Game of Thrones Creator Reflects on the Toxic Nature of Fandom

Few creators are as familiar with toxic fandoms as Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin, especially given the responses to the HBO adaptation of his novels, with the author recently taking to his own blog to express his frustrations with contemporary fandoms. While not specifically citing Game of Thrones fans and any vitriol they hurled his way, Martin detailed how the divisive opinions of fans on social media make it difficult for him to engage in any fandom, with conversations being motivated by fans relishing in what they hate as opposed to celebrating what they love. With two more books expected to be released in his A Song of Ice and Fire series, Martin will sadly have to prepare for toxic fans for a few more years.

"Well, I take solace where I can. In chocolate thrones, if nowhere else. In books. In films and television shows," Martin shared on his blog. "Though even there, toxicity is growing. It used to be fun talking about our favorite books and films, and having spirited debates with fans who saw things different... but somehow in this age of social media, it is no longer enough to say, 'I did not like book X or film Y, and here's why.' Now social media is ruled by anti-fans who would rather talk about the stuff they hate than the stuff they love, and delight in dancing on the graves of anyone whose film has flopped."

Martin's next Fire and Ice book, The Winds of Winter, has been a work in progress for more than a decade, with progress understandably delayed due to his connection to the HBO series. The toxic nature of fandoms likely also has an impact on the author, as he might feel pressure to "fix" the things that fans felt the TV series did "wrong." 

Based on comments Martin made about Winds of Winter this past November, it might still be quite some time before the author has to endure any backlash surrounding the book's release.

"The main thing I'm actually writing, of course, is the same thing ... I'm 12 years late on this damn novel and I'm struggling with it," Martin revealed on the Bangcast. "I have like 1,100 pages written but I still have hundreds more pages to go. It's a big mother of a book for whatever reason. Maybe I should've started writing smaller books when I began this but it's tough. That's the main thing that dominates most of my working life."

Stay tuned for updates on the future of the A Song of Ice and Fire series.

What do you think of the author's remarks? Let us know in the comments!