Summary
George R.R. Martin got candid about working with Hollywood screenwriters. The popular author, whose works have been adapted for TV series and Films, shared his pet peeve during the collaboration process.
Martin is an author, screenwriter, and television producer. He is best known for hisA Song of Ice and Firebook series, which inspiredHBO’s hitGame of Thrones. Martin served as co-executive producer and writer for the series. He is also involved inHouse of the Dragon, which is based on his bookFire & Blood. Martin’s “Dunk & Egg” novellas are also getting an adaptation in the upcoming 2026 HBO seriesAKnight of the Seven Kingdoms.He is actively involved in the adaptations of his books, and in a recent event, he admitted that the most challenging part is when he works with other writers.
Martin joined author Joe Abercrombie at the Kimo Theatre in May to talk about writing, reading, fandom, and other stuff. They also answered some questions from the audience. During the chat,Martinasked Abercrombie if he had collaborated with anyone working on fiction stories. The latter said he was difficult to work with, partly because he was an editor and they only did what they were told, and while he improved others' work, it wasn’t his piece. So, he decided to shift to being a writer to have his own work, but he hasn’t found one he wants to collaborate with on fiction. While Abercrombie found collaborating in other fields a “great process,” he admitted that he became “too jealous of the control to give up” when it came to fiction. At that point, Martin said, “Television and film are ultimately collaborative.” He acknowledged working with directors, actors, studio executives, and writers. He admitted that the “hard part” is “dealing with other writers.” He clarified that he was only speaking for himself and not for him and Abercrombie. He said (via Becca Monet’s YouTube channel):
They’re adapting your book or your story, and they hire someone else to do it, and there’s a phrase that they empower this writer to – okay, take The Great Gatsby, but make it your own. And I don’t want anyone to make The Great Gatsby their own.
TheA Dance with Dragonsauthor has issues with this because he felt that in most cases, when a Hollywood screenwriter makes something their own they do not improve the source material. However, in a separate interview earlier this year, Martin praised the “substantial changes” made in theHouse of the Dragonfor Viserys Targaryen, who was portrayed by Paddy Considine. The scribe said he wrote Viserys as a “very minor” character in the book. However, when Considine portrayed the character in the HBO series, his version of the character was “so much better” than how he visualized it in his works. Martin jokingly said that after watching Considine’s performance in the show,he wanted to rewrite his book.
Martin being protective of his work is understandable. Of course, he spent years writing, revising, and publishing his work. In a previous interview withColliderearlier this year, when he promotedIn The Lost Landswith Milla Jovovich and Paul W.S. Anderson, Martin called the stories he created his children. Authors have an emotional investment in their works, and it’s totally offensive when the key points, character motivations, and themes are changed to the point that they can’t recognize that it is their story. In most film and TV deals, the creative control is handed over to the studio or showrunners, so the writers are often sidelined from major decisions. For instance,TheWitcherauthor Andrzej Sapkowskiadmitted thatNetflixdidn’t listen to his recommendations about the series.
On the flip side, screenwriters and filmmakers change the narrative of the book due to time constraints, pacing, and audience and market considerations. First, they can’t fit the hundreds of pages into a 2.5-hour film or TV episode with a 40-60 minute runtime. Also, the internal monologues don’t translate well visually. Plus, TV and films need to satisfy the three-act structure — setup, confrontation, and resolution — for a complete story arc. Another key consideration is the audience; studios may push for romance, action, or younger leads, depending on what is commercially viable. This is indeed a challenging part of the collaboration process, but all things can be discussed. With Martin having tons of works being adapted on screen, he has probably learned how to negotiate to still keep control over his works.
