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Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale - The Final Chapter

Russell T. Davies,

Benjamin Cook

4.55 · Rating details · 856 ratings · 95 reviews

When The Writer's Tale was published in autumn 2008, it was immediately embraced as a classic. For this extensively revised and updated paperback edition, Russell T Davies and Benjamin Cook continue their candid and in-depth correspondence to take in work on the last of Russell's 2009 specials - and the end of David Tennant's era as The Doctor - while also looking back to ...more

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Paperback, 736 pages

Published January 14th 2010 by BBC Books (first published January 2010)

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Feb 06, 2012 Ben Dutton rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

There are many hundreds of books about writing – some of them are very good indeed. When I taught creative writing at university, I used to wax lyrical about Stephen King’s On Writing, but also about E.M Forster’s Aspects of the Novel and Dorothea Brande’s Becoming a Writer. To that inestimable list I can now add The Writer’s Tale by Doctor Who head Russell T Davies.

When this book first appeared in 2008, it was hailed as a masterpiece. Included in top ten lists at the end of the year, appearing There are many hundreds of books about writing – some of them are very good indeed. When I taught creative writing at university, I used to wax lyrical about Stephen King’s On Writing, but also about E.M Forster’s Aspects of the Novel and Dorothea Brande’s Becoming a Writer. To that inestimable list I can now add The Writer’s Tale by Doctor Who head Russell T Davies.

When this book first appeared in 2008, it was hailed as a masterpiece. Included in top ten lists at the end of the year, appearing on Richard and Judy’s Book Club list and read by millions of Doctor Who fans, I was a little wary that it would be too populist, contain not nearly enough about the actual writing process. I did not buy it then. When Russell T Davies completed his final episodes for David Tennant, they updated the book, and it was declared even richer in content. Now I had to have a look.

Constructed around an email correspondence between RTD (as he’s known) and Doctor Who Monthly editor Benjamin Cook – he requested RTD to deconstruct his writing process over the course of one episode that became a two year analysis in writing, living and thinking. That this is a book about Doctor Who is almost incidental: the lessons one can learn from this invaluable tome can be applied to any form of TV writing. As someone looking to begin a career in the BBC very soon, it has been an eye-opener and primer for what I can expect.

It is also very, very funny. This was the biggest surprise – though it shouldn’t have been, for RTD’s scripts have always been funny (a small aside: I’ve followed RTD’s writing career since 1999 when Queer as Folk showed me that there was more to TV than the serial killer dramas and dull action movies my family thoroughly enjoyed. I think I enjoyed that show all the more as I had to watch it in secret, at two in the morning, and couldn’t talk to anybody about it as all my friends and family were/are homophobic and so I related to Nathan Malone and his journey, and boy did I laugh with them too) and this book is just as funny: his lift journey at the NT Awards with Liz Sladen and the rest made me buckle over with splitting sides.

If one has even the slightest interest in writing, Doctor Who, the television industry, then The Writer’s Tale is an absolute must. I’d recommend you watch the finished products of David Tennant’s final episodes as The Doctor, as it illuminates those moments wonderfully: and made me keen to sit through them all again. ...more

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Mar 31, 2010 Holly Heisey rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: writers, Doctor Who fans

I'm a huge fan of Russell T. Davies' big, epic writing in the new Doctor Who, so as a writer I welcomed this chance to peek inside his head, through his email correspondence with journalist Benjamin Cook. What I found surprised me, enlivened me, heartened me; made me laugh and cry and say, "yes, I know that exactly!" He's candid, sordid, "big and blousy," and funny. He doesn't sugar coat things; many parts are painfully honest.

But here unfolds the twin story of one of the most successful shows o ...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Magdalena rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Amazing adventure. Voyage not only into great screenwriter's head, but also into life of very interesting, very kind, very funny person. Two weeks ago I didn't especially like RTD. I love RTD now. Hard work. Sleepless nights. Doubts. Constant strive for perfection, for improvement. But above all - fun and happiness, because it's the best TV show ever created, isn't it? And pride. Quite justified. I really enjoyed reading about the creative process, abandoned ideas, evolving stories. About Davies ...more

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Jun 04, 2014 Katherine Sas rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, non-fiction, reference, sf, doctor-who, television

This book is not for Doctor Who fans.

I mean, it is. Of course it is. It's co-written by one of the great Doctor Who writers and a columnist for Doctor Who magazine, chronicling a three year period of making the show, and they constantly talk about the process of making Doctor Who.

But really, this book isn't only (or even primarily) about Doctor Who. If you are interested in writing, or the writing process, this book is for you. If you're interested in the aesthetics and production of TV, too. In ...more

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Feb 20, 2010 Richard Wright rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010

Oh dear. The original Writer’s Tale in hardback was in my top five books in 2008. In it, Russell T. Davies gives a year’s worth of correspondence detailing agonies and wonders of writing and producing his final regular season of Doctor Who. I loved it, and declared it to be one of only a handful of books I’ve read about writing that I needed to read. Now comes the paperback release, except it contains another three hundred pages, continuing the story through the year in which he produced the fiv ...more

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Apr 07, 2010 Jay Bell rated it liked it

This book is a series of emails between Russel T. Davies and journalist Benjamin Cook. I found that disappointing at first, but most of the emails are long rants from Davies about what it is like to be a writer, so it isn't far from what a proper book from him might have been like. I think writers would get the most from this book, since the interesting tidbits on Doctor Who are few and far in between.

This new edition contains 300 pages of new material, which mostly consist of Davies feeling str ...more

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Apr 03, 2017 Michael Mills rated it it was amazing

Shelves: television

On his Who's Round podcast (in which he interviews various people who've been involved in Doctor Who over the years), Toby Hadoke got very annoyed with those listeners who only downloaded the episodes in which he interviewed Russell T Davies.

I do feel for Hadoke but I understand why listeners reacted in that way: it's not just that Davies was far more notable a contributor than Geoffrey J. Cravat and most of the others Hadoke has interviewed (as showrunner from 2005 to 2010, he oversaw the se ...more

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Mar 21, 2011 Persephone rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Okay, I'll be straight with you. If you're not a follower of the sci-fi/fantasy television series Doctor Who, there's probably little reason for you to read this book (or this review, for that matter). It's not just about Doctor Who, of course. It's about British television in the early part of the first decade of this century, and, above all, it's about writing, but to get to that, you 'll be wading up to your waist in Doctor Who and if you're not a Whovian, you'll just get lost, trust me.

Russe ...more

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Jul 15, 2018 Shannon Roberts rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

"I only write to find out about myself, and I'll only achieve that if I'm honest."

I'd always admired Davies. I was a big Doctor Who fan; while I enjoyed Moffit's tenure as show-runner, Davies will always be *my* writer (well...possibly him and Cartmel).

But to get an inside glimpse of Davies' process...to have another writer, and a damn good one, talk about his struggles, his fears, his procrastinations--as well as his triumphs and successes...I just don't think there's another book on writing o ...more

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Sep 02, 2015 Angela rated it it was amazing

I absolutely loved this book. So much so, that I began rationing the final few chapters to make it last longer. It gives a real insight into the creative process of one of my favourite show. Its really dispels the myth of the professional writer, sitting down in their office at a set time and typing the whole day away. I love the fact that Russell T Davies appears to approach writing episodes in the same way I approached student essays, (minus the coffee and cigarettes). The idea that one of the I absolutely loved this book. So much so, that I began rationing the final few chapters to make it last longer. It gives a real insight into the creative process of one of my favourite show. Its really dispels the myth of the professional writer, sitting down in their office at a set time and typing the whole day away. I love the fact that Russell T Davies appears to approach writing episodes in the same way I approached student essays, (minus the coffee and cigarettes). The idea that one of the most successful writers on British television spends his time finding new ways to avoid writing and hoping that leaving it to the last minute will provide adrenaline fuelled inspiration is, (to use what appears to be his favourite word) a HOOT!
Reading between the lines of the, no doubt highly edited correspondence, I get the sense however, that working with him as an executive producer was far from fun at times. He clearly doesn't suffer fools gladly ( his least favourite phrase) and you can see hints of the attitude that was rumoured to have Christopher Eccleston running for the hills after one series on the show.
Benjamin Cook does his best not to come over as a complete fan boy, but fails spectacularly at times. Though his questions to Russell do become braver as the book progresses, clearly mirroring their working relationship. There is also a shift in tone in the later chapters. These were written after the publication of the original book and you can see that both writers are now acutely aware that they are writing for actual publication, even adding exposition emails to fill the gaps of conversations they've had in person. This makes it seem less personal than the majority of the book, but no less enjoyable.
Reading the book so long after the event it covers adds a different dimension as well. We now know, just how well (or not?) Steven Moffat was, at taking over the series and its a little sad reading Davies excitement about moving to LA, knowing that before long, his partner's illness would have him returning to the UK.
All in all, I think this is one of the most enjoyable books I've read for a while and a great read for anyone interested in writing or TV production. Its certainly inspired me, hence the unusually long review. ...more

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Aug 01, 2014 David rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, non-fiction, screenplay, sf

Two years worth of email correspondence between Doctor Who showrunner Russel T. Davies and some spod from Dr Who magazine, that ends up as a writing guide that's actually worth reading. These are dispatches that come direct from the front line of writing a hugely successful television show, and they trace many of Davies' ideas from formation to onscreen realisation, and give a great insight into the pressures, the panic and the immense workload that occasionally drove him to the edge of despair. ...more

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Aug 28, 2010 Marcus Gipps rated it it was amazing

I've always liked Russell T Davies' writing - I've seen everything since Queer as Folk, and greatly enjoyed his Doctor Who novel Damaged Goods. I'm also a Who fan, so it probably wasn't hugely surprising that I was very very excited about the return of the series back in 2005. Luckily for me, I've generally enjoyed it, so I don't know why I didn't read the original version of this book - the idea of Davies writing about his writing process, and the production of such a successful show, wouldn't ...more

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Oct 25, 2010 Larry Zieminski rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I loved this book. Consisting entirely of e-mails between Russell T. Davies (show-runner for the New Doctor Who Series through the first 4 seasons + year of specials) and Benjamin Cook (journalist from the Doctor Who Magazine), we given a behind the scenes look at how the last two years of Doctor Who (under Davies) came together.

The most interesting aspect of the book is seeing how insecure Mr. Davies could be, despite the brilliant work he produced. He's also quite the procrastinator, something ...more

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Jun 18, 2016 Lamilla rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: autobiography, dw

Finished part two in a day on Kindle. Want my own hardcover/paperback badly

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Oct 28, 2018 Samwise Diamond rated it really liked it

The Writer's Tale is a must-read for any writers who want to know what it's like working on a huge television production like Doctor Who.

The book consists almost exclusively of emails, particularly between Russell T. Davies (Dr Who show-runner 2005-2009) and Benjamin Cook (journalist from Doctor Who Magazine). These emails span around two years as the show hits its stride and finds itself central in the public eye, raising the stakes for all involved. As such, we see the inception of Davies' ep The Writer's Tale is a must-read for any writers who want to know what it's like working on a huge television production like Doctor Who.

The book consists almost exclusively of emails, particularly between Russell T. Davies (Dr Who show-runner 2005-2009) and Benjamin Cook (journalist from Doctor Who Magazine). These emails span around two years as the show hits its stride and finds itself central in the public eye, raising the stakes for all involved. As such, we see the inception of Davies' episodes from Voyage of the Damned (Xmas 2007) all the way to the specials in 2009 when Russell makes his exit, along with much of the cast and crew. Measures have been put in place to make this book accessible to all, with handy episode keys and 'who's who' lists at the front ensuring even those who are unfamiliar with the show can pick it up and read without any confusion.

Throughout the book, Ben asks a lot of questions about writing which prompt Russell into giving his insights and opinions, some of which the reader may agree with, others perhaps not. Russell emphasises that his approach is by no means 'the right approach' just the way that works for him.

Yet this ongoing Q and A is unlikely to be what you'll remember the most from reading the book. Moreover you'll remember the fascinating details from all aspects of production. You will learn how budget and cast availability can shape story. You will learn what spoilers the crew fought tooth and nail to keep from the press (which is as entertaining when they fail as when they succeed). You will see behind the curtain to find out why writing can end up like cramming for Finals, and how this pressure cooker builds up and develops (and sometimes extinguishes) ideas conceived in a writer's mind. Illustrations and photo sections are a welcome accompaniment, bringing extra life to these funny and varied tales from the offices and on set.

What strikes me about the book is how personal it is. Davies doesn't hold back in his emails, boldly announcing who he fancies in the business (which probably wouldn't fly in 2018), and offering intimate discussion on growing up as a gay man, as well as details on his mother's death. All of these stories create a vivid and rich picture of Davies as a person, which is ultimately why the book works so well.

I'd say the book's biggest weakness is a lack of variety in its form. Centring the narrative around one email chain ('The Great Correspondence') can be fatiguing at times, and I found myself longing for more looks at other conversations and material between other departments, of which there is only a little. The love-hate relationship with the press being my favourite plot-thread, I would have really appreciated more images of the huge sensationalist headlines mentioned in the text as they wreak havoc for the BBC.

Overall an enjoyable and immersive read. 4 stars.
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Sep 02, 2017 Aya Vandenbussche rated it really liked it

I think I like the first boom, A Writer's Tale" a little more than this second part. The Final Chapter occasionally felt self indulgent abs less about the writing process than the first part. Nevertheless with some brilliant moments of insight and greatness.
The more I read the more I can't stand Benjamin Cooke, but RTD is often clever witty and intelligent which really is what's important about this book.
I did find myself occasionally frustrated with how blind RTD could sometimes be to his own ...more

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Mar 06, 2019 Simon Billinton rated it really liked it

As a Doctor Who fan and of the craft of writing, I was looking forward to reading this behind the scenes insight into writing and making the show. And it doesn't disappoint. The format is email correspondences spread over months and years between Russell T Davies and Benjamin Cook as Russell was making the show. And what is revealed is that writing and making Doctor Who is a seat-of-your-pants kinda experience. Everything comes at you fast, from every angle, and relentlessly. The demand to write ...more

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Feb 16, 2019 Matt Whitby rated it it was amazing

The best book on writing. Period.

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May 22, 2014 Laurie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, doctor-who, non-fiction, on-the-art-of-writing

When I first scanned through this book's sample to see if I'd like it, I was intrigued by the format. A TV writer and a journalist (in other words, two writers) bouncing emails about the process of writing back and forth? Oh, but if you take it at that value alone there's so much to be missed!

If you're looking for a straightforward "how to write a hit television sci-fi show," you're not going to be happy. Nor is this about the philosophy of writing, of television, nor an exegesis on thee program When I first scanned through this book's sample to see if I'd like it, I was intrigued by the format. A TV writer and a journalist (in other words, two writers) bouncing emails about the process of writing back and forth? Oh, but if you take it at that value alone there's so much to be missed!

If you're looking for a straightforward "how to write a hit television sci-fi show," you're not going to be happy. Nor is this about the philosophy of writing, of television, nor an exegesis on thee program, Doctor Who, itself.

Charlotte Brontë said “I write because I cannot NOT write.” That's very much true here.

This was a peek inside the head of the writer who brought back Doctor Who and made it a national treasure and a global phenomenon. But the key word here is "writer." With all the paralyzing self-doubts, conflicts, joyful inspirations, heady wee-hours-of-the-morning-last-minute inspirations, the last minute script changes and the entire kaleidoscopic, coffee-and-smokes-fueled emotional and mental sleigh-ride of writing the stories that drive a hit show of that magnitude. Day after day. Week after week.

And because he was also showrunner, it also gives us an additional peek into making the really hard decisions that have to be made on every show, no matter how massively successful - or have to be made to KEEP a show massively successful.

Benjamin Cook does a fine job of asking the questions I feel like *I* would have asked (but probably wouldn't be smart enough to ask if I had the chance) and sometimes chivies, sometimes even dares Davies to examine and answer. But there is the sense of underlying respect, writer to writer and man to man that underlies all the best friendships. It's like being able to read over each one's shoulder as they continue a two year long conversation. We know all the in-jokes and the short-hand references because these two have had us at their elbows the entire time, never excluding us, never talking either down to us nor over our heads as "fans" rather than as readers.

Before I read this, I knew I liked Russell T. Davies' stories. I liked other shows he'd written (The Second Coming, Casanova, Queer as Folk) besides Doctor Who. After reading this book, I have a deeper appreciation for what goes into the making of a really fine television program, and I have an even deeper respect for the man who made that show happen. And more, he took on bringing back a show that had all the baggage of being an at-one-time childhood rite of passage (frequently made from behind the sofa, peeking through one's fingers). It takes brass as well as a surgeon's fine touch to resurrect a long-dead childhood dream. If you've enjoy Doctor Who since the reboot, you can thank Mr. Davies and his crew.

The only thing that was frustrating to me was that the correspondence frequently referred to the first book, "The Writer's Tale," including references to their book tour. But I can't find a copy of THAT book anywhere! ...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Lucy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anybody with even a slight interest in screenwriting

Shelves: own-the-book

Russell T. Davies: The Man Who Brought Back Doctor Who
Over the years that Davies was the head writer of Doctor Who, he emailed his friend and colleague Benjamin Cook (although exactly what he worked as escapes me). Now, every email over a two years have been published into book form, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a show that's been watched by multiple generations.

This book took me over a year to read. Not because it was boring, quite the opposite, but just because it was so bi Russell T. Davies: The Man Who Brought Back Doctor Who
Over the years that Davies was the head writer of Doctor Who, he emailed his friend and colleague Benjamin Cook (although exactly what he worked as escapes me). Now, every email over a two years have been published into book form, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a show that's been watched by multiple generations.

This book took me over a year to read. Not because it was boring, quite the opposite, but just because it was so big. An average 700-page book could probably be defeated by me in a week, if I was really trying. But this book isn't the kind of book to read through quickly, write a review and forget about. This is a book to savour.

Now, I skipped loads of Doctor Who. I watched the first series (I still remember being at my dad's house, when he called me into the living room and said "Lucy, there's a show called Doctor Who starting, and we're all watching it. Okay?"), and possibly the second series, and then stopped for a while. I was 8/9 when it started, and it just scared me far too much (Victorian gas monsters, eurgh). I started again last year, but that still leaves me with a four/five series gap.
Luckily, this book doesn't particularly require you to know much about Doctor Who. Most of any of the in-depth knowledge is all foot-noted or pushed into the extensive glossary in the back or in the long list of people in the front. All you really need to know is that there's a show called Doctor Who, it's a BBC sci-fi series and Russell T. Davies brought it back after a long time.

Yet strangely, it isn't that much about Doctor Who. Sure, he talks about plans and scenes and things, but really it's just about the Joys of Being a Head Writer. It contains Davies' life in a lot of detail, what he watches, what he writes, who he meets, etc. A few pages of a script might wriggle it's way in, but mostly it's just one very long interview between Cook and Davies.

And because of that it makes for excellent reading. It becomes very easy to put the book down for a few months and pick it up again, and you'll know exactly where you are. Each email is almost self-contained, as filming and writing schedules flick back and forth things need to be re-explained each time more for Davies' own benefit, as his life gets busier and busier.

If you enjoy Doctor Who, you'll love it. If you're a casual watcher of Doctor Who, you'll love it. And if you've been inexplicably living under a rock for the past fifty years and have no idea what the hell Doctor Who is, you'll still love it. It's a book that's easy to read, requires little to no prior knowledge, and is throughly enjoyable. 4.5/5*

*Why did I give it 4.5 stars? Well, whilst I loved it and found it basically faultless, I didn't really get that this-book-really-changed-my-life feeling that I need to feel in order to give it 5 stars. Hence the half-star lacking. ...more

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Sep 20, 2016 Noam rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I wish they'd have issued the final chapter as a sequel in it's own book, rather than put the two together.

The first original part is perfect and magnificent. I kept making highlights and sidenotes. Someone who has no clue of the show would probably be lost and bored, but it's enough to have seen most episodes and have a love or interest in writing to enjoy this.

The final chapter part I'd say is only for actual fans of the show. We hardly get new insight into writing, it is much more about the ...more

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Dec 18, 2010 Nicholas Whyte rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1581275.html

Davies and Cook exchanged emails and texts for the last two years of Davies' tenure as show-runner of Doctor Who (ie 2007-2009), so the narrative is spontaneous, spur of the moment, and feels very genuine (though of course the reader cannot know what has been edited out in the process). I had already read the first half, and Cook and Davies spend some time in the second half discussing the reception of the original version. Davies is perpetually struggli http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1581275.html

Davies and Cook exchanged emails and texts for the last two years of Davies' tenure as show-runner of Doctor Who (ie 2007-2009), so the narrative is spontaneous, spur of the moment, and feels very genuine (though of course the reader cannot know what has been edited out in the process). I had already read the first half, and Cook and Davies spend some time in the second half discussing the reception of the original version. Davies is perpetually struggling with deadlines, with his other responsibilities as showrunner, with his role as a public figure and spokesman not only for his own show but for his industry.

The book offers insights into the process of writing, crafting and drafting, trying to get it right, over the period of weeks and months of producing Doctor Who. Occasionally one can trace particular elements to the outside world: Ben Cook, normally a passionate but detached observer, persuades Davies not to end Journey's End with a Cyberman teaser for The Next Doctor. But more often the writers are drawing on their own emotional resources and imagination, trying as it were to find the story that is trying to get out - there is a nice moment when Davies, emailing Cook, suddenly realises that Wilf Mott should be the instrument of the Tenth Doctor's demise.

Structured as a dialogue between two writers, with lots of pretty pictures and extra amaterial, it is also about a success: whether or not one is a fan of Who or of Davies' treatment of it, the fact is that he revived a faded franchise and made it a hit, and that in itself is a good story even if we are only getting the final years. I commented about the first edition that there were a lot of deaths in it; there is only one in the second half, but it is significant - the mother of the Executive Producer, Julie Gardner, of the same illness which Davies' own mother had succumbed to a few years earlier. While of course all authors draw on many life experiences, it's not too fanciful, I think, to see a direct link between this and the creation of the Claire Bloom character in The End of Time, who in Davies' mind is very explicitly the Doctor's own mother.

The Writer's Tale, however, is probably the best book about Doctor Who that will ever be written, and of immense interest to anyone who cares about television, sf, or indeed the creative process. ...more

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Feb 25, 2015 Hannah Reed rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, own-physical-copy, email-style, favourites, fav-s-read-in-2015, read-in-2015, read-in-2017

I am worried this will turn into just a gushing session, so I apologise in advance. This book is definitely my favourite book I've read this year so far, I found the entire thing so enjoyable to read and incredibly hard to put down.

This is probably the most honest book I've ever read. I've read quite a few autobiographies, but none of those have ever made me feel like I really understand the person I'm reading about, and this isn't even really an autobiography. Russell T Davies seemed to pour I am worried this will turn into just a gushing session, so I apologise in advance. This book is definitely my favourite book I've read this year so far, I found the entire thing so enjoyable to read and incredibly hard to put down.

This is probably the most honest book I've ever read. I've read quite a few autobiographies, but none of those have ever made me feel like I really understand the person I'm reading about, and this isn't even really an autobiography. Russell T Davies seemed to pour himself entirely into the emails, and whilst some people were probably annoyed by the constant complaining, I liked it because it showed that writing isn't all sunshine and rainbows.

A majority of this book contains emails between Russell T. Davies and Benjamin Cook about the writing of series 4 of Doctor Who . I knew of both Davies and Cook before reading this, Davies obviously from writing Doctor Who and more recently Cucumber , and Cook from such works as Becoming YouTube , so knowing of both writers made me feel more connected to this book, and I probably wouldn't have picked this up if it had just been Davies and any old journalist. Whilst Davies contributes the most to this book with his long responses, Cook asks the thought provoking questions to elicit those fantastic responses.

It was exciting reading this and knowing where his writing was going to go. He would be discussing how to make something work in an episode script, and I got to sit there with the answer he was so desperately looking for, and then watch as he figured out how to get to that answer. I loved learning about the amount of work that goes into Doctor Who and I am excited to watch series 4 again having read the book, I imagine it might make it a different experience.

This is a book where I couldn't mark specific pages to return to later, because every page was brilliant and I just want to go back and re-read the entire thing. I don't think you have to be a fan of Doctor Who to read this, if you have a strong enough interest in writing this book is a great way to look at one persons approach to writing, I haven't ever seen Queer as Folk and I didn't feel too lost when they began discussing that, but who knows?

Ok I think I've said enough! This is a fantastic book and I worry for the next book I read, it has a lot to live up to. ...more

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Feb 25, 2017 Katja Tormanen rated it it was amazing

If you love Doctor Who, if you love writing - this is The Book.

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Apr 09, 2015 Kristina Brown rated it it was amazing

Shelves: doctor-who

First off, "The Final Chapter" is more like "The Full Tale". This isn't simply a reprint of "The Writer's Tale" with some extra chapters, it is literally twice the book.
Russell T. Davies has been incredibly open with his correspondence and, whether you like what he's written or not, you have to admire him for that. The fact is he's made the Doctor Who revival into a huge commercial success. I don't always like the direction the show has taken but I'd still call Russell T. Davies a genius for wha First off, "The Final Chapter" is more like "The Full Tale". This isn't simply a reprint of "The Writer's Tale" with some extra chapters, it is literally twice the book.
Russell T. Davies has been incredibly open with his correspondence and, whether you like what he's written or not, you have to admire him for that. The fact is he's made the Doctor Who revival into a huge commercial success. I don't always like the direction the show has taken but I'd still call Russell T. Davies a genius for what he's achieved.
There is never likely to be another book quite like this. This isn't just a script writer sitting down and writing a book about 'how to be a writer'. This is a person opening up their personal correspondence to let readers into the private panic filled world of script deadlines and dilemmas. Benjamin Cook does an excellent job of putting in real-person questions about how it feels to be over-budget, stuck for an ending, spilt between two storylines. He also keeps it human and flowing rather than a question and answer session.
Needless to say, fans of Doctor Who will want to read this is they have any interest at all in how the show is actually put together. It's a lot more disorganised than you'd think. This book is beautifully lay out though and the glossy pictures are wonderful.
Most people would probably assume writers have a fairly relaxed life, even those writing for TV deadlines. This Great Correspondence shows us a fraction of the chaos that surrounds a show like Dr Who. It's a wonder the show manages to be produced at all when you read through the work that goes into it, never mind being made to such a high standard.
It's an absolute privilege and courageous insight into the way he thinks and how plots for the show are brought into being. Some of the e-mails give a tingle of excitement as you recognise the familiar stories almost being born in front of you.
I'm very glad they produced this second edition because the story feels complete now. Leaving it after the first book didn't bring the same satisfaction of reading this to it's conclusion. ...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Bernard rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction-fun

Okay - it is fair to say that I am biased in writing this review as I have loved the 2005-2011 series of Dr Who - or NuWho as it gets called... and I think Russell T Davies is brilliant. So I started reading this book thinking it would give a good insight into what happens behind the scenes in preparing for a show like this to get on the air. The book delivered so much more. In quite an engaging and witty email exchange - Davies is able to share with the reader all of the gritty truth about what ...more

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Jul 08, 2010 Jacobi rated it liked it

Shelves: books-read

This is marketed as a book on writing, like Stephen King's On Writing, and I suppose that is true. However, I didn't find this book about that so much as it was about the duties of a show-runner relaying all that goes into making a successful science fiction show work. In that regard the book is awesome. There are some really insightful tidbits that are found in this book that Russell Davies reveals about Doctor Who. Things I didn't even think I wanted to know. Just riveting stuff.

However, at 7 ...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Lauren rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: wishlist, non-fiction, favorites, science-fiction

This book is an absolutely fascinating background story of the making of the fourth season/specials of new Doctor Who from showrunner Russell T. Davies. It's told through a series of emails and text messages between Davies and Doctor Who Magazine writer Benjamin Cook.

The exchanges are for the most part incredibly compelling, and I spent more than one night pushing off bedtime so that I could keep reading more. At times I could tell chunks of email between the two had been cut out for length, bu ...more

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Mar 05, 2015 Richard rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

In his foreword to The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien writes that his tale "grew in the telling." The email correspondence between Russell T Davies and Benjamin Cook that makes up this long but compulsively readable book provides a fascinating view not only into the life, mind, and inspirations of a writer, but also into the numerous other factors - budget, time constraints, casting and recasting, the influence of current events, even accidents, serendipitous and otherwise - that make the telling of ...more

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Mar 01, 2014 Robbie Newell rated it really liked it

Shelves: doctor-who

As a Doctor Who fan, I really enjoyed the book.

As a writer, I also enjoyed it. It provides a fascinating insight into the mind of Davies and the way he works as a writer; indeed it also provides a massive insight into the writing process of Who and an interesting juxtaposition with the scripts as written to the scripts that were filmed (in regards especially to major plots dropped, characters minimised et al.)

As a writer who has a joke of him having the middle name of "Television" this book pro ...more

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About Russell T. Davies

Russell T. Davies

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Russell T Davies, OBE, is a Welsh television producer and writer. He is a prolific writer, best known for controversial drama serials such as Queer as Folk and The Second Coming, and for spearheading the revival of the popular science-fiction television series Doctor Who, and creating its spin-off series Torchwood. Both are largely filmed in Cardiff and the latter is set there.