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Principles of Scriptwriting

This document outlines principles for effective radio scriptwriting. It recommends that writers know the medium, be brief using simple words, personalize their writing for the intended audience, be clear and concise using precise language, write conversationally for the ear rather than the eye, avoid alliteration and homonyms, follow the one-idea-per-sentence rule, repeat messages for memorability, use abbreviations sparingly, handle figures properly by rounding and spelling out amounts, and spell out numbers from one to ten while using numerals for 11 to 999. Radio writing aims to develop mind pictures bounded only by the audience's imagination.

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2K views9 pages

Principles of Scriptwriting

This document outlines principles for effective radio scriptwriting. It recommends that writers know the medium, be brief using simple words, personalize their writing for the intended audience, be clear and concise using precise language, write conversationally for the ear rather than the eye, avoid alliteration and homonyms, follow the one-idea-per-sentence rule, repeat messages for memorability, use abbreviations sparingly, handle figures properly by rounding and spelling out amounts, and spell out numbers from one to ten while using numerals for 11 to 999. Radio writing aims to develop mind pictures bounded only by the audience's imagination.

Uploaded by

suertezaragosa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Principles of

Radio
Scriptwriting
WRITING FOR RADIO
The Radio Script

Radio Script
refers to the written material which indicates the verbal
and non-verbal actions that has to go into a radio program.
KNOW THE MEDIUM

The writer should know the medium he/she is


going to use before he/she starts to write.
Principles of Radio Scriptwriting, Writing
for Radio
1. Be brief.
 Broadcasting is constrained by time

2. Personalize.
 Adjust the style, language and content of your writing to your intended
audience

3. Be clear.
• Choose simple words
• Avoid a long word when a short word will do.
4. Be precise.
• Use words carefully to provide specific meanings
• “Say what you mean”

5. Be concise.
 Every word used must have a purpose for being there

6. Be concrete
 Avoid vague and abstract words.

7. Be informal and conversational.


• Speak to the audience, not read to them.
• Involve the listeners, talk to them in a normal conversation.
• Write for the ear, not for the eye.
8. Be readable.
• Broadcast copy must be smooth and readable.
• Avoid sibilant words (words with letters “s” and “z”) and tongue twisters.

9. Avoid alliteration (repetitions of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring
words or syllables)

10. Avoid homonyms, (each of two or more words having the same spelling or pronunciation but
different meaning and origins)
Examples:
 address (to speak to / location) fair (equitable/ beautiful)
 bright (smart or intelligent / filled with light)
11. Observe the one-idea one-sentence rule.
 Avoid “overcrowding”(too many ideas in one sentence)

12. Repeat the message if necessary. This will make it more memorable for the
audience.

13. Use acronyms/abbreviations sparingly and properly.


Example:
 The Department of Justice or D-O-J has started to…
 The Department of Health or D-O-H has announced…

14. Handle figures properly. Round off figures.


 Example:
 Almost thirty million in U-S didn’t have enough to eat last week.
15. Avoid beginning sentences with a person’s age, and in general,
with any number.

16. Spell out “dollars”, “cents”, “pesos””percent”, “kilograms”and


“meters”.

17. Spell-out fractions like “one-half”, “five and a half”.

18. Spell out numbers from one to ten and use numerals for 11 to 999.
Radio is the art of imagination.

A writer can develop a mind


picture that is bounded only by
the extent of the audience’s
imagination.

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