<P> Benioff and Weiss sometimes assign characters to particular writers; for example, Cogman was assigned to Arya Stark for the fourth season . The writers spend several weeks writing a character outline, including what material from the novels to use and the overarching themes . After these individual outlines are complete, they spend another two to three weeks discussing each main character's individual arc and arranging them episode by episode . A detailed outline is created, with each of the writers working on a portion to create a script for each episode . Cogman, who wrote two episodes for the fifth season, took a month and a half to complete both scripts . They are then read by Benioff and Weiss, who make notes, and parts of the script are rewritten . All ten episodes are written before filming begins, since they are filmed out of order with two units in different countries . </P> <P> Benioff and Weiss write each of their episodes together, with one of them writing the first half of the script and the other the second half . After that they begin with passing the drafts back and forth to make notes and rewrite parts of it . </P> <P> Benioff and Weiss originally intended to adapt the entire, still - incomplete A Song of Ice and Fire series of novels for television . After Game of Thrones began outpacing the published novels in the sixth season, the series was based on a plot outline of the future novels provided by Martin and original content . In April 2016, the showrunners' plan was to shoot 13 more episodes after the sixth season: seven episodes in the seventh season and six episodes in the eighth . Later that month, the series was renewed for a seventh season with a seven - episode order . As of 2017, seven seasons have been ordered and filmed, adapting the novels at a rate of about 48 seconds per page for the first three seasons . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Season </Th> <Th> Ordered </Th> <Th> Filming </Th> <Th> First aired </Th> <Th> Last aired </Th> <Th> Novel (s) adapted </Th> <Th> Refs </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Season 1 </Th> <Td> March 2, 2010 </Td> <Td> Second half of 2010 </Td> <Td> April 17, 2011 </Td> <Td> June 19, 2011 </Td> <Td> A Game of Thrones </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Season 2 </Th> <Td> April 19, 2011 </Td> <Td> Second half of 2011 </Td> <Td> April 1, 2012 </Td> <Td> June 3, 2012 </Td> <Td> A Clash of Kings and some early chapters from A Storm of Swords </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Season 3 </Th> <Td> April 10, 2012 </Td> <Td> July--November 2012 </Td> <Td> March 31, 2013 </Td> <Td> June 9, 2013 </Td> <Td> About the first two - thirds of A Storm of Swords </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Season 4 </Th> <Td> April 2, 2013 </Td> <Td> July--November 2013 </Td> <Td> April 6, 2014 </Td> <Td> June 15, 2014 </Td> <Td> The remaining one - third of A Storm of Swords and some elements from A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Season 5 </Th> <Td> April 8, 2014 </Td> <Td> July--December 2014 </Td> <Td> April 12, 2015 </Td> <Td> June 14, 2015 </Td> <Td> A Feast for Crows, A Dance with Dragons and original content, with some late chapters from A Storm of Swords and elements from The Winds of Winter </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Season 6 </Th> <Td> July--December 2015 </Td> <Td> April 24, 2016 </Td> <Td> June 26, 2016 </Td> <Td> Original content and outline from The Winds of Winter, with some late elements from A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Season 7 </Th> <Td> April 21, 2016 </Td> <Td> August 2016--February 2017 </Td> <Td> July 16, 2017 </Td> <Td> August 27, 2017 </Td> <Td> Original content and outline from The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Season 8 </Th> <Td> July 30, 2016 </Td> <Td> October 2017--Mid 2018 </Td> <Td> 2018 / 19 </Td> <Td> 2018 / 19 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

When did game of thrones get ahead of the books