George RR Martin is a creative writer best known for his series of novels A Song of Ice and Fire. When I first read the series (which is still an ongoing creative process by Martin; please finish the series George!) I was taken aback by the depth and scope of the novels. They were highly detailed, from taking pages to describe the foods at a feast to describing in vivid detail the brutal realities of medieval warfare. George RR Martin is a masterful creative writer in this way. During my reading of my focus book, “The Creative Spark” by Fuentes, I noticed some similarities in the writing styles of Martin and the creative evolution in humanity described by Fuentes.
George RR Martin’s creative process is a unique one. He has on multiple occasions lamented that he cannot write well, or quickly. He has openly joked that he wishes he was more like Stephen King, who is known to write multiple pages of fiction a day. Martin’s creative process begins with focus, and modeling. He is a student of history and aims to make his stories as realistic as fantasy can allow; they are grounded pieces of literature. Martin makes models of castles and armies as he imagines what they would look like, or how they would act in his stories. Further, Martin isolates himself from outside distractions during his creative process. He does not use a computer that is connected to any internet connection, and he does not use any forms of social media. His old Apple Macintosh computer is solely for his writing of stories. Martin deploys the creative aspects of focus, modeling, and technology in a unique blend.
Fuentes’ book “The Creative Spark” details how humans have evolved to be creative. I think there is a direct parallel between Martin’s work and the human evolution of creativity. Martin tends to keep his stories grounded, as he attempts to rely on the real world around him for inspiration. Fuenties describes how humanity became creative to express more human-like emotions, typically as we evolved as higher rational creatures. For example, humanity is a collaborative effort, and George RR Martin details this in his often political and dramatic writings on medieval court life.
Hi Patrick!
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin, and I also found myself in awe by his novels. His ability of coming up with such a detailed fictional universe filled with so much lore is so fascinating! His background in history definitely adds an extra layer of depth that ties the series together. I was surprised to hear that Martin isolates himself to create such a masterpiece, though it makes sense given the period.
I am also reading "The Creative Spark", and I can see the parallels between Martin’s work and all the political rivalry and human collaboration that occur throughout his novels. I have always been captivated by the medieval era and tying it in with fantasy elements must have been such a fun creative process. I really hope he finishes the series soon, but I doubt it will happen. :/