"This book is a practical manual for script writers preparing radio serial dramas for development projects. It will be useful both for novices and experienced script writers who have not yet written drama that educates as well as entertains. So that this book can be used as a course manual, whether in a formal class or for independent study, each chapter begins with a study guide listing learning objectives and expected outcomes and a suggested exercise. How to Write a Radio Serial Drama for Social Development: A Script Writer’s Manual was originally designed to assist script writers working in projects supported by Johns Hopkins University Population Communication Services. For this reason, many of the samples and examples it contains relate to family planning and reproductive health; however, the script writing principles discussed and demonstrated here apply just as well to other development topics. The manual largely concentrates on the practical aspects of script writing, although a prologue summarizes relevant communication theory." (Using this book, page iii)
Prologue: Radio Serial Drama: The Theory Behind The Practice, xi
1 Introduction to the Use of Radio Drama for Social Development, 1
2 Writing Begins: The Writer’s Brief, 13
3 Characteristics of Radio Serial Drama, 29
4 Blending Story and Message in the Drama Plot, 47
5 Character Development, 61
6 Developing the Setting, 85
7 Writing for the Ear, 99
8 Scene Development, 115
9 Interactivity and Enter-Educate Drama, 131
10 Testing the Pilot Programs, 145
11 Script Presentation, 153
12 The Finished Script and Writer's Check List, 165
13 The Value of Editing, 181