Robert Shearman
@ShearmanRobert
Followers
10,797
Following
1,334
Media
57
Statuses
13,157
Writer of stuff. Owned by a cat.
London
Joined April 2011
Don't wanna be here?
Send us removal request.
Last Seen Profiles
I met Terrance Dicks when I was 14. He agreed to be interviewed by me for a fanzine I produced with my best friend from school. The trouble was, in my teenage years I had a horrendous stammer. 1/
67
887
4K
All of Doctor Who fandom is reeling today. He was *our* writer, and we loved him. 14/14.
54
35
1K
So this little beauty got popped through my letterbox today! I suppose it proves it. That childhood dream of writing a Target book really did come true!
57
61
1K
Next Thursday it's the 15th anniversary of a funny little Dalek story I wrote - and I'm going to celebrate it here on Twitter. Why not join me? Guaranteed chuckles, inaccurate anecdotes, and mass exterminations! And some bonus content...!
#TheMetaltron
59
128
991
The one time he alluded to my stammer, was when I got out that I wanted to be a writer some day, just like he was. And he smiled and said, that's the problem we writers have, that there are so many words in our heads it's sometimes hard to get them all out. 9/
7
38
866
What an extraordinary thing Doctor Who is. Still so strong. Still so brave. I'm so proud I got to be a part of it.
#TheMetaltron
30
79
819
This is so kind. Chris always cared so much about the writers - it’s brilliant to be remembered even after fifteen years!
23
77
805
He called me a writer. And I did become a writer. I ended up on Doctor Who, the same series that decades before he had shaped and finessed and cared for. 10/
3
15
764
So here's something I've been up to... I've turned my TV episode Dalek into a novel! With lots of jokes, thrills, very unexpected twists, and of course a whole plethora of exterminations. This has been such fun, writing a Target has been a dream since I was twelve!
The Doctor and Rose in the adventure that brought the Daleks back to
#DoctorWho
. Pre-order ‘Dalek’ by Robert Shearman now
@ShearmanRobert
.
Pre-order in audio:
Pre-order in paperback:
2
10
52
40
82
715
Our beloved cat Nero died yesterday evening. So incredibly sudden - the vet says it'll be a heart attack, and he won't have suffered, and I know that's good. He had a happy day, and he died happy. But right now I feel he's been stolen, and I miss him so much.
123
9
642
I feel terribly sad today that a very kind man, who wrote lots and lots of brilliant things, and who didn't even mind when I asked him questions about his novelisation for Arc of Infinity, has died. And lucky that I met him. And lucky that I read him. 13/
4
17
630
So this is what I’ve been working on this autumn... I hope the Doctor Who fans amongst you will be amused! My 15 year old Dalek story, now reimagined as a slightly bonkers book. :)
💥NEWS💥
Target are to release 7 new paperback books in 2020 including the first Targer novel for the Thirteenth Doctor - The Witchfinders!
The books will be released on the 23rd July 2020.
For more information head to -
#DoctorWho
@twilightstreets
8
37
118
47
59
588
I'm cheering! It's the hairdryer gag! All the way from draft one! Cheer with me! Cheer the joke that survived the edit!
#TheMetaltron
29
47
585
I remember how alarmed I was when I first saw the way Chris performed this scene. The lines I wrote could be played very arch and aloof, like an old-fashioned Doctor. But Chris puts such venom into them. Amazing.
#TheMetaltron
15
74
583
I have just found out that my collection, We All Hear Stories in the Dark, has just been shortlisted for the World Fantasy Award - and I am more than a bit over the moon about that fact!
For genre fiction, it's pretty much the biggest accolade you can ever hope for.
51
31
561
And stammer beaten (mostly), I met him at many conventions over the years, and I never got round to telling him that as a shy 14 year old he had inspired me so much. Not only to write, but not to feel so ashamed of my speech impediment. 11/
2
9
552
I'd forgotten the episode I wrote for Doctor Who was broadcast 17 years ago today until
@BarnabyEdwards
reminded me. Now I feel old and confused. Never trust a Dalek.
32
31
551
If I'd known it was going to be a hashtag 15 years later, I'd probably have come up with a funnier name.
#TheMetaltron
9
62
550
We were cautious about using too many continuity references at this point. No Skaro, no Davros. Describe a Dalek for what it *is*, not as a Wiki entry.
#TheMetaltron
9
46
549
I modelled Adam upon me, but younger, more handsome, and cleverer. It was so flattering when the fan base took him to their hearts. I know he is a very popular character.
#TheMetaltron
15
42
519
Happy Publication Day to Dalek! My very first novel - after years of short stories, I finally found enough words to sustain something a bit longer... A very dear friend made this cross-stitch to commemorate the moment. The story at last adapted into both prose and sewing genres!
39
50
520
Terrance Dicks wasn't embarrassed by my stammer. He'd smile kindly, and wait for me to get through my question - and then answer thoughtfully as if it had taken a couple of seconds for me to get there, rather than a couple of minutes. 6/
1
13
503
The story is, Chris wanted the dribble left on his chin in the final cut of the episode, to show how ugly the Doctor is by this point. I hope that's true.
#TheMetaltron
9
43
494
Time War! I remember asking Russell for details, and he said it was all smoke and mirrors, we'd never need to know much. Ha!
#TheMetaltron
6
52
487
And all the time - for the hours he sat with me, always that same patience. Always the kindness. 8/
1
10
472
There's one draft where Van Statten disappeared, and no one could find him at the end. And only as the TARDIS dematerialises do we see his head in a glass case.
#TheMetaltron
22
36
472
Julie Gardner really wanted a scene where Chris got his shirt off. Just saying.
#TheMetaltron
27
61
468
I'm okay with that, though. He was a very humble man, and I'd seen the way he reacted when shambling adults like me told him how as a kid he'd been their inspiration. Because he'd inspired *millions* of us. 12/
1
11
431
So I made her write down everything she thought was silly about a Dalek, so my script could try to confront that, head on.
#TheMetaltron
3
34
432
Of course the Dalek could go upstairs! We'd seen it before. And we fans all knew it from the comics anyway. But we had to sell it as a new thing.
#TheMetaltron
9
41
429
For the people who are ideologically opposed to wearing masks on public transport - perhaps we could have a special non-mask section? Like we used to have smoking areas on the bus. My friends at school called them the Death Zone. We could call them that again.
12
82
421
The Doctor is both right and wrong, and Rose is both right and wrong. That's the point.
#TheMetaltron
5
57
423
Chris sells this speech so well. This is my favourite scene in the episode. About as far from the stars as you can get. Lovely.
#TheMetaltron
7
33
411
It's our 7000th wedding anniversary!
It's true. It's been exactly 7000 days since Janie and I got married, way back in November 2002.
And I mean, yes, I've been counting. But I haven't been ranking all those days in order of preference or anything. That would be crazy.
42
8
414
So! Welcome to Dalek - the story of what happens when one individual decides to break self-isolation, and the havoc that causes. Pressing play now...
#TheMetaltron
6
45
410
At school I told them I wanted to grow up to be an author who wrote storybooks wider than his own head.
But then my head kept getting bigger.
First glimpse of the paperback edition of my new labyrinthine book, so huge it's in 3 volumes! Arrived in the post today. Very happy!
24
40
400
Dalek was broadly based on Jubilee, a Big Finish audio I'd written for Colin Baker. Russell had heard it, and seized upon the idea of this lone tortured Dalek as a means of reintroducing them.
#TheMetaltron
9
40
394
And I had a *lot* of questions. This was Terrance Dicks! I wanted to ask him about all of his books. Literally. Every. Single. One. 7/
1
9
389
Straight into the museum! I didn't write a Tardis scene, because I found it oddly intimidating. Too much like a fan living the dream! Always regretted it. So fifteen years later I made myself write one for the Target book. (Still intimidating.)
#TheMetaltron
3
36
391
I had the idea that the Dalek is like Lecter from Silence of the Lambs. Even in a cell, he's too dangerous to talk to. He'll get inside your head.
#TheMetaltron
9
47
394
So, there's this Doctor Who play I once wrote, and it was quite funny and Christmassy, especially the ghosts, the plum puddings, and the brutal deaths. I'm going to be tweeting live about it on Friday, and shall no doubt give myself a stern talking to.
THIS FRIDAY! 7pm (UK time) it's the first Big Finish
#DoctorWho
listening party, with
@shearmanrobert
and
@indfisher
! 🕯️ FIND OUT MORE HERE:
#PlumPudding
30
109
402
18
63
382
Thanks, everyone! That was fun. I shall spend the next few hours trying to answer some questions. Bear with me, my finger is tired.
#TheMetaltron
42
19
388
I don't believe any character at this point would really believe a murderous alien on a killing spree would be defeated by a staircase. Adam speaking like critics sneering at our show for years and years in the tabloids.
#TheMetaltron
5
37
386
Julie Gardner had the idea that there should be a Cyberman head. I sort of objected. It felt weird to me that in an episode called Dalek, we should be first introduced to a Cyberman.
#TheMetaltron
7
23
372
And the day he'd agreed to meet us I was especially bad. I could barely drag out one word after another - probably because I was overawed to be in the company of one of my heroes. 2/
1
10
364
I structured the episode around 3 big encounters between the Doctor and the Dalek, each one showing how their characters are shifting. I think this is the best one.
#TheMetaltron
4
33
367
The thing about stammering is - it's embarrassing. It's embarrassing for the one who suddenly finds himself the most inarticulate person in the world. It's just as embarrassing for the one on the other end listening to it. 3/
1
10
360
It was mortifying that I was stammering in front of Terrance Dicks. Whose books I had read, and reread, and rereread, and adored. I wanted to *impress* him. I wanted him to *like* me. 5/
2
9
358
And I was painfully used to embarrassing people. My teachers. My friends in class. Even my parents, who loved me very much - even they didn't know how to react when I tried to force words out of my mouth and goggled like a goldfish. 4/
1
10
353
I wanted the Dalek to be much more damaged by the torture, really falling apart. But look at how iconic it looks. I was wrong. This is *the* defining image from the episode.
#TheMetaltron
0
30
359
This was a tricky scene to pull off. How much is the Dalek lying? How much is it genuinely emoting to Rose? You have to accept it both as lie and as truth for the drama to work.
#TheMetaltron
8
42
349
The Dalek is disgusted by becoming more human, and killing itself is its ultimate rejection of what we stand for.
#TheMetaltron
3
38
344
For the last few years I've been working on this show, Constellation, created by the wonderful Peter Harness - and it's finally dropping tomorrow on Apple TV+. It's a bonkers sci-fi folk horror thriller, and biased as I am, I think it's rather good.
32
53
355
Have to keep reminding myself that inside the Dalek, wearing a sock over his head, is my old friend Barnaby Edwards. I was at university with him!
#TheMetaltron
2
24
343
And seriously, just imagine what this would be without Nick Briggs. Refusing to be constricted by it being a voice performance, going it for it full throttle. He's such a terrific actor.
#TheMetaltron
1
24
348
I got the call inviting me to write a Dalek story for Doctor Who when I was riding upstairs on a London bus. It's very dangerous to be given good news on a bus, because you want to race about whooping, and you could cause an accident.
#TheMetaltron
2
30
346
Properly Omen, the music, isn't it? Murray Gold is amazing. With his demonic Welsh choirs!
#TheMetaltron
9
43
338
I love that even as it seems to bond with Rose, it is still screaming at her to obey, just like an ordinary Dalek.
#TheMetaltron
4
29
341
I’ve just finished writing a novel. So that’s fun.
19
12
332
And if you enjoyed this, I'm doing it again tomorrow for my Big Finish play, The Chimes of Midnight
#PlumPudding
#TheMetaltron
12
36
325
Ah, space year 2012. Did any of us working on it back then believe the show would still be running in 2012? I'm sure I didn't. I bet Russell may have done.
#TheMetaltron
5
20
331
So he might be the only companion to appear in the show and never realise it was bigger on the inside than the out all the time he was making it.
#TheMetaltron
3
27
318
I love how slowly Joe Ahearne makes the Dalek move. The deliberate cruelty of it. It knows there's no rush. It knows it will kill you.
#TheMetaltron
3
36
315
I wanted the idea the Dalek was just having fun. Turning on the camera because he wants to show off. Like Van Statten, he's a child.
#TheMetaltron
4
28
314
First time I’ve seen this little brute in an actual bookshop, with actual books and actual bookbuyers and things. Feels as if it’s real at last - quite a rush!
14
10
315
I never dealt with Van Statten properly. Russell wrote this, and all the mind wiping stuff. It's really good. (It's become a big part of my Target novel, plug plug. Poor Sven.)
#TheMetaltron
7
28
308
I should have made it clearer perhaps that the Dalek is wrestling with this new concept of love it's just inherited from Rose. Or not. You've got to keep the story moving on. Does stick out, though.
#TheMetaltron
11
29
309
My Doctor Who episode gets an excellent script polish.
5
39
309
I wasn't allowed to tell anyone, of course, but I bent the rules and told my wife. "I'm bringing back the Daleks!" I said. " Oh, " she replied, and screwed up her face, "never mind."
#TheMetaltron
4
23
309
@RadioTimes
No. It’s a series that has been using creative talent of all mad sorts for over sixty years, and has inspired countless others over that time. Human creativity. Human inspiration.
5
16
317
When we started we weren't sure whether we'd be allowed to depict death in a family show. So I got really carried away when we at last got permission!
#TheMetaltron
7
25
308
Dalek could never be Jubilee. This had to be a story for a fresh audience who may very well have never even heard of Daleks, and would wonder why the big villain in this new Saturday night series was a pepperpot. We had to turn Jubilee's overfamiliarity on its head.
#TheMetaltron
8
22
304
I asked her why she'd said that, and she told me that Daleks were just jokes, weren't they? Cumbersome pepperpots with useless sink plungers that had no conversation and couldn't go up stairs.
#TheMetaltron
3
28
304
In early drafts I wrote that Van Statten had wanted the Dalek to sing it happy birthday. Remember it's his birthday at the beginning? He's being torturing a living creature for as crass a reason as that.
#TheMetaltron
9
29
301
I have a vague memory that when we did the DVD commentary, Bruno expressed surprise that there would be room for all three characters travelling through time and space in a small box.
#TheMetaltron
5
34
299
Thirty-five years ago I had an English teacher who was clever and funny, and pushed me to try harder, and turned me into being a writer today. We haven't spoken since - until this afternoon, when he popped up sneering at my genuine grief and despair over the election results.
51
24
299
You've got to feel here that the Dalek has really achieved something. A bit of daylight! A hint of the outside world. Its quest has been our quest as well.
#TheMetaltron
2
31
295
I should probably at some point have googled the population figures for Salt Lake City.
#TheMetaltron
8
15
294
Joe Ahearne is great. Dear God, I love that image of the Dalek in the rainfall.
#TheMetaltron
1
20
295
In multiple drafts I had a guard named Briggs too, after Nick. At that stage I had no idea he would be hired to do the voices, I just thought it would amuse him. I don't think I've ever told him that.
#TheMetaltron
1
24
287
The show hadn't been on when he was a kid, so he'd never watched it. And neither of Adam's two stories have any interior Tardis scenes, so it'd never been explained in any of his scripts.
#TheMetaltron
2
22
282
@jamesjyu
Great. A writing tool for writers that completely misunderstands the creative impulse behind writing and how we define ourselves through the hard choices writing asks of us.
1
7
277
I really wanted the sense here that the Dalek is just *itching* to kill Rose. It doesn't want any bond. It is adamantly not her friend.
#TheMetaltron
2
29
280
I had a joke that Van Statten preferred his own name for the Dalek, and stubbornly called it Metaltron right to the end. Most of my scripts are built on bad jokes.
#TheMetaltron
5
20
276
There must be a word for the realisation you have when you go through your attic and find the diaries you wrote when you were fourteen, and you imagined you were quite a sweet kid, and yet it dawns on you that you were a twat, you were an absolute fucking twat.
20
17
272
I wanted the museum to be housed entirely with stuff we'd already seen in the previous four stories. But one of them was in the year five billion, and the Gelth were made of gas. So a Slitheen arm was the best I could offer!
#TheMetaltron
6
26
276
I make a surprise cameo appearance in Doctor Who Magazine this month, as they celebrate some good news with me. All these years after working on the show, my Doctor Who family always cheer me on. I feel very touched!
8
13
274
Sorry for sounding like a broken record - but days after We All Hear Stories in the Dark has been shortlisted for a World Fantasy Award, news is just in it's also up for a *British* Fantasy Award too! My cup doing lots of delightful runneth over things.
32
22
270
Bywater is named after my friend Owen Bywater from school, the fan who got me into Doctor Who in the first place. In a very real way, this is all his fault.
#TheMetaltron
2
12
266
I seem to remember the use of the word 'canoodle' caused some controversy because of its sexual content. Seemed odd at the time. Seems odder now.
#TheMetaltron
6
17
259
The Doctor himself - Paul Bleeding McGann! - will be joining India Fisher, director Barnaby Edwards and myself, as we tweet along to the free livestream of my grisly little Christmas comedy, The Chimes of Midnight!
Who's joining us!
#DoctorWho
, that is. At 19:00 TONIGHT, Paul McGann will take over the
@BigFinish
Twitter account for the
#PlumPudding
listening party.
Want to take part? Find out how here:
13
63
229
8
48
261
That's fun, but it's tonally very different to the series Russell was creating, which felt real and emotionally grounded. It took me a few drafts to stop populating the base in Utah with nasty bizarre caricatures. Russell was very patient.
#TheMetaltron
1
17
250
I named Goddard after her as a thank you. I'm not entirely sure she was sufficiently grateful.
#TheMetaltron
2
10
250
The hardbacks of my new book, We All Hear Stories in the Dark, were delivered today, and I am annoyingly happy and proud.
14
22
250
Introducing Fezziwig!
When Nero died at Christmas he left such a hole in my heart I can’t even tell you. But I think that this little scrap of trouble may be able to fill it.
22
5
256