A radio drama scene must work without showing the audience a room, a gesture or a facial expression. That limitation can be useful: it encourages the writer to choose details that listeners can understand through voices and sound. Start with one scene and one problem.
Give the characters something to resolve
Choose a simple situation, such as two people deciding what to do with a misplaced item. Decide what each character wants and why their ideas differ. You do not need a complicated history before the first line.
Keep the number of speaking characters manageable. Give them different perspectives and ways of expressing themselves, rather than relying on exaggerated accents to tell them apart. Introduce names naturally where a listener needs them.
Use sound to support the action
A sound cue should help establish a place, signal an event or change the scene. A door closing may matter because someone has left; adding unrelated effects simply because they are available can make the action harder to follow.
Write cues clearly and explain their purpose. During an early read-through, someone can describe a cue aloud instead of producing a finished effect. Use original or appropriately authorised audio if the work later moves beyond practice.
Read it aloud without explaining it first
Ask two readers to try the dialogue and a third person to listen. Afterwards, ask the listener where the scene took place, what the characters wanted and what changed. Their answers reveal information that exists in the writer’s mind but not yet in the script.
Cut explanations that repeat what the listener already understands. Revise unclear moments, then test again.
This is a writing exercise, not an invitation to submit to a current station drama project. For a programme proposal, contact Intsetse FM first. Our programme planning guide explains how an item can fit within a larger running order.