WRITING FOR BROADCASTING:
RADIO
INTRODUCTION
Writing for television, radio or video requires a
different set of skills than writing text. Clear
and condensed writing is key. After all, a radio
listener or TV viewer can't go back and re-
read a sentence.
To improve your broadcast writing, multimedia
producer Jehangir Irani recommends that you
open a major newspaper, pick any news article,
and try reading the first paragraph aloud.
You'll probably find that "it’s long and dry," he
says, "and you’ll run out of breath before
finishing it."
TIPS TO WRITE FOR BROADCAST: RADIO
Write like you speak
Keep it simple
Provide specificity
Tell stories in a logical order
Use the present tense and active voice
Use imaginary
Let the speaker speak
WHAT MAKES A GOOD RADIO SCRIPT?
Have a good opening
Have impact with your opening pages of script,
cut into the story quickly and make use of the
music and sound
Consider delivering a reversal in your opening
scenes
Be wary of too much narration early on. Don’t be
dependent on monologues, try to be original.
Make your listener ask questions and hook them
in by not revealing too much too soon.
Don’t be literal with sound effects (knocking
doors, boiling kettles etc.) and don’t over-do it.
Try to find an imaginative way to approach using
sound as an integral part of your play.
Be imaginative with how you use language and
be economical with it. A number of poets have
created really strong dramas recently and this
was noted at the event as a very positive thing.
HOW TO WRITE A PROPOSAL FOR A RADIO
PLAY
Before you write the proposal, stop and consider
the following:
• Is your idea a good one – are you really being as
original as possible?
• Don’t try and second-guess what a ‘Radio 4
style play is’ (ie, kitchen sink dramas). That’s the
last thing the BBC wants to see.
• In the outline of your story, detail how the story
will be told, what the emotional cost of the story
will be and what will be at stake for the characters?
If there is nothing at stake for your characters,
your play probably has some fundamental
problems and might not be dramatic enough.
• Think audio. How does your play use the
medium of radio to best effect?
WHAT MAKES A GOOD IDEA?
What is the concept, premise or hook for your
story?
Is your idea fresh, unique or an original twist on
a familiar story?
What is your inciting incident? It might be a
small incident rather than a large one but
whatever the scale it must be massive to your
character.
What is the climax or resolution of your story?
What makes this a play for radio?
Why do you want to write this? Is the story really
burning you up? If not, ask yourself why?
Be topical but don’t be too topical. Ideas can date
very quickly.
Stay away from historical settings unless your
idea has a great twist.
Tell a contemporary story that’s relevant to now
and how we live now.
THE PROPOSAL
One side of A4 only.
Sell your idea in the first couple of sentences. A
proposal is a pitch document after all; the first
two sentences should summaries your story.
Outline the story that you want to tell.
Outline your emotional connection to the story in
your pitch – why do you want to write this story?
Why are you the person to tell this story?
WHAT TO AVOID WHEN ENTERING
Bad spelling and sloppy presentation. Avoid at
all costs as it will make your entry look rushed
and thoughtless. Send in a draft that you are
happy with. Give it your best shot.
Don’t send in scripts that have already been
rejected by the BBC writers room unless the
feedback that you got on the script was
encouraging and you have done further work on
the project and re-written it.
REFERENCE:
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