After years of anticipation, the news that fans worldwide have been waiting for has finally arrived: A Dance with Dragons is complete. For those deeply invested in the realm of Westeros and the intricate saga of A Song of Ice and Fire, this announcement marks the end of a long vigil and the beginning of a new chapter. While the publication date of July 12th is set, the journey to bring this massive book to life has been a complex dance itself, filled with revisions, edits, and a relentless pursuit of storytelling perfection.
Even after declaring “Kong is dead”—a symbolic phrase indicating the manuscript’s completion—the work doesn’t simply cease. The path from final draft to bookstore shelves is paved with meticulous effort. Editors provide invaluable feedback, prompting revisions and corrections. Copyeditors meticulously comb through the text, identifying inconsistencies and errors. Even after these professional eyes have scrutinized every page, dedicated readers often uncover further nuances and potential mistakes. The author, ever committed to delivering the best possible experience, addresses these points as time permits. Appendices are crafted, edited, and proofread, adding layers of depth and detail to the already rich narrative.
Now, as the whirlwind of pre-publication activity subsides, it’s time to reflect on the monumental undertaking that was A Dance with Dragons. For those interested in the intricate process of crafting such a vast and detailed world, and the sheer scale of the literary endeavor, delve deeper into the journey. However, be warned, venturing further may reveal SPOILERS, offering glimpses into the content that awaits within the pages of this highly anticipated volume. Proceed at your own risk, and prepare to be drawn further into the world of ice and fire.
Let’s consider the sheer magnitude of this work through numbers. The final manuscript of A Dance with Dragons reached a staggering 1510 pages. This count, generated using WordStar on a DOS machine for consistency across the series, excludes acknowledgments, dedication, and the comprehensive appendix. Upon translation to Word by the editors at Bantam, the page count expanded slightly to 1540 pages, but the author prefers the original count for comparative purposes. Remarkably, at 1510 pages, A Dance with Dragons is only marginally shorter than A Storm of Swords, which clocked in at 1521 manuscript pages using the same software and settings.
There was a point in the writing process where Dance threatened to become even more colossal. The page count swelled beyond 1600, nearing 1700 pages, raising concerns about the practicality of a single-volume publication. To manage this burgeoning length, strategic decisions were made in collaboration with the editors. Certain chapters were identified as better suited for the subsequent volume, The Winds of Winter, initiating the delicate balancing act inherent in serialized storytelling. In a saga as sprawling as A Song of Ice and Fire, determining the precise ending point of one book and the starting line of the next requires careful judgment. Decisions revolve around narrative flow, character arcs, and the impact of cliffhangers versus resolutions, whether temporary or definitive.
The author also employed a technique honed during his screenwriting days in Hollywood: “the sweat.” Faced with studio demands to trim excessive page counts, he learned to meticulously refine scripts line by line, word by word, excising unnecessary elements to reveal a leaner, more impactful narrative. This process, applied to his novels post-Hollywood, became the final stage of refinement. After completing the initial draft, he would embark on a rigorous editing pass, cutting and tightening the prose. For A Dance with Dragons, this “sweat”—largely undertaken after the publication announcement but before final chapter delivery—shaved nearly eighty pages from the manuscript, resulting in a more concise and potent text.
The result of this extensive process is a substantial book, just slightly shorter than A Storm of Swords. It encompasses 73 chapters, told through the perspectives of a remarkable sixteen viewpoint characters. While the author playfully teases revealing their identities only to retract with a humorous threat, he does offer a hint by mentioning who won’t be featured as viewpoint characters in this volume: Sansa, Sam, Aeron Damphair, Arianne, and Brienne. Chapters dedicated to these characters, already written and polished, have been strategically moved to The Winds of Winter as part of the aforementioned editorial decisions.
Revisiting the aftermath of splitting A Feast for Crows, the promise made in the “Meanwhile, Back at the Wall…” afterword rings true: Tyrion, Daenerys, and Jon Snow return to the forefront in A Dance with Dragons. These three characters command a significant portion of the narrative, dominating 35 out of the 73 chapters. Despite the sixteen viewpoint perspectives, these three central figures account for nearly half the book’s content. Adding to the familiar voices, a returning POV character, absent for the preceding books, resurfaces, albeit in a diminished state.
Characters who held viewpoint status in A Feast for Crows will reappear, as the timeline of Dance extends beyond the scope of its predecessor. Tyrion is not the sole Lannister perspective; Cersei and Jaime also feature, though their chapter count is limited. Arya Stark’s journey continues, and readers will once again follow Bran and his companions on their arduous trek beyond the Wall. The Dornish perspective is represented by two characters (one familiar, one new), and the Ironborn contribute three viewpoints, all previously established.
Intriguingly, A Dance with Dragons introduces new viewpoint characters, some entirely new to the narrative and others familiar faces now offering their internal perspectives for the first time. Initially intending to introduce only one new viewpoint, the author ultimately reveals the inclusion of four, excluding the Prologue and Epilogue perspectives. This expansion of viewpoints, in part, addressed the notorious Meereenese knot, a complex narrative challenge. While not solely a POV issue, the introduction of new perspectives aided in resolving chronological and causal complexities, ultimately enriching the book’s narrative tapestry. The author emphasizes that prioritizing a better book experience supersedes all other considerations.
Addressing persistent fan theories, the author refutes claims that the book was completed years prior and deliberately withheld for strategic release, or conversely, that writing had stalled due to writer’s block. The truth, as consistently shared on his blog, is that work on Dance has been ongoing, albeit at a slower pace than initially hoped. Periods of productive writing were interspersed with challenging phases of revision and rewriting.
Throughout the years-long process, partial manuscripts were periodically shared with editors to provide progress updates. Reflecting on these archived files after the completion of Dance, the author examined the evolution of the manuscript. Page counts referenced pertain to fully drafted chapters at specific junctures, excluding partially written or rough drafts.
The earliest partial manuscript dates back to January 2006, containing 542 finished pages. Recall that June 2005 marked the division of A Feast for Crows and the “Meanwhile, Back at the Wall…” afterword. A Feast for Crows, as delivered, was 1063 manuscript pages. Post-split, estimating roughly 400 additional pages to match the length of Crows led to the (in retrospect) overly optimistic prediction of a one-year turnaround for the next book—a lesson learned in the perils of speculative timelines.
The subsequent period underscored the inaccuracy of that prediction. The next partial manuscript, dated October 2007, was surprisingly shorter at 472 pages. Over eighteen months, approximately seventy pages were effectively “unwritten,” reflecting a phase of extensive revision, restructuring, and refinement rather than pure forward progress.
However, momentum shifted. A March 2008 partial reached 596 pages, followed by 684 pages in May 2008, and 774 pages by December 2008. Progress remained steady, albeit gradual. While rewriting and restructuring persisted, forward momentum was evident in subsequent partials: 998 pages in September 2009, surpassing the 1000-page mark in January 2010 with 1038 pages, then 1028 pages in June 2010 (a slight decrease likely due to further revisions), surging to 1332 pages in August 2010, and 1412 pages in December 2010. By March 2011, with “Kong screeching and the biplanes in the air,” the final partial manuscript reached 1571 pages. However, incomplete chapters and undecided inclusions pushed the manuscript closer to 1700 pages before the editorial process and “sweat” brought it to its final, published length.
“Kong,” the author reflects, “you were one mother of a monkey, but I’m glad you’re off my back.”
Looking ahead, the extensive drafts and revisions of A Dance with Dragons offer a potential treasure trove for literary scholars. Copies of each partial manuscript were archived at the Special Collections at Texas A&M University, alongside the author’s papers. These materials could provide invaluable insights into the book’s evolution and the author’s creative process, perhaps even inspiring a master’s thesis exploring the intricacies of fantasy literature creation. While acknowledging the possibility of critical re-evaluation, the author expresses confidence that the extended development process ultimately enriched the narrative of Dance.
Ultimately, the judgment rests with the readers. The author extends an invitation to “enjoy the read,” while already turning his attention to the next monumental task: The Winds of Winter. The cycle of creation continues, with the next “monkey” already metaphorically climbing onto his back.
