I don't think of the characters as being good or bad because that doesn't help me as a writer.

I couldn't enjoy 'A Dance With Dragons,' unfortunately. Of course, I enjoyed it, but it was the first of the books I read as a writer on 'Game of Thrones,' so all I could do is think, 'We're going to have to shift that,' 'We won't be able to afford that,' or 'That's a great scene.'

I think 'The Americans' is exceptional on every level.

The pressure used to wear on me. I was on Twitter a couple years ago, and I couldn't handle it all that well. Don't get me wrong, because 90% of the feedback you get is fantastic.

After we map out all the main characters' individual arcs, using color-coded index cards, we arrange them by episode and get a rough idea of the scene order.

I come from the theater, where the response to your work is immediate, and I suppose there's a part of me that still craves that.