George R.R. Martin
Reuters

George R. R. Martin has finally given an update on the release date for The Winds of Winter, the sixth book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series.

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Responding to a fan's request for an update on the status of the book, Martin noted on his blog that 2017 could be the year for The Winds of Winter. The last official update from Martin about the release date was in January 2016.

"You really think statements like that would make a difference? Ah, you sweet summer child. I have years of experience with this that tells me otherwise. But okay, I will try it your way," Martin wrote on his blog titled Not a Blog.

As for the status of The Winds of Winter, Martin wrote: "Not done yet, but I've made progress. But not as much as I hoped a year ago, when I thought to be done by now. I think it will be out this year. (But hey, I thought the same thing last year)."

Martin wanted to release the sixth instalment before Game of Thrones Season 6 aired in April 2016. But when he realized he wouldn't meet that deadline, Martin took to his blog to inform his fans that he was done with setting deadlines.

"I won't make excuses. There are no excuses," Martin wrote in the 2016 blog post. "No one else is to blame. Not my editors and publishers, not HBO, not [Game of Thrones showrunners] David [Benioff] & Dan [Weiss]. It's on me. I tried, and I am still trying. ... I am going back to my stance from last March, before all this. It will be done when it's done. And it will be as good as I can possibly make it."

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