Doctor Who writer lands Napier University role

Published on Tuesday 2 August 2011 14:57

AN AWARD-WINNING Doctor Who writer will soon be advising students at Edinburgh's Napier University.

Robert Shearman, who brought back the Daleks for Christopher Eccleston's first series as the Doctor, will become writer-in-residence there from next month.

The fantasy writer will advise students on the university's MA in creative writing course, a role previously held by Scottish novelist James Robertson.

Mr Shearman has written for television, radio and the stage and used to be resident writer at Northcott Theatre in Exeter.

His Daleks episode for Doctor Who was nominated for a Hugo Award, as best science fiction work, and he has also made award-winning contributions to the Doctor Who audio range.

The London-based writer will spend about two days a week at Napier, while also working on his debut novel.

He said: "One of the hardest parts about writing is the isolation. I'm just as plagued by that as anyone else, and whilst my post as resident writer will mean I can encourage fellow writers, I can't wait in turn to be encouraged by them, to find a new context to my prose and scriptwriting, and to bounce off their enthusiasm."