A chance to go behind the scenes of radio drama

We are so used to hearing stories, book adaptions and full length plays on BBC Radio 4 that it is easy to forget just how fortunate we are to be able to access high quality drama at the flick of a switch. Radio 4 produces more of it than anyone else in the world and it is still an excellant way for an emerging writer to kickstart their professional career.
I’ve just had lunch with TV and Radio writer SUE TEDDERN and I’m very excited about an innovative five-week course she is running in Brighton (well, Hove actually) at the end of September. It is for people who want to write for radio and also for those who just love it and would like to find out more about what happens behind the scenes.

It’s a drop in class so you don’t have to sign up for the full five weeks. Each week costs a very reasonable £7 and the first week is free so you can try before you buy. I’ve given the full details below, but first I want to tell you a bit more about Sue. Her most recent TV credit was Homefront, a six-part drama for ITV about the wives of soldiers serving in Afghanastan (now finished but you can still watch it on Iplayer). She was also part of the writing team on Birds of a Feather, the sitcom starting Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson that ran for 10 years in the 1990s and co-wrote Sister Frances with Jo Brand. She has written numerous dramas for BBC Radio 4, including The Charm Factory set in the 1950s about the Rank Charm School. (Her first writing credit from Radio 4 was for an episode of the Archers). On top of all that, she’s been commissioned to co-write Writing for TV & Radio: A Writers’ and Artists’ Companion.
Sue knows her stuff. She also knows how to create an encouraging and supportive atmosphere, making it easy to exchange views and ask questions.

Introduction to Radio

Wednesday evenings from Sept 25 to Oct 23 7pm – 9pm

No homework and no pressure to write but there is an opportunity for follow-up one-to-one tutorials. Each session starts with a book group style discussion about a radio drama broadcast the previous week chosen to highlight different aspects of the creative process:-ideas, character, structure, scenes and dialogue.
And there’s wine, beer, coffee, tea and very, very good cake available…
Sunshine Books Art & Coffee, Hove Manor, Hove Street, BN3 2DF

Contact Sue and find out what else she is doing at SKRIBITA

photo credit: for girl and radio: ABC Archives via photopin cc