game)

Game of Thrones Ascent game screenshot
Image via Disruptor Beam

Written by Martin plus 5 other writers, Ascent is a mobile strategy game from Disruptor Beam. Again based specifically on the HBO television series, the game allows its players to embody the mentality of Westeros' cutthroat politics, building alliances and making enemies as they strive to be the greatest house in the Seven Kingdoms. The game had over 9 million registered players before it was mysteriously shut down in 2019 leaving fans confused and disappointed.

The World of Ice and Fire (2014 book)

The World of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin
Image via Bantam

In 2006, George R. R. Martin enlisted the help of the fan-site admins of Westeros.org Elio García and Linda Antonsson. Together, Martin and his "superfans", who went on to consult on the HBO show, wrote this companion book to his A Song of Ice and Fire series. Historical references collected from Martin's books by García and Antonsson were compiled before Martin himself polished it, adding new material. Martin's planned "sidebar" stories became too much for the book leading him to publish parts of the removed material in Dangerous Women, Rogues and The Book of Swords respectively.

Rogues (2014 anthology book)

Rogues anthology book edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois
Image via Bantam

Gone Girl's Gillian Flynn and The Sandman's Neil Gaiman feature their works in this 2014 anthology, yet again edited by Martin and Dazois. Rogues extends to sci-fi, mystery, historical fiction, epic fantasy, sword and sorcery, comedy, tragedy, crime stories, and mainstream, all featuring some form of the rogue archetype.

Wildcards (book series)

Wild Cards I Volume One edited George R. R. Martin
Image via Tor Books

Wild Cards is an anthology of science fiction and superheroes. This shared universe written by over 40 authors is referred to as the "Wild Cards Trust" will each installation edited by George R. R. Martin and Melinda M. Snodgrass. Set during an alternate version of a post-World War II USA, it follows those affected by an alien virus that rewrites DNA and mutates humans. Since, A Dance with Dragons in 2011, Wild Cards released Low Ball in 2014 and High Stakes in 2016, both edited by Martin and Snodgrass, with 6 more forthcoming.

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Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! (2015 movie)

George R.R. Martin has made his fair share of cameo appearances since promotional interviews for HBO's Game of Thrones made him instantly recognizable. He was featured in the original unaired pilot for the adaptation, as well as in the role of Maester Martin in the 2012 video game. However, Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! was the biggest surprise for most. Desperate to feature the author (and fan of Sharknado) in the film, director Anthony C. Ferrante, agreed to shoot in Martin's theater in New Mexico to accommodate the author's availability. The scene was originally set during the storm sequence and featured Martin stating "winter is coming" to a bride at his side (an homage to the Red Wedding), but to avoid pacing issues, it was later moved to a different point in the film. In the clip, Martin gets eaten by a shark that tears through the projection screen.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2015 book)

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R. R. Martin
Image via Bantam

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a prequel spin-off to A Song of Ice and Fire set almost a century before the events of Game of Thrones. This book is a collection of all three Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas; The Hedge Knight originally published in 1998, The Sworn Sword from 2003, and The Mystery Knight from 2010. "Dunk" is a knight who later becomes the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard according to the lore, known as Ser Duncan the Tall. "Egg" is his companion on these adventures, and is the future king Aegon V Targaryen. This compilation was published due to Martin's intention to write more Dunk and Egg stories in the future.

Old Venus (2015 anthology book)

Old Venus by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois
Image via Titans Books

After the success of Old Mars, Martin and Dozois return to retro-style short story anthologies with Old Venus. All the stories are set on Venus, written in the style of old 1930s-to-1950s pulp magazines from before modern astronomy and space exploration. As such, many of these stories portray Venus as a planet largely considered habitable for the humans of the future.

Various Executive Producer Credits (2018-2022 TV shows)

Dark Winds featuring Zahn McClarnon and Kiowa Gordon as Leaphorn and Chee
Image via AMC

The name "George R.R. Martin" has come to mean a lot more since the world-sweeping popularity of Game of Thrones. It's no surprise that several new TV shows with his approval and encouragement have strived to credit Martin as Executive Producer, meriting their series with his name and boosting their status as upstart TV shows. Meow Wolf Origin Story, Nightflyers, and Dark Winds all credit the Game of Thrones creator as E.P., having first broadcast in 2018, 2018 and 2022 respectively.

Night of the Cooters (2022 short film)

This 34-minute movie was directed by and stars Daredevil and Full Metal Jacket's Vincent D'Onofrio. It details the accounts of a supposed 1800s Martian invasion of Pachuco, Texas. A far cry from Cowboys vs Aliens, Martin himself produced this adaptation of a novel by Howard Waldrop. Much like his Old Mars and Old Venus anthologies, this is an homage to the classic pulp magazine stories of aliens and monsters that Martin loved so much throughout his youth.

Elden Ring (2022 video game)

Elden Ring
Image via FromSoftware Inc.

Elden Ring is a 2022 action role-playing game directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki based on original fantasy lore by George R. R. Martin. Released on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X, this third-person game sees the player's customizable character on a journey to repair the Elden Ring, and make them the Elden Lord. It's an interactive open world in which the six main areas are explored on horseback. The world features several types of weapons and magic spells the player can use to conquer foes on their mission.

House of the Dragon (2022 TV show)

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower and Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in front if a dragon's eye in 'House of the Dragon'
Image via HBO

Based on a 2018 book by Martin that details the history of House Targaryen, Fire and Blood, this HBO show has proven a worthy successor to the mega-hit Game of Thrones, even winning the Emmy for Best Drama Series after its first season. Similarly to other peripheral Westeros histories by Martin, like 2015's The Sons of the Dragon and 2022's The Rise of the Dragon, Fire and Blood reads like a history book and therefore doesn't detail the dramatic plot lines as intricately as the series has time to. The series stars famous faces like Matt Smith, Paddy Considine and Rhys Ifans, and its series debut garnered over 20 million viewers, a record-breaking feat for HBO.