How+To+Write+For+Radio+Theater


 * Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Luckily, Spongebob Squarepants does. However, without the help of a little radio editing, plot structure, characterization, and powerful dialogue, he wouldn't live at all. We designed this website to help you write your radio theater play. Good luck!**

The __plot__ of a story is a series of causes and effects that tell a story. There are six ingredients in a good plot. They are exposition, initiating action, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement and can be summarized in this diagram.
 * Plot**


 * __Exposition__ is the introduction to the setting. It tells the reader where the story is taking place, who is in the story, and sets the stage for the basic situation of the story. The exposition comes before the conflict starts.


 * Next comes the __initiating action__, which brings the opposing sides into conflict. The initiating action is usually one event where conflicting characters meet. It can be an internal conflict within a character, or an external conflict between the character and something or someone else. An **external conflict** is usually good guys versus bad guys. An **internal conflict** is a struggle inside yourself, where you want two different things but you cannot have both.


 * After this comes the __rising action__, which are events that advance the story until its crucial point, the climax.


 * The __climax__, the most intense part in the story, is the point at which the main character’s action determines the rest of the story permanently. Most often, it is the event that occurs right before the conflict is resolved.


 * The __falling action__ resolves the conflict permanently and a winner is clearly established.


 * __Denouement__ is the fate of the characters after the falling action has finished. In other words, it is what happens because of the way the conflict is resolved.


 * Characterization: Techniques, Tricks, and Tips**

Where to begin with characters is a difficult question. As well as being one of the most fundamental components to a story, they also have the potential to be extremely complicated. The myriad of character types allow for more dynamic stories to emerge because writers can utilize the various archetypes used in literature to develop their stories with characters that not only work well with the plot but enrich it. Through characters, readers are able to relate emotionally and personally to the plot of a given story, rather than just accept it as another moral or message.

In order to understand characters on a basic level, acquainting oneself with the different character types is a necessity. The following represent a few of the staple characters encountered in literature.


 * **Antagonist**: The antagonist, or the "bad guy", usually takes a primary role in the story as the source of conflict. Without the antagonist, the protagonist(see below) wouldn't have any form of hardship to overcome, instead, the protagonist would then become a character who does not change and is therefore relatively uninteresting as a main character.


 * **Cardboard character**: A character who conforms to a stereotype//,// be it racial or other.


 * **Confidante**: A Confidante is a character who's purpose is to expose the true nature of the main character. The confidante doesn't necessarily have to be human, it can be animal, or like in the Bible, supernatural.


 * **Developing character:** A developing character, or a non static character, is one whose personality is changed or affected throughout the progression of the story. More often than not the primary character in a story is a developing character. For example, the character Gilgamesh in the epic tale "Gilgamesh" is thought of as a developing character because by the end of the story he has embraced human mortality and life, thus leaving his explicit fear of death behind.


 * **Flat character**: A character who can be described as having one or two traits. Although flat characters are limited in that they may only have one motivation encompassing all of their actions, they can still play major roles in stories and be of interest to the reader.[[image:http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/1561827/2/istockphoto_1561827_on_air.jpg width="301" height="360" align="right" caption="The On Air sign lights up when the play is broadcast live on the radio."]]


 * **Foil**: Someone who serves only to juxtapose the main character's traits with their own to create a contrast and often a 'balancing' effect. Enkidu from "Gilgamesh" serves as a foil character for Gilgamesh. Their evident contrast becomes apparent when Gilgamesh goes so far as to risk his own life in the hope of achieving fame and glory while on the other hand Enkidu hopes to preserve his life for as long as he can, cherishing it for what it is.


 * **Narrator**: The narrator, or story teller, tells the story from his or her perspective. There are two kinds of narrators: first person and third person. First person narration uniquely gives a personal account or view of the story as it evolves and is therefore a more biased view of the events in the story. Third person narration on the other hand is carried out by an anonymous third party who acts merely as a neutral observer, recounting the story to the reader.


 * **Protagonist**: Referred often to as the main or primary character and is thought usually to be good. Protagonists are most interesting when they are developing characters, in that they may begin the story in one state of mind or social standing, but end it in another. Gilgamesh serves as the intended protagonist in "Gilgamesh" because he is portrayed as the story's hero.


 * **Round character:** Round characters represent the opposite of flat characters in that rather than having a confined list of motives, they may be incredibly complex and at first difficult to understand. Such characters consistently fall into the category of developing characters because simply they are more easily created that way. This, however, is not to say it is impossible for them to be static in nature.


 * **Static character**: A character whose personality does not develop over the course of the story. Most characters in stories are static because if they weren't, then the reader would be distracted from focusing only on the development of the main character.


 * **Stock character**: Characters who conform to common stereotypes that are instantly recognizable are known as stock characters.


 * **Sympathetic c****haracter**: Sympathetic characters can be both good and bad but need to identify with common human principles and traits. These characters help the reader make the story more personal in that often the reader will imagine him or herself as that particular character. Gilgamesh in "Gilgamesh" qualifies as a sympathetic character because he excites emotion in the reader especially when Enkidu dies, leaving Gilgamesh in a state of utter depression.


 * **Unsympathetic character**: Unsympathetic characters posses qualities that make them genuinely unlikeable to the reader and thus make the reader feel either uncomfortable with the character or otherwise disgusted.

There is more, however, to understanding character make up than just the various character types. Arguably the most difficult part of character creation is making them believable, or in other words, their actions don't seem completely ridiculous to the reader and they make sense based on previous example of the character's behavior. One technique many writers use when attempting to make believable characters is putting themselves in their character's shoes. The writer will ask her or himself questions like: would I behave like that in this situation, or furthermore, does the situation itself even make sense and could this character have gotten him or herself into it in the first place. Aside from looking within oneself for reference on making a complete character, authors will also look into the minds of other people, usually people they know well because otherwise it would be much more difficult to base a personality off of a person that one hardly knows in real life. In fact, most authors will say that they based their characters off either themselves or a close friend. For example, C.S. Lewis based his character Dr. Ransom from his 'Space Trilogy' off of his best friend, J.R.R. Tolkien.

Writers who are able to describe their characters detail by detail throughout the entirety of the story most often make the best characters. The myriad of details that are integrated into the story make all the difference in the end when it comes to thoroughly understanding a character. Little details such as what the character's favorite food is can potentially reflect a lot on the individual's personality.

Lastly, past experiences of the character are essential to the reader's understanding of the character. By looking at and contemplating the character's past, the reader is able to come to grips with why the character acts the way it does and is the way it is. Although the character's past is extremely important to one's understanding of the character, the difficulty of creating such experiences lies within making experiences that truly do reflect the character's personality and seem to compliment it in ways.


 * Powerful Dialogue**

Powerful, strong dialogue can make a droning and dreary story into an exiting, attention-grabbing tale. Dialogue can help develop characters and deepen plot. However, meaningless, useless banter does not create a winning radio play. Captivating and stimulating conversations can strengthen your myths and enthrall listeners

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Mastering powerful dialogue can really make a difference in your radio skits. It can help character development, plot, and the writing as a whole. Conversation is fun to write and more enjoyable to listen too.

When writing for audio theater, the main focus should be to __keep the audience or the listeners engaged__. In order to do this you must make sure your listeners are interested in your audio play and that they never loose focus or become bored.
 * Writing For Audio Theater***

The following are principles that can be used to write an interesting audio theater play that will keep the focus of your listeners:
 * __Have a strong beginning__. Start the audio play by putting your listener into a scene with action. It is absolutely necessary to entertain your listeners in the beginning or else you may lose their attention for the rest of the play.


 * Put your listeners into a world they can visualize in their head. Give them a __detailed environment__ that they can see in their mind as if they are there.


 * Give your audio theater play an __exciting plot__. A good plot will capture the interest of your listeners. However, your plot must be resolved by the end of your story. For more information on plot, see the plot section.


 * Use __strong and understandable dialogue__ between characters in your audio play. However, to avoid confusion, limit the number of characters in each scene and use actors with different voices. By doing this the listeners will be able to differentiate between characters and understand who is speaking. For more information on dialogue, watch our dialogue video.


 * To avoid confusion and keep the focus of the listener on what you want them to focus on, only have __one thing in the spotlight at a time__. This means that unless it is necessary, such as in a crowd scene, you should write your play with only one character speaking at a time.


 * Make every line and every scene have a __purpose__. If a line or scene is not needed in the play then take it out.


 * __Do not overuse a narrator__. A narrator can be useful to save time describing character, setting, or past events. However, if it is not necessary to use a narrator, avoid using one. Limiting the narrator to speak only in the beginning or end of a scene will prevent it from taking away from the dialogue.


 * __Use relevant humor__. A funny audio play will keep the attention of its listeners. However, only use humor when it is related to the story. Do not throw in a joke just because its funny.


 * Once you have finished writing your audio theater play, it is always helpful to __edit__ it as many times as you can. Read your play out loud and remove or edit anything that does not make sense, or isn’t necessary.


 * Bibliography**

Allen, Mary Emma. "Writing Captivating Dialogue." January 1, 2000. February 17, 2008. <[|http://www.spiritual-education.org/sep02.html]>.

Crook, Tim. "Principles of Writing Radio Drama." September 3, 2005. February 17, 2008. <[|http://www.irdp.co.uk/scripts.htm]>.

Devon, Michelle L. "Writing Characterization: Getting to Know Your Novel's Characters." July 29, 2006. February 17, 2008. <[|http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/7-28-2006-103841.asp]>.

Gregg, Roger. "Writing for Audio Theatre: The Basics." March 9, 2003. February 17, 2008. <[|http://www.crazydogaudiotheatre.com/writing.php]>.

Hinze, Vicki. "Learn to Write Great Dialogue." November 20, 2005. February 17, 2008. <[|http://www.writesville.com/writesville/2005/11/learn_to_write_.html]>.

Kelly, James Patrick. "You and Your Characters." January 4, 2005. February 17, 2008. <[|http://www.sfwa.org/writing/character.htm]>.

Mrs. Holmgren.

Nunes, Rachel Anne. "Building a Plot." February 8, 2008. February 17, 2008. <[|http://www.mapletreepublishing.com/buildingplot.htm]>.

Palermo, Tony. "Writing Children's Radio Drama." January 15, 2008. February 17, 2008. <[|http://ruyasonic.com/wrt_kids.htm]>.

Palermo, Tony. "Writing for Audio Theatre." January 15, 2008. February 17, 2008. <[|http://ruyasonic.com/rdr_writing.htm]>.

Picture #1 courtesy of <[|http://waxebb.com/writings/plot.jpg]>.

Picture #2 courtesy of <[|http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/1561827/2/istockphoto_1561827_on_air.jpg]>.

Picture #3 courtesy of <[|www.bnnrc.net/.../ CommunityRadioCartoon1.gif]>.

Picture #4 courtesy of .

Video courtesy of .