I wrote tonight's Doctor Who. And next weeks. AMA.

Forget the smell of the mummy, what does Jenna Coleman smell like?

You see Reddit, this is why we can't have nice things?

I've never got close enough to smell her, but I imagine she smells of a freshly printed restraining order and a night in the cells.

Neil Gaiman was quite vocal during the week about the lack of female writers for the show Jamie, what's your opinion on the matter?

Also if I can ask another, how is the direction or story that you write made to tie into the season's myth arc/ big bad storyline? Are yiu told to include certain lines of dialogue or similar? Cheers for this ama, I've been loving this season and am looking forward to tonights episode!

It would be lovely to have female writers on Who. To quote Neil Gaiman: "In the six years I’ve been working with the Doctor Who team, the producers and script editors I’ve directly worked with (four out of six of whom have been women) have had a lot of attention on getting women writers onto the team. They’ve reached out to a lot of women writers — I know that Steven Moffat has personally been in touch with a lot of female writers and been defeated over and over by scheduling problems, and people saying no, and been as frustrated as anybody (probably much more frustrated as he’s the one reaching out). It’s a priority for them too."

How much of what you write is influenced by what is coming in the future for a drawn-out storyline? Do you have to make sure you fit in certain things to advance character development to fit in with what you know is a certain end point?

Both my eps are fairly self contained, so not much really, but we were all kept in the loop on everything. Copies of other writer's scripts, rough footage from eps etc. The most shocking example of this I had was writing my first script and getting an email saying 'Here's a link to footage from Peter Capaldi's first episode' months before it aired. I was just sitting in my lounge on my laptop watching it, thinking, Jeez. But suddenly writing the Doctor's new voice got a lot easier.

How much does the story change from concept to production?

Are there Doctor Who fact checking editors that adjust dialogue to better/accurately represent the Doctor Who of seasons past?

And how do I get my hands on the Doctor Who crib used by River.....? I have a baby on the way and would love to build or purchase the crib.... I would receive mucho "good husband" points with my pregnant wife. I'm currently in the negative, -2, for not wanting to turn off the air conditioning a few days ago.

In my case, massive changes. In both Flatline and Mummy, lots of big rewrites, but when you get a good note from Steven Moffat, you pay attention. In the case of Mummy, I was far too ambitious to begin with. The train was stopping off and visiting 'The Seven Wonders of the Universe'. The Mummy's method of killing and origins were also a lot more convoluted to begin with. But then the reality of 45 minutes sink in...

Did you get to work directly with Capaldi? If so, how was it?

I met him a couple of times, but no big chats. He complimented me on the script of Mummy as I left the readthrough, which was nice of him. And I watched him practice his yo-yo after another meet. Rock and roll.

Did Peter Capaldi say the lines exactly as you wrote/envisioned them or did he tweak anything?

The jelly babies were his idea! Which I think we can all agree was genius.

If you had to write an episode about the return of the Master, how would you go about it? What would be his response to the Doctor's current regeneration and how would that affect his characterization?

You do all know that the new Doctor is really the Master? Is that not clear to everyone by now? He couldn't be that callous and be The Doctor. That's why the regeneration was so abrupt. The master beamed out the regenerating 11 and beamed himself in. Simples.

Hi Mr. Mathieson, Congratulations on getting two of your scripts aired! here are my questions.

• Who is your favorite Dr.Who villain and why?
• Who do i have to kill to have a go at scripting an episode?

**edit: 9/10 for the episode moar pls

I've got a soft spot for Davros. He invented the Daleks! And he's half dalek. Or something.

I think to get to write for Who, you have to prove your worth elsewhere. I don't think I would have had a shot had I not had four years of Being Human under my belt. Even then, I had a meeting with Mr Moffat two years ago where I failed to get the gig. Pitched him ideas, none of which took his fancy. Two years later, another meet, one of them stuck, which became Flatline...

Letting Foxes do the cover for "Don't Stop Me Now" was genius. That was fantastic.

Now for my question: what's the scariest being that the Doctor has faced, in your opinion?

Cancellation.

Dr. Who has been on for so long, does that make it harder or easier to write for?

I was never a fan of the original (too scared) so there is a gaping void of knowledge in the Who Lore bit of my brain. I just come up with the coolest ideas I can and trust the Who staff to point out if I am ripping off the plot of a Troughton classic.

Mr Mathieson! I was wondering what was your favourite style of Who episode ... do you like the timey-wimey ones like The Big Bang or the scary ones or the more funny light-hearted ones? And why?

I'm really looking forward to the next couple of episodes, always exciting to see the work of a new writer.

Thank you! :)

post-episode edit: Blimey that was good. Properly tense episode, with 12 once again asserting himself as cynical but ultimately effective. Great work indeed, looking forward to Flatline even more now!

One of the lovely things about Who is that it's a very elastic format, both in terms of 'anywhere in time and space' but also genre. You can do farce, drama, horror, sci-fi and so on. I love a good conceptual one. Loved the Big Bang. I like a head masher, me. Thus FAQ About Time Travel, (a film I wrote) And Blink, of course.

You're commissioned to rewrite Mummy as a classic four-part story. Where do the cliffhangers go and what do you bring in to fill the extra 55 minutes?

I'd make it a musical.

What do you think of Cardiff?

Your name betrays you.

Do you have a basic formula or structure to which you must adhere? That is, how much freedom do you have as a writer? Could you say, kill off Clara Oswald in a fire, have her ashes fly everywhere and then have The Doctor bring here back to life by going to the place where things go when they die ("heaven") and bring her back? I feel like this would be a pretty big change in style. Thanks!

An outline has to be approved before they let you write the script, but no basic formulas or structures as such.

What's Moffat like to work with. Do you get briefs on what the episode should be about? Does he have a lot of input or does let you get on with it?

I find him a delight. He is very quick and smart, and with a line can solve a script problem that's been bugging you for days. A note from Mr Moffat is worth it's weight in gold. Just posted new blog which is relevant. http://jamiemathieson.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/building-better-mummy.html

How did you get the opportunity to write for the show?

I think it's an incremental thing, with a few components in the mix. Established through four years on Being Human (longest run as a writer other than the creator, Toby Whithouse) Good agent. I also had a couple of spec scripts out with various TV productions companies, one of which Hartswood liked (the company that made Sherlock) and through that, Steven read it and got me in for another Who meet. At which I pitched four ep ideas, four monsters, along with illustrations (art student way back when) and yay, got the gig.

What's your favourite Tv show besides Doctor Who?

Inspector Spacetime.

Were you inspired by any previous writers? How much freedom were you given in writing your episodes? Thanks!!

I like to think that the Mummy concept is a very Moffat idea. Of the monster that only the victim can see. But that's just me self-aggrandizing. I was given a ton of freedom, but am very open to good notes, which from Steven tends to be the case. If he gives you a note which improves the ep tenfold, but means completely rewriting it, you shake him by the hand and start the rewrite with a spring in your step.

What advice do you have for aspiring sci-fi screenwriters? My dream is to write for a show and be able to ruin people's days like Moffat does. Kidding about that last part (not really).

Write a lot. Which is deceptively deep advice, trust me. A lot of people don't write a lot. They talk a great script, but aren't actually writing anything. The analogy I like to use is playing a guitar. You wouldn't pick up a guitar, strum it once and expect to sound like Hendrix. So why should your first short story/script/novel be any good? You have to practice. A lot. So write a lot. The meme of the overnight success is your enemy. Purge it from your mind. It will only make you feel like a failure when it doesn't happen. You are learning to play the guitar. So practice. It is a marathon not a sprint. If you love it, you should want to do it anyway. Make it your obsession. If no-one was paying you, would you make up stories anyway? I would. I do. I did, for years...

Ok hoping you do get to my questions. Tho 1: What is it like working on such a long lived series? Do you free pressue, do you need to read up on lots of the lore to make sure you don't make continuity errors?

2: Are you limited in any way of what you can do, bring in when you write the scripts? Can you have had a River Song appearance if you wanted, or some other person from the past if you thought it fit in?

3: Do you watch the episode after its done and if so private screening or when it airs like everyone else?

1) I'm not a long term fan - I do what I feel to be good ideas and hope I am picked up by the staff if I plagiarize old stuff. 2) I wouldn't dream of touching the River Song storyline. It's Steven's baby. I think certain characters just scream ownership, and that's one of them. Other characters I would probably go case by case. 3) I've seen various cuts of my eps, but tonight was the first time with full music/effects etc.

I wish I could comment on the episode but I live in the US and can't watch i as it airs on BBC. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you and all the current writers for making one of the best seasons so far in a while. I've loved pretty much every episode. Is it hard writing for a new doctor that hasn't been fully explored yet or does that just give you more freedom to do whatever you want?

I wrote my first draft of Flatline not even knowing that Capaldi had been cast. Then I had a meeting with Mr Moffat where he outlined his vision of the 12th Doctor. I found myself picturing Dr Gregory House... from House. Which is not exactly how the 12th turned out, but it worked as good shorthand in my head for the next couple of drafts; cutting, rude but ultimately there to save lives. Dr House in the Tardis. Come on!

Which episode did you write first and do you think it was was it more difficult to write two back to back episodes than it would be to write two disconnected episodes?

On an unrelated note is anything happening with ALT? I haven't heard anything about it in so long and I thought it sounded rather good.

I wrote a few drafts of Flatline first, then I got offered Mummy, wrote a few drafts of that, then went back to Flatline. As I was following myself, it was easier to know where I was going - if you follow me...

As for Alt, it's gone back to the E4 lab. Not allowed to say any more than that...

What is your favorite line you've made the Doctor say?

It comes next week. Spoilers...

If you had a chance to edit "Blink" what would you change?

Not a second. But I am curious what prompted the question... do you have an edit in mind? Remove those pesky angels, perhaps...

How do you get noticed as a writer in television?

A slow climb up a tall mountain. In 2000 I left my day job in Royal Mail Customer Services to pursue Stand up comedy. First TV work was Catchphrase, then Family Fortunes, then My Parents are Aliens, then FAQ About Time Travel, then Being Human and so on. 14 years in two lines...

What has been your favorite episode of Doctor Who ever? Thanks for your work!

Blink. Or The Pandorica Opens.

Do you ever think about altering dialogue for an accent? That certain words just sound better/worse while spoken by some actors.

And thank you for using "are you my mummy?". Effing brilliant.

Don't really think about accents, no. I think I have 12's voice in my head now.

Using 'Are you my mummy.' was a fairly late addition. The question was where to put it....

How do you convincingly write for a genius like the doctor?

Dumb myself down.

Seriously tho, something to remember is that you can spend ages doing research and constructing a line of technobabble that he is going to deliver with speed and aplomb. It's all smoke and mirrors kids.

But there is something lovely about writing lines for The Doctor. Have to remind myself of that.

What scriptwriting software do you prefer/use?

Final Draft is the industry standard in my experience. Never had a problem with it, but I've heard some horror stories. But I'm a computer nerd, so I backup like a mother...

What was your favourite part of writing episodes of DW? Was there anything you wanted to do or say in them that were ultimately scrapped?

I found the meetings with Steven great fun. Bouncing around ideas, breaking the story. There are a couple of filmed scenes from Mummy, cut for time. The first takes place in the 'lab carriage'. The Doctor notices that people have lit a candle near the scroll and are leaving trinkets and money. Perkins calls it a memorial. The Doctor is angry and insists it's a shrine and basically rants against superstition. I can see why it was cut as it doesn't advance the plot, but I loved it. The second was a 'Farewell Maisie' scene, which occurred on the planet at the end. Maisie was revealed near the fire, bringing back firewood. She mentioned that when the Doctor removed her pain and trauma, he took it away for good...

Do you have any favorite things/outside interests you find yourself giving a nod to when writing? If so, what are they typically, and how do you slip them in easiest to the story?

Well, comics got a nod. The Excelsior life extender was the name of the wheelchair that Mrs Pitt died in. And Excelsior is Stan Lee's catchphrase.

I also namechecked a ton of friends and rellies in the story. Just about every name/surname on there belonged to someone I know or share blood with...

What's with the 66 seconds?

It's how long you have to live if you see a Mummy.

It's nice short amount of time in which you can panic but ultimately die. It's also an echo of 666 which is the number of the beast, as ever metal fan knows..

Is tonight's episode influenced by treatments of Victorian literature? "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" or "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters". Also as a possible alternate title "Mummy On The Orion Express" Cheers!

The title was from Steven. But it suggested a few things; Agatha Christie, of course, steampunk, murder mysteries. At one point it was a little broader and more of a pastiche. Steven wisely told me to make it more real.

As a story geek, wannabe writer, I have always wanted to ask this broad question:

What amount of freedom do you get to use the characters and possibly make large changes? do you get specific limitations?

Clara's last moment change of heart in the last minuet of the episode, was that you leading into your second written episode? Were you charged with the graceful, yet, willful exit of Clara, questioning herself this time and then perhaps being concrete about leaving the doctor next episode? (Speculation)

Steven Moffat controls the broad arc across the season. If I suddenly said 'I want Clara to leave the Doctor in this episode.' He'd sigh and shake his head while peeling an apple with a very sharp knife, never once breaking eye contact. But Clara was in Mummy and given the events at the end of Kill the Moon, there had to be an arc that made sense of that. Thus, the last hurrah idea.

Sir. When might we get a Grant Morrison episode of the show? The patrons of r/barbelith want to know.

Is he a fan? That would be a thing to see. I have no power over such things, but it's a interesting thought experiment, isn't it? Fave Morrison work for the record - The Filth.

Do you answer any questions at all?

No.

I've always been fascinated by the process of collaborative writing that goes into making this show.

How much input did Steven Moffat have on your two scripts (or just Mummy, if you want to avoid Flatline spoilers)? Were you given a story outline and asked to expand it, or did you have more or less free rein? Were many scenes or moments added by Moffat after you handed in your last draft?

Steven steered me away from an overly complex version of what you just saw, which is too complex to get into here. He also direct wrote a few bits between Clara and the Doctor, which I feel is as it should be. Their relationship has to have continuity between scripts. The 'sad smile' stuff was him, the talk about Clara hating The Doctor.

Did you have access to the Who Bible? What was it like if so?

If there is one, I wasn't shown it. Perhaps there is an inner circle to which I am not yet privy.

I loved the episode! Very excited for next week :) Now for my questions: Who's your favourite companion? And how did you get the idea for yesterday's episode?

Sally Sparrow. Heh.

And as for the idea for the ep, that's answered here: http://jamiemathieson.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/building-better-mummy.html