Editing A Song of Ice and Fire (section)

===Writing process===
[[File:Richard Burchett - Sanctuary (1867) contrasted.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|''A Song of Ice and Fire'' series was partly inspired by the [[Wars of the Roses]], a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England. This painting ''[[Sanctuary (painting)|Sanctuary]]'' by [[Richard Burchett]] portrays [[Edward IV]] demanding that his defeated enemies be taken from [[Tewkesbury Abbey]].]]
Setting out to write something on an epic scale,<ref name=cnn/> Martin projected to write three books of 800 manuscript pages in the very early stages of the series.<ref name=grrm_iv_sfsite2/> His original 1990s contract specified one-year deadlines for his previous literary works, but Martin only realized later that his new books were longer and hence required more writing time.<ref name=grrm_iv_locusmag/> In 2000, Martin planned to take 18 months to two years for each volume and projected the last of the planned six books to be released five or six years later.<ref name=scifi_magical_tale/> However, with ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' series evolving into the biggest and most ambitious story he has ever attempted writing,<ref name=grrm_iv_consumerhelpweb/> he still has two more books to finish {{as of|2024
|lc=y}}. Martin said he needed to be in his own office in [[Santa Fe, New Mexico]] to immerse himself in the fictional world and write.<ref name=grrm_iv_januarymagazine/> {{as of|2011}}, Martin was still typing his fiction on an [[IBM PC compatible]] computer running [[MS-DOS]] with [[WordStar|WordStar 4.0]].<ref name=grrm_blog_110217/> He begins each day at 10&nbsp;am with rewriting and polishing the previous day's work,<ref name=deepmagic41/> and may write all day or struggle to write anything.<ref name=grrm_iv_januarymagazine/> Excised material and previous old versions are saved to be possibly re-inserted at a later time.<ref name=grrm_iv_consumerhelpweb/> Martin does not consider ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' a "series" but a single story published in several volumes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://grrm.livejournal.com/562606.html|title=Hugo Nominations Open|last=grrm|date=February 7, 2018|access-date=February 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180209155057/https://grrm.livejournal.com/562606.html|archive-date=February 9, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Martin set the ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' story in a [[secondary world]] inspired by Tolkien's writing.<ref name=grmm_iv_ew/> Unlike Tolkien, who created entire languages, mythologies, and histories for Middle-earth long before writing ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', Martin usually starts with a rough sketch of an imaginary world that he improvises into a workable fictional setting along the way.<ref name=newyorker/> He described his writing as coming from a subconscious level in "almost a daydreaming process",<ref name=dragonsworn/> and his stories, which have a mythic rather than a scientific core, draw from emotion instead of rationality.<ref name=grmm_iv_weirdtm/> Martin employs maps<ref name=grrm_iv_januarymagazine/> and a cast list topping 60 pages in the fourth volume,<ref name=nytimes_vile_hobbits/> but keeps most information in his mind.<ref name=guardian_barbarians/> His imagined backstory remains subject to change until published, and only the novels count as [[canon (fiction)|canon]].<ref name=grrm_iv_consumerhelpweb/> Martin does not intend to publish his private notes after the series is finished.<ref name=grrm_iv_januarymagazine/>

Martin drew much inspiration from actual history for the series,<ref name=deepmagic41/> having several bookcases filled with medieval history for research<ref name=grrm_iv_sffworld/> and visiting historic European landmarks.<ref name=scifi_fowl/> For an American who speaks only English, the history of England proved the easiest source of medieval history for him, giving the series a British rather than a German or Spanish historic flavor.<ref name=grmm_iv_polish/> For example, Ned and Robb Stark resemble [[Richard, 3rd Duke of York]], and his son [[Edward IV]], and Queen Cersei resembles both [[Margaret of Anjou]]<ref name="west20140329">{{cite news | url=http://www.spectator.co.uk/arts/television/9168401/game-of-thrones-tells-the-story-of-britain-better-than-most-non-fiction/ | title=Game of Thrones tells the story of Britain better than most histories | work=The Spectator | date=March 29, 2014 | access-date=March 27, 2014 | author=West, Ed | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928045307/http://www.spectator.co.uk/arts/television/9168401/game-of-thrones-tells-the-story-of-britain-better-than-most-non-fiction/ | archive-date=September 28, 2015 | url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Elizabeth Woodville]].<ref>{{cite web | last=Adair | first=Jamie | title=Cersei Lannister: the evil queen we love to hate | url=http://history-behind-game-of-thrones.com/warofroses/cersei | website=historygot.com | date=May 5, 2013 | access-date=May 18, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916105547/http://history-behind-game-of-thrones.com/warofroses/cersei | archive-date=September 16, 2017 | url-status=live }}</ref> Martin immersed himself in many diverse medieval topics such as clothing, food, feasting, and tournaments to have the facts at hand if needed during writing.<ref name=scifi_magical_tale/> The series was in particular influenced by the [[Hundred Years' War]], the [[Crusades]], the [[Albigensian Crusade]], and the [[Wars of the Roses]],<ref name=deepmagic41/><ref name=grrm_iv_sffworld/> although Martin refrained from making any direct adaptations.<ref name=deepmagic41/> Martin was also inspired by the French historical novels ''[[The Accursed Kings]]'' by [[Maurice Druon]], which are about the [[French monarchy]] in the 13th and 14th centuries.<ref name="bbc french"/><ref name="jewish legacy"/> Martin has also said that important events of the narrative, such as the 
"Red Wedding", a crucial twist in ''A Storm of Swords'',<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/03/10/game-of-thrones-red-wedding/ |title=Game of Thrones' Red Wedding is based on Scotland's Black Dinner in 1440 and Glencoe Massacre of 1692 |date=March 10, 2018 |access-date=March 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200317205430/https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/03/10/game-of-thrones-red-wedding/ |archive-date=March 17, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> are based on events in Scottish history such as the [[Black Dinner]] of 1440 and the [[Massacre of Glencoe]] in 1692.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Conradt |first1=Stacy |title=The real-life events that inspired Game of Thrones' Red Wedding |url=https://theweek.com/articles/463588/reallife-events-that-inspired-game-thrones-red-wedding |website=The Week |date=June 5, 2013 |access-date=10 November 2021}}</ref>

Martin has also drawn from Roman history for inspiration, comparing Stannis Baratheon to the Roman Emperor [[Tiberius]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYeJMwAhMTY | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211028/zYeJMwAhMTY| archive-date=2021-10-28|title=George RR Martin on the Inspiration for Stannis Baratheon |author=Aegon Targaryen |website=YouTube |date=April 4, 2018 |access-date=August 28, 2021 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref> 

The story is written to follow principal landmarks with an ultimate destination, but leaves Martin room for improvisation. On occasion, improvised details significantly affected the planned story.<ref name=time_grrm_ivp3/> By the fourth book, Martin kept more private notes than ever before to keep track of the many subplots,<ref name=fantasyonline/> which became so detailed and sprawling by the fifth book as to be unwieldy.<ref name=ew_fantasy_king/> Martin's editors, copy editors, and readers monitor for accidental mistakes,<ref name=fantasyonline/> although some errors have slipped into publication. For instance, Martin has inconsistently referred to certain characters' eye colors, and has described a horse as being of one sex and then another.<ref name=newyorker/>