George R.R. Martin
The 'curse' of 'The Winds of Winter' looms large as George R.R. Martin publicly outlines numerous future projects, including six more 'Dunk and Egg' novellas and the final volume, 'A Dream of Spring'. YouTube

The long wait for The Winds of Winter has become legendary among fans of George RR Martin's epic saga. For years, the novelist's promises of a next instalment were met with anticipation and, later, a growing fear of a 'curse' looming over the entire series.

Now, with Martin announcing a raft of additional books, that old anxiety is resurfacing: will we ever reach the end?

Despite his ongoing difficulties completing The Winds of Winter, George R.R. Martin is busy mapping out numerous upcoming books and novellas. The sixth instalment in the A Song of Ice and Fire series has been in development since 2011, and the writer has encountered numerous setbacks over the intervening years, which have slowed his progress.

Is The Winds of Winter the final volume he'll deliver? It seems unlikely, as Martin is intent on closing out his hugely successful franchise with one further title, A Dream of Spring.

Martin Juggles Three Epic Projects

Will he conclude after this? His work won't cease, as he has also made arrangements to carry on with his Fire & Blood saga, alongside the Dunk and Egg tales. On his website, Not A Blog, Martin wrote, 'I just need to finish THE WINDS OF WINTER, and then do either A DREAM OF SPRING or volume two of FIRE & BLOOD, and slip in a new Dunk & Egg between each of those in my copious spare time'.

Currently, there are three novellas in the Tales of Dunk and Egg series, and six more planned titles are waiting to be written.

GRRM's Massive Plans Amidst 'Winds of Winter' Delay

Martin recognises the condemnation and anger from followers regarding the substantial delay in publishing his novel. Over the past few years, he has been candid in his progress reports, even acknowledging his inability to complete the work on time.

While the protracted anticipation is genuinely painful for those who long to read the book, readers are most upset that Martin succeeded in releasing other publications, such as 2018's Fire & Blood, yet The Winds of Winter remains undone. He stated before that his attention is on the upcoming Dunk and Egg novella.

In the last few years, fans have received scarce information about the volume, in contrast to when Martin began writing it. Detailed in this record are all of his announcements and remarks on The Winds of Winter, covering the time he claimed he was three-quarters finished until he dubbed the project the curse of his life.

Spin-offs Progress Faster Than 'The Winds of Winter'

Martin has previously asserted that The Winds of Winter retains the highest precedence, but the arrival of two seasons of House of the Dragon and an additional spin-off due next year — A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms — suggests his effort is concentrated on developing more live-action projects.

Another series coming up is Aegon's Conquest, which is now entering the early stage of production. In July 2025, screenwriter Mattson Tomlin confirmed Martin's participation, indicating that a further project is set to consume a portion of the writer's schedule once more.

Show Name: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Release Date: 18 January 2026
Showrunner: Ira Parker

A Dream or a Delay?

With George R.R. Martin publicly committing to completing three major book series alongside his involvement in several high-profile television productions, the looming question for fans of A Song of Ice and Fire remains: which project will ultimately capture his focus?

While the prospect of more tales set in Westeros is undeniably exciting, the shadow of The Winds of Winter's protracted delay suggests that the 'curse' of unfulfilled promises may yet hang over the highly anticipated conclusion, A Dream of Spring.

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