write radio

How to Write for Radio

Compared to TV writing radio writing is a very small market and does not pay as well. However, radio is an incredibly medium because it allows you to set a play. series or short stories in any setting and at any time. The beauty of writing for radio is that it costs a fraction of the cost compared to making a film. However, you must ensure that you capture the audience's attention through the use of sound and words alone because with radio none of the actors, lights and props can be seen.

Listed below are a few pointers that will help you to write for radio:

• Theme - When thinking about a theme for radio, you are able to set your story either in the past, present or future and it can be on any subject that you like. Just remember that it is important not to cram too much events into your story.

• Scenes - When writing a radio play or story it is made up of scenes and these scenes can be as long and as short as you wish. However, it is a good idea to set the scenes in different locations, with different acoustics and for different lengths of time. Also, you need to make sure that you capture the audience's attention immediately so it may be a good idea to start the story with a crisis or right in the middle of a conflict.

• Characters - When creating characters for your radio story it is essential that you do not use any more than 6 characters because any more than this will confuse the audience. It is also important to remember that the audience will only know a character exists if they speak or if they are called by their name. Try not to have all your characters speaking the same. Make them different and get to know them fully. Another good point to make here is that when writing the script for actors on the radio you should include how you want them to say a line ie. with anger, sarcasm etc.

• Dialogue - When writing the dialogue for radio you need to think not only bout speech but also about sound effects, music and also the use of silence, which is sometimes underused by inexperienced writers. The use of silence can do a number of important things such as creating suspense or anxiety. Another point to make here is that you want to make sure every time a character speaks that they are moving the story along and increasingly involving the listener. Do not just write exactly what the characters are doing try to get the audience to establish that by themselves.

• Use of sound - It is crucial on the radio that you use sound to hold the listener's interest and grab their attention. You could set the story inside or outside and could even have an extremely noisy scene followed by and extremely quiet one. The latter representing someone thinking about something. Music can also add something to the story so use it as well.

• Layout of the script - When writing your actual script there are a number of things that you must do such as:

• Attach a brief summary of the script - Attach the names of all the cast with a brief profile on all of them

• Scripts should always be typed using one side of the paper only

• Names of character should be written in full and clearly separated from the speech

• Type all sound effects and directions in capital letters

• Ensure that all pages are numbered

• Time the script - With radio all programs run to an allocated time slot therefore, you will need to ensure that you time your story and take into consideration pauses, sound effects etc. If the script is too long then you must be prepared to work with the director and actors to cut some scenes down.

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