The Writer's Tale: The Untold Story of the BBC Series @ The TARDIS Library (Doctor Who books, DVDs, videos & audios)


The Writer‘s Tale: The Untold Story of the BBC Series
 

No. 94 of 347 in the Miscellaneous factual books series
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By:Russell T. Davies & Benjamin Cook
Rating:   7.6  (5 votes)  Vote here
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Editions:  UK (hardback) | UK (limited hardback) | UK (paperback)
Description:  An account by Russell T Davies of his time working as head writer and showrunner of the revived Doctor Who series from 2005 onwards.

Cover image for The Writer's Tale: The Untold Story of the BBC Series
Edition: UK (hardback)
Released:  September 2008
Publisher:  BBC Books
ISBN:978-1-84607-571-1
Format: hardback
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Cover blurb:
‘It’s such a hard job. Writers never talk about how hard it is, out of the fear of being pretentious. “Try being a nurse or a teacher,” people say. No — try being a writer! Try sitting with every doubt and fear about yourself and everyone, all on your own, with no ending or help or conclusion... At the same time, writing can be the most wonderful job in the world. When I’m happy with a script, I’m happier than you could ever imagine. Delirious! What I mean is, writing is never easy.’

A unique look into the BBC’s most popular family drama, Doctor Who: The Writer’s Tale is a year in the life of the hit television series, as told by the show’s Head Writer and Executive Producer. A candid and in-depth correspondence between Russell T Davies and journalist Benjamin Cook, the book explores in detail Russell’s work on Series Four, revealing how he plans the series and works with the show’s writers; where he gets his ideas for plot, character and scenes; how actors are cast and other creative decisions are made; and how he juggles the demands of Doctor Who with the increasingly successful Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures spin-offs.

Russell’s scripts are discussed as they develop, and Russell and Benjamin’s wide-ranging discussions bring in experiences from previous series of Doctor Who as well as other shows Russell has written and created, including Queer as Folk, Bob & Rose, and The Second Coming. The reader is given total access to the show as it’s created, and the writing is everything you would expect from Russell T Davies: warm, witty, insightful, and honest.

Fully illustrated with never-before-seen photos and artwork — including original drawings by Russell himself — The Writer’s Tale is a not only the ultimate Doctor Who book, but a celebration of great writing and great television.

Cover image for The Writer's Tale: The Untold Story of the BBC Series
Edition: UK (limited hardback)
Released:  September 2008
Publisher:  BBC Books
ISBN:978-1-84607-689-3
Format: hardback
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Note:  Signed limited edition of 1,000 copies, presented in a slipcase. Exclusive to UK bookseller Waterstone’s.

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Cover image for The Writer's Tale: The Final Chapter
Edition: UK (paperback)
Title:  The Writer's Tale: The Final Chapter
Released:  January 2010
Publisher:  BBC Books
ISBN:978-1-84607-861-3
Format: paperback
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Note:  Expanded edition, retitled The Writer’s Tale: The Final Chapter. Although the content has been greatly expanded (300 new pages), this new edition omits the draft scripts present in the original version.

Cover blurb:
‘This book is a treasury of wit, of truthfulness, and of good sound storytelling sense.’
PHILIP PULLMAN

For this new edition of The Writer’s Tale, Russell T Davies and Benjamin Cook expand their in-depth discussion of the creative life of Doctor Who to cover Russell’s final year as Head Writer and Executive Producer of the show, as well as his work behind the increasingly successful Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures spin-offs. Candid and witty insights abound throughout two years’ worth of correspondence, covering David Tennant’s last episodes as the Doctor and the legacy that Russell and David leave behind as a new era of Doctor Who begins.

With over 300 pages of new material, and taking in events from the entire five years since the show’s return in 2005, The Writer’s Tale: The Final Chapter is the most comprehensive — and personal — account of Doctor Who ever published.

‘Davies has engaged with the book totally and there is full disclosure from him about everything.’
THE INDEPENDENT

‘You can douse all the other books about new Who in lighter fuel and spark up your Zippo — this is all you need.’
SFX MAGAZINE


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