Learn to write tightly by taking your cue from the radio
Writing for radio has always fascinated me. The way in which writers for radio structure their work keep it tight is a big part of that fascination.
If you think about it for a moment, a good radio report is really the epitome of effective, tight writing. How? A radio report:
- Is short and to the point
- Uses words sparingly, but also uses language to paint a picture
- Packs, when necessary, just enough background to orient the listener
- Contains all the important facts, compressed into small space in time
- Has a flow and cadence that’s both conversational and easy to follow
Each of those points is a hallmark of good writing. Put them all together properly, and you have a pretty darned good piece of writing.
How to do it
That could be (and has been) a book in itself. As I recall, more than a couple of books. And, as I recall, those books are sadly out of print or hard to find. And I’m not the best teacher in this area. My own experience in radio is limited. In my first year at journalism school I took the mandatory course in radio. Later did some freelance work for CBC Radio. To say that I’m rusty in this area is a bit of an understatement.
But the Internet, as it often does, is a fine repository of knowledge. Here are some good resources on writing for radio, which can help get you started:
- The basics of the network news style
- The writing style to employ when writing for radio.
- The BBC radio news style guide
- Advice on writing a radio script
Will this really help?
I think so. Exposing yourself to other writing styles, can help improve your writing — whether you’re writing blog posts, articles, whitepapers, documentation, or presentation scripts (to name a few). If you can distill all the information that you collect into a compact, friendly, and easy to read format you’ll be ahead of the game. Applying the techniques from different writing styles can make you a better writer. It can help make your work read better and sell better.
What are your thoughts on this? Feel free to leave a comment.
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