How to Write a Radio Play in Six Steps

I only wrote a radio play. It was dreadful and didn’t make it onto the radio. Why then, you may wonder, am I writing this blog? Because during the process of writing it, and submitting it, I learned what not to do 🙂 As an author of over twenty-eight books, there’s not much I don’t know about book writing and the publication process. Writing a radio play, however, is a whole other beast. And I wish I had spent more time reading up on how to do it before I started.

That’s where this article comes in. It is for people who want to try their hand at writing a radio play. If you want to write a screenplay, this is not for you, and if you are an aspiring novelist, you should check out my step-by-step guide to writing a book instead.

What is a Radio Play?

A radio play (not to be confused with a screenplay) is also known as a radio drama, or an audio drama. Like a book, it is a form of storytelling, but while most words are destined for the page, to be read visually, a radio play is created to be broadcast in audio. Unlike television, there are no visual elements to assist. The story relies solely on dialogue, music, and sound effects to engage listeners.

Radio plays have come a long way and we now have podcasts and other audio platforms rising to popularity. It’s a digital revival of the good old-fashioned radio play, which was enormously popular in the mid-20th century.

How to Write a Radio Play

As an affirmed pantser, I usually advise writers to simply ‘dive in’, but when it comes to audio planning is imperative. I strongly recommend a careful and considerate approach. A strong outline is crucial.

Step 1: Start with a Strong Concept

First, you’ll need to come up with a strong concept, or idea. What story are you going to tell? The concept is the foundation on which your entire play hinges, so it needs to be solid. Are you writing a comedy, a drama, a mystery? What emotions do you want to invoke in prospective listeners? Explore these themes and then create a solid outline.

Remember that the audio format has limitations you might not be used to. Your story needs to be deliverable exclusively through sound and this should influence your choice of story. A mystery, for example, would incorporate suspenseful music, whereas a comedy would rely on clever wordplay. Try to play to your strengths as a writer when forming your outline.

Once you have a solid outline, you can begin to work on the details – plot key scenes, create characters and their arcs, and jot down any dialogue that could be crucial to the story.

Step 2: Develop Your Characters and Dialogue

Dialogue:

At the heart of any good story lies the characters, and this is especially true when dealing with a radio play. Since the format relies solely on audio, dialogue is crucial. It must sound natural. My absolute best tip for creating dialogue that sounds natural is to read it out loud. You will quickly hear if it sounds awkward to the ear!

Beware of overly descriptive language… keep it simple and let the dialogue and sound effects tell the story.

Character Voices:

As the listener cannot see the characters, and to avoid listener confusion, you must create distinct voices for each character so that they are easily identifiable. Their personalities, emotions, and motivations must be conveyed through voice and dialogue alone. Even actions tell a story. A slammed door shows a character is angry or frustrated, drumming fingers on a table signifies impatience.

Distinct voice and speech patterns are also great tools for audio characterization. Think of a deep, smooth baritone versus a high-pitched stutter. These convey an image in your head before you even know anything about a character.

Step 3: Create a Compelling Structure

Use a standard script format. This includes listing the characters’ names followed by their dialogue. Sound effects (SFX) and actions must be concise and bracketed.

The structure of your radio play will be crucial to its success. Scene transitions are more difficult without visuals to assist, and you will need to watch your pacing to make sure the audience doesn’t become bored.

Always try to keep the following structural elements in mind:

• Introduction: Your hook should be very early on. Grab the listener’s attention as soon as you are able. You could use an intriguing event, a powerful line of dialogue, or an eerie sound that keeps them guessing.
• Rising Action: Keep building tension! Conflict, character development, dialogue, and sound effects are all valuable tools to help keep the momentum going.
• Climax: This is the turning point – the point where your story reaches the peak of its main conflict. Don’t be afraid to be dramatic! Use emotion to maximize impact.
• Waning Action: Once the central conflict is resolved, you can begin to tie up any other loose ends. Watch your pacing, and stay focused. This is often where a story unravels and loses momentum and reader interest.
• Resolution: Make sure your conclusion is satisfying! This is where your planning and outline will see you in good stead. You want to leave a lasting positive impression on your audience. After all the work you’ve put in, don’t let the ending fall flat.

It is important to remember when structuring your play that the average length of a radio play is between twenty minutes to an hour. You must work within this time frame, and adjust your plot and pacing accordingly.

Step 4: Don’t Discount Sound Design

Sound effects:

In the absence of a screen to watch, listeners rely heavily on the sound effects and music when ‘experiencing’ a radio play. These create a mood, or atmosphere, and greatly enhance the storytelling. You must clearly describe these in the script to guide the production team.

Think carefully about what type of noises will bring your story to life. If your story is set in a bustling city, you’ll need the sounds of traffic, passersby, and city beats. If in an eerie forest, you might prefer a haunting birdsong or leaves rustling in the breeze. Every sound should add to the narrative.

Music:

Music heightens emotion, so use it! It is also an effective way to transition between scenes and ratchet up the tension. You want to work closely with a sound designer or at the least, do your research on sound editing so you can choose audio snippets that will be most effective.

Step 5: Use Descriptive Language and Narration

Again, in the absence of a visual, language and narration are a key way to help the listener picture the setting, characters, and plot. Dialogue and sound effects are important, but sometimes a well-placed narrative or description can provide clarity and enhance the experience. A narrator can also be a very useful tool to provide backstory – just be careful not to rely too heavily on the narrator or you risk distracting the listener from the plot.

Step 6: Script Revision

Editing and revision are just as important in playwriting as they are in book writing, and for the same reasons. You need to check for plot inconsistencies, awkward dialogue (read it aloud!), pacing issues, or weak transitions. Also, pesky typos that could hinder your chances of being accepted upon submission.

Ensure that every sound effect and music addition adds to the story, and consider recording a rough draft to get an idea of how it will translate to audio.

To wrap things up, if you’re used to writing books, a radio play will be a whole new challenge, but who knows, you might find that you love it. It will certainly stretch your imagination and might be a nice break from book writing.

Good luck!

MD x