How to Write a Radio Script
A Guide to Beginning the Creative Process and Writing the Script
Jul 24, 2009
A major part of most creative work at some stage involves writing a script, or at least putting some ideas down on paper or its technological equivalent. This is especially true where more than one person is involved, with the exception obviously of various forms of improvisation. It’s certainly true in radio and applicable to the production of any audio be it radio commercials, station and programme promotions, news bulletins, idents and inserts, or any programming features.
The Rules of the Creative Process.
There are no ‘golden rules’ that must be adhered to in audio production bar the obvious technical considerations, and it’s certainly true to say for any area of creative output that what works for one person, may only serve to hinder another. Producing something out of almost literally nothing is the alchemy of ideas that has both puzzled and delighted the artistic community and its sponsors for thousands of years. Creativity exists in many forms, and a mixture of experience and inspiration can be as effective as naivety and enthusiasm is productive
Making a Start.
That said the hardest part of a great many artistic adventures is the beginning; the first brush stroke or the first word, after that the process often takes on a momentum of its own. Considering a lot of day to day radio production is the solution to a set task or problem:
- Write a promotion to promote x,y, or z.
- Make a programme about a,b, or c.
- Construct a feature to investigate 1,2 and 3
- Produce a radio commercial for xxxxx.
In each of these cases there are parameters already laid down as and this is often a great place to start. Write these down either as a brief:
- Who are we talking to?
- What do want them to do?
- Why should they do it?
Or outline the guidelines and objectives as written goals, and it’s important to write them down.
- How long is the feature, promotion, programme to be?
- What are the main objectives?
- Who’s involved or could be involved?
- Who’s the main audience?
- What’s the main story, or the point of the piece?
Tools of the Trade.
Of course this is in effect all ‘Brainstorming,’ and it can be done as effectively individually as it can be collectively. Many radio scriptwriters have found through writing, rejecting ideas that don’t work, and embracing ideas that do, and a certain amount of trial and error, the best way for them not only to begin writing but to get to the script. This will often involve thinking of the tools and materials available to them, and considering ideas of the best way to use them. The tools of the radio trade are:
- Solo Voice: Radio is often at its best as a one-to-one story telling medium. What’s the story being told, and who is it being told to??
- Sound effects: A sound effect chosen at random can start the process.
- Music Tracks: Music can be a great catalyst for ideas, just check there’s a relevant broadcast licence.
- Vox Pops: Ideas come for the most unusual places, ask people in the street their thoughts.
- Interviews: When writing about specifics more knowledge help so interview someone who knows.
- Chance: be aware of the possibilities and trying something just to see what happens.
Louis Pasteur once famously said “Chance favours the prepared mind,” and starting to write a radio script can happen more easily when the mind instead of finding difficulty in writing, is prepared to give creativity a chance. Laying out the tools of trade, or just starting to use some of them often hastens the process.
Developing the Idea.
Many people struggling to start a radio script, or any creative project, often have a high level of self censorship and reject numerous potentially workable ideas. On the other hand, many working creative people whose job it is to continually come up with and develop new ideas, often propound the underlying idea, that “There are no such things as bad ideas and good ideas, there are just ideas, and some may be worth developing or thinking about more than others."
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