Both Doctor Who and Star Wars can be said to have a central message or concept but Doctor Who's is much more uplifting. For Doctor Who, many stories carry the message that you (yes, you!) can make a difference. One ordinary person can change the world for the better, as long as he or she is brave and true. It's a message of hope. In Star Wars, meanwhile, Joseph Campbell's monomyth (or the Hero's Journey) is the central conceit, with Luke's journey and Anakin's fall being the pillars on which each trilogy rests. Alternatively, it doesn't take much to notice that in Star Wars one person can also make a difference, but it certainly helps if that person can use the Force. Ordinary people in the Star Wars galaxy get conscripted as builders on the Death Star and vapourised by the rebels.
Mike has lived in the UK, Japan and the USA. Currently, he is based in Iowa with his wife and 2 young children. After working for many years as a writer and editor for a large corporation, he is now a freelancer. He has been fortunate enough to contribute to many books on Doctor Who over the last 20 years and is now concentrating on original sci-fi & fantasy short stories, with recent sales including Flame Tree, Uffda, and The Martian Wave. Also, look for his contribution on Blake's 7 to "You and Who Else", a charity anthology to be released later this year.
You can find him on Tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/blog/culttvmike
