Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale

Phew! I just finished RTD's Writer's Tale. I know, I know, it was published over a year ago. But I found it in Smiths about two weeks ago and finally bought it. Took me three whole days to finish it. And I mean without stopping. I am not a slow reader, either. :P

Ah, what the heck, it was brilliant.

It has put paid to some of my ridiculous notions about him having planned Every Single Little Thing right from the word dot, especially with Donna in Series 4. And, you know, he's human. I suppose I should be a bit sad about that, like the mystique's gone, or the Wizard of Oz is just a scared little man, or Dumbledore wasn't perfect (god, I was sad about Dumby!) but it's really just made my respect for him that much higher.

Apart from that, there's a huge amount of insight into the writing process, so it works for me on aspirational as well as fannish levels. It's given me lots to think about.

There are people that hate him because of CoE still. Hell, I say he rocks. Because if there's one thing this book has taught me: writing's bloody hard. And writing something that could have withstood the going over that fandom gave it? Nigh-on impossible.

I can't rewatch CoE yet, because it still has the power to make me miserable just thinking about it. I'd say that means he's done his job. :P

Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale

Phew! I just finished RTD's Writer's Tale. I know, I know, it was published over a year ago. But I found it in Smiths about two weeks ago and finally bought it. Took me three whole days to finish it. And I mean without stopping. I am not a slow reader, either. :P

Ah, what the heck, it was brilliant.

It has put paid to some of my ridiculous notions about him having planned Every Single Little Thing right from the word dot, especially with Donna in Series 4. And, you know, he's human. I suppose I should be a bit sad about that, like the mystique's gone, or the Wizard of Oz is just a scared little man, or Dumbledore wasn't perfect (god, I was sad about Dumby!) but it's really just made my respect for him that much higher.

Apart from that, there's a huge amount of insight into the writing process, so it works for me on aspirational as well as fannish levels. It's given me lots to think about.

There are people that hate him because of CoE still. Hell, I say he rocks. Because if there's one thing this book has taught me: writing's bloody hard. And writing something that could have withstood the going over that fandom gave it? Nigh-on impossible.

I can't rewatch CoE yet, because it still has the power to make me miserable just thinking about it. I'd say that means he's done his job. :P