A radio script is words on paper or more likely words on a computer screen. The script goes through various processes before it becomes a finished piece of broadcast audio. The initial process is first to put what’s in the writer’s head and imagination onto the page, paper or electronic.
How to Start Writing the Radio Script
To be a radio writer the first hurdle to get over is the blank page. Most people faced with a blank page face the same challenge. Where do you start? Rather than concentrating on the page itself and the absence of anything on it, there are a number of building blocks the writer can pull out to get started constructing the script. A number of inspirational tools are available to the writer that will make getting started easier:
- Think of the audience you’re writing for, even think of writing for one person
- Just write anything at all and don’t edit it until you’re well into the script, then go back and edit
- Work out the story on a separate sheet of paper
- Or try constructing a story board
- Writing is re-writing so don’t be afraid to make mistakes, just write.
It’s often worth just writing anything at all almost subconsciously to get the writing process under way. You can always re-write later what you’ve written or indeed throw it away but at least this will get you started.
Constructing a Radio Script
There a number of useful things to consider whatever kind of radio script is being written. This applies equally well to radio dramas, commercials, programme promotions and even some non-fiction or news pieces. When putting the script consider:
- Tell a logical story – start, middle and end
- Don’t use too many characters – too many voices just confuses the listener
- Write believable character dialogue, the way people actually talk
- Consider using some audio inserts, or pre-recorded pieces to break up the scenes
- Always remember it’s radio - anything’s possible
- Consider using sound effects precisely for that, effect and to illustrate the story
- Music is a very powerful tool; think about the tracks you could choose and how they might illustrate the piece (remembering to check any copyright restrictions)
Listen to people talking; get used to listening rather than talking; make notes of ideas, conversations, and interesting facts; start an ideas book you can dip into whenever you need some inspiration. It’ll all help to get you started.
Use your imagination and the Power of Radio
It’s radio and there’s no limit to what you can and can’t do. The only limits to the audio medium are the limits in the writer’s imagination. You can set a piece on the outer edge of the universe or in somebody’s kitchen. Both are easily achieved on radio, so enjoy the freedom and start writing without rules. You can always go back and edit the script later.
If you’ve been given a brief or instructions to write to, always refer back to them to ensure you’re answering the brief. The brief may also give the writer just the spark needed to get started.
Radio Production Notes
Imagine the script is being produced without the writer being present. What instructions and notes would be useful for the sound engineer, the producer and the voice actors to help them bring the script to life?
Write these into the script as a playwright or a film screenwriter would. Imagine your script as a visual piece and give the producer or production team the notes they might need to help them visualise and finalise the audio piece as the writer imagined it.
And finally listen to as much radio audio as possible; this can often be a great source of inspiration not in any way to copy what’s already been produced but as a springboard for ideas and what’s possible in the future.
Sources:
- author's notes
- bbc writers room script archive
Dan McCurdy - Dan McCurdy is a freelance writer producer creative and lecturer. Dan is one of the UK's most experienced radio writers and producers. ...
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