2018 is a slow year when it comes to George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" saga. The book series' TV show adaptation, "Game of Thrones," will debut its eighth and final season next year, while the next novel, "The Winds of Winter," is not expected to arrive anytime soon. The fans will be more upset hearing that Martin is no longer interested in posting preview chapters for "The Winds of Winter."

It was already confirmed by Martin through his last blog post that "The Winds of Winter" will not be published in 2018 and some fans were still expecting to see more preview chapters being posted on his blog site. Unfortunately, it seems that the renowned author is not going to do that either, saying that he has already released many advance chapters in the past.

"I think I have probably released too many sample chapters already. Put them all together, and what, there are probably more than a hundred pages," GRRM commented on his blog post. The author also cited one occasion where he read a preview chapter of "The Winds of Winter" in a press conference, and some people were quick to use this chapter in judging the whole content of the novel. With these things in consideration, the fans may just have to wait for the actual book to be released.

Martin also answered a fan's demand to focus on the development of "The Winds of Winter" instead of creating spin-off series based on "Game of Thrones." The author already mentioned before that he is interested in writing the history of Westeros, which could be the basis material for a spin-off TV series after HBO's "Game of Thrones." 

"The successor shows were going to happen regardless. I prefer that they happen with my participation and guidance, rather than without it," Martin said. 

Per Entertainment Weekly, Martin said that "ASOIF" fans will see the arrival of "Fire and Blood" first before "The Winds of Winter." To note, "Fire and Blood" is a narrative of the history of the Targaryen House, although it is not a part of the main "ASOIF" series. Nevertheless, it will be a worthwhile experience for the readers as they wait patiently for "The Winds of Winter."