It's a Droids Life: Rob Williams

[Rob1971]

Jim. Thanks. That story was written because I'd just had a baby and was completely frazzled and sleep deprived, so I poured my rancour into that. It's that five in the morning thing when you're up with screaming little 'un and you look at him and go "he might be a nazi, you know."

[Rob1971]

Jared. Depends. Sometimes a character's first, and I generate a plot around them. Sometimes it's just a scene. Sometimes, very rarely, a fully formed story will just turn up out of the blue. Wish that happened more often. Life would be easier.

I've changed my mind completely on this. I used to believe that not planning your writing before you start was the way to go because then you had the spontanaety of "go where the story takes you." I now realise that's a disaster waiting to happen. You have to know your ending before you start if you want a cohesive story. Then, once you have the ending you can work backwards and tweak your story so that it gets you to that point. And there's still  room for spontanaety within that structure.

[lborl]

Rob,

When planning out stories and settings for 2000AD, do you try to stick to the 'house style' of 2000AD or just go your own way?

Is there even a 'house style'? and if so, what do you perceive it to be nowadays?
 

[lborl]

Rob,

When planning out stories and settings for 2000AD, do you try to stick to the 'house style' of 2000AD or just go your own way?

Is there even a 'house style'? and if so, what do you perceive it to be nowadays?

[lborl]

Also, if you're careless enough to double post on a thread, is it better etiquette to add another posting apologizing for your error, or trust that will be implicit if you sheepishly say nothing, not wanting to draw too much attention to yourself?

[scutfink]

Rob,

I really can't think of any sensible questions that haven't already been asked, and to ask something silly would just be, well, silly...

But I feel an urge to participate in Wakes great new thread idea as I feel this might help the whole thing catch on, and other creators might pop in here for a chat and a cuppa more often...

Erm, any suggestions? If you were me, what would you ask you?

[Bad Andy]

We're allowed football questions?

Who was the better team? Liverpool '86, Man United '94, Man United '99, Arsenal's invincibles or Man United '08?

[Rob1971]

lborl. I don't think there is a house style for 2000ad, which is one of the great things about it. The variety of stories and styles make it what it is.

[Rob1971]

Scutfink. I would ask me why I'm so great. I would be unable to answer, but would have a warm inner glow that would temporarily cover my innate insecurity.

[Rob1971]

Bad Andy. Arsenal's invincibles, obviously. Although my Under-12s YMCA team were pretty handy in '83. I think we deserve a mention. We got to the Rhondda cup final that year (didn't win).

[Bad Andy]

I knew you'd say that. Which is why I didn't include Arsenal '98.

You're wrong, though. United '94 every time. ;>

[Dunk!]

Dunk Nimmo. Any relation to Derek?

Geez, never heard that before.

How i embrace the new generation who never saw "Oh Brother"

[mechanix81]

Hey Rob. So what's the one thing you'd change about your 2000AD work thusfar?

(personally I'd like to see more of it. oh yes.)

[Rob1971]

Mechanix81. Don't know how to answer that one. Even the strips that, in retrospect, I'm not overly happy with have been good experiences - I'm not a huge fan of some of my writing on Asylum and Family but working with Boo and Si Fraser was great and something I wouldn't have missed - and you learn from your mistakes. Of course you'd like to be able to never slip up but no-one's at their best all the time, despite good intentions.

[LARF]

Rob - you're a grey. If you had to choose an icon for this board what would it be?