Dr. Who man in A'town
- Publication: Andersontown News
- Date: 1980-10-18
- Author:
- Page: 3
- Language: English
'I was top of the class in English, but average or below average in my other subjects at school.'
These were the words of Terrance Dicks, script-editor of the early Dr. Who television series and internationally known author of over fifty Dr. Who books, who visited Andersonstown last Thursday as part of the activities organised by the Belfast Education and Library Board for Childrens' Book Week.
In the afternoon he visited La Salle Boys' School where he gave an informal and very entertaining talk on his writing career to an audience of teenage boys and girls drawn from various schools in the area.
During the talk he encouraged anyone who may be thinking of writing, either for pleasure or professionnally, and gave them some practical advice. He suggested that they should try to get their work published in school magazines, local papers, science fiction fanzines or on radio, and then perhaps to try to write some childrens' books. 'The thing to do is to keep on doing it, to keep on sending it in, and wait for the break. Don't be discouraged by a rejection.'
'Unfortunately,' he added, 'there's no point in sending scripts to Dr. Who as television uses experienced professional writers only.'
He also talked about his work in television and how he helped to make Dr. Who the only man with two hearts a respiratory by-pass system and a 500 year diary - one of the most popular characters of-television fiction.
It was unfortunate that as the seating arrangement was limited, many pupils who may have wished to see him were disappointed. However they had another opportunity later in the evening when he visited Suffolk Public Library on the Stewartstown Road. Here he autographed books, copies of the 'Dr. Who Weekly', and 'Dr. Who Monthly' and answered the questions of the large crowd of both parents and children who had travelled from different parts of the city to see him. He was even welcomed by a model Tardis (Time and Relative Dimensions in Space) and K.9 (Canine)!
One boy had every one of the sixty-three Dr. Who books, and the author exclaimed that the kids knew more about his books than he did himself!
Anthony Lynn and Gavin Boyle, winners of the Dr. Who competition run by Suffolk Library, were presented with prizes and Mr. Dicks helped to organise a Dr. Who Fan Club for the area. Anyone interested should contact Suffolk Public Library.
'It was a great occasion' said the librarian, 'there wasn't a Dr. Who book left in the library after he had gone.'
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- APA 6th ed.: (1980-10-18). Dr. Who man in A'town. Andersontown News p. 3.
- MLA 7th ed.: "Dr. Who man in A'town." Andersontown News [add city] 1980-10-18, 3. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: "Dr. Who man in A'town." Andersontown News, edition, sec., 1980-10-18
- Turabian: "Dr. Who man in A'town." Andersontown News, 1980-10-18, section, 3 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Dr. Who man in A'town | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dr._Who_man_in_A%27town | work=Andersontown News | pages=3 | date=1980-10-18 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=18 April 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Dr. Who man in A'town | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Dr._Who_man_in_A%27town | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=18 April 2025}}</ref>
