George RR Martin Not Writing 'Game of Thrones' Season 6 to Finish 'Winds of Winter'

Author George RR Martin will not be helping in writing the script of "Game of Thrones" Season 6 to work on his next novel, "Winds of Winter".

TIME reported that Martin announced through his blog on March 27, 2015 that he is aiming to finish writing "Winds of Winter", the sixth novel in the series, so he will not be able to contribute to the HBO TV series.

Martin said, "Writing a script takes me three weeks, minimum, and longer when it is not a straight adaptation from the novels."

He continued, "And really, it would cost me more time than that, since I have never been good at changing gears from one medium to another and back again. Writing a season six script would cost me a month's work on WINDS, and maybe as much as six weeks, and I cannot afford that. With David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Bryan Cogman on board, the scriptwriting chores for season six should be well covered. My energies are best devoted to WINDS."

Huffington Post reported that Martin's decision to finish the sixth book was due to the growing demand of readers to find out the next chapter of the Westeros conflicts and also to benefit the HBO TV show. In past seasons, the TV show closely followed the novels, but recently, the show is already filming as fast as the books, so Martin decided to devote all his time and energy to ensure that the gap is maintained.

According to Martin, "Game of Thrones" Season 5 will deviate from the books. Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss revealed that the series will actually spoil the end of the novels.

So far, the TV series has been well-received by fans, in terms of its translations from the novels to the screen. Screen Rant reported that in previous seasons, Martin had a key role as consultant on the show's story and direction. Every season, Martin used to write one episode until Season 4. Benioff and Weiss will be put to the test in creating a smooth transition, since fans expect how the upcoming season will turn out to be continuation, instead of an adaptation.

There are new developments and twists expected in the fifth season, particularly involving Tyrion Lannister and the daughters of the Red Viper.

The HBO TV show is set to return on its fifth season on April 12 at 9 p.m. Martin's "Winds of Winter" is expected to come out when the season ends.