Writing for Audio - What should a writer do differently?
In a word: almost nothing!
With a few exceptions noted below, I’d strongly advise against altering your writing style to accommodate an audio format. Why? Because odds are the quality of your work will suffer. The most common problems I see are passages that appear stilted or flow unevenly. It is far better to create your work as you normally would, then let SCYWEB BEM’s editors tweak it to make it fit an audio format.
For example, take this snippet of conversation between three people:
“And then he said to me that --”
“ -- I know what you said. I only said --”
“ -- that the dog went --”
“ -- or he would have to go, but --”
“” -- but nothing. I like the dog. Pack your suitcase.”
This works because visual cues clearly show the transition between speakers, even though we aren’t sure who the speakers are. This is not true of an audio recording. Even if the narrator attempts to change his inflection and timing, it is almost certain that the average listener will loose track of the change in speakers. This problem is further compounded by the fact that the listener can’t simply pause and scan backward to get his bearings - the narration continues despite the listener’s confusion.
Now let’s take a look at forward cueing. Very few people are even aware this phenomenon exists, much less understand its importance to the reading experience. Forward cueing is the unconscious process of becoming aware of words that are ahead of the words we are actively reading. For example, take a look at this infamous literary gem by Edward George Bulwer-Lytton (Paul Clifford - 1830):
It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents--except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies)
Reading is not a serial process. We don’t read one word, and then the next word, and then the next word and so on. Instead, we are constantly taking in words that are adjacent to the words being read. Let’s suppose we’re reading the sample passage above and suddenly freeze our concentration as we read the words “rain fell.” The same passage, highlighted in black and gray below, illustrates how forward cueing works. Not only are we fully aware of the words “rain fell” but we’re also somewhat aware of “in torrents” and even aware (to a small extent) of “gust of wind” on the line below, because those words are in our immediate field of vision.
It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents--except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies
Forward cueing makes it easier for people to assimilate written information - making the process of reading more rewarding and enjoyable.
Obviously, forward cueing does not exist in a narrated story. Because of this, words (and sometimes whole sentences) must be moved or changed to better accommodate the listener. Frankly, I’m convinced that this is the single most important factor when an audio book sells exceptionally well or poorly!
While these differences are important, writers should not focus on whether their stories are “properly formatted” for audio. They should write as they normally would: focus on telling a story that readers will enjoy! Otherwise they will get so bogged down in the techiques of audio formatting that the quality of their work will suffer.
Audiozine writers need to be aware of a key difference between reading and narration. When you are reading a story the voice inside your head is your own. No matter what character is speaking – male, female, young, old – the voice you hear in your mind is your own voice.
But when you are listening to a narrative, it is almost as if you are sharing your innermost thoughts and feelings with another human. It is like having a constant companion inside your head, giving you a personalized, guided tour.
This is one of the primary reasons that programs such as Books on Tape or Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion are so successful. People like the familiarity, even intimacy, of a live voice.
Unfortunately, this kind of intimacy has a down side, and it is a big one: when it comes to sex, many people who aren’t shy about reading about it are remarkably uncomfortable listening to a real voice talk about it. Not everyone is, of course. But a sizable number are. So, if your story hinges on a strong, sexually explicit component, then SCYWEB BEM probably isn’t the marketplace you’re looking for.
Remember the 3rd commandment of salesmanship:
Thou shalt understand thy audience’s preferences and cater to them.