In case you don’t read Fantasy every day (and why not?!) I want to draw your attention to an announcement we just put up. We’re going to start podcasting radio plays (or, more properly: audio dramas :as the plays won’t necessarily be on the radio) next year and so we’re accepting script submissions starting September 1. I know at least one person who’ll be excited about this. We’re looking for original scripts OR stuff adapted from existing stories.
I suspect a lot of writers will want to do adaptations but might wonder and worry if an author would mind having their story turned into a play. They have to get permission, of course. So I thought it would be a good idea to gather in one place a list of authors who would like to see their stories adapted. If you are such an author, please comment. Put the URL to your website in the URL field (which will be the click through on your name), a link to your bibliography, and a link to where folks can contact you.
Keep in mind that comments below are NOT the same as permission to adapt a story. It’s merely an indication that the author is interested. Any script writers who want to adapt a story should contact the author directly.
I should also note that the rights and permissions for audio plays are not the same as audio rights. Thus, if you allow someone to adapt your story into a radio drama, it should not affect your ability to sell the audio/podcast rights.
ETA: Somehow in all of this I forgot to mention that I am open to people adapting my stories as well. Bibliography link is at the top of the page, as is the Contact link.
Yay! That sounds really cool. I’d love to be in. My blog has all the links to my stories…
This is certainly interesting. I mostly write dialogue-heavy stories (though my upcoming Fantasy story has precisely none…) and love the idea of an adaptation into play form. Are we talking purely dialogue for these, rather than narration, or would there be the possibility of narration to cover the non-dialogue sections of a story?
This sounds like lots of fun. I’d be quite happy to see any of my stories adapted. The link is to my flash fiction at The Daily Cabal, but I will email longer stories if there’s interest.
http://catherynnemvalente.com/shortfiction/
(also the more narrative poetry might be fun)
catherynneATgmail.com
Also, your icon is from the very first million-years-ago Orphan’s Tales fanart. Did you know?
Yes! I think I got it from your LJ, in fact.
That is extremely cool. I listen to plays regularly on the local CBC radio station. While I’m not a writer, I would love to do some voice work, when you get around to producing them, if such a thing can be done remotely.
To see script formats visit http://www.natf.org/resource.html and scroll down to
script formats.
Other resources at http://www.audiotheater.com
Examples
It’s very similar to writing a play, though you’ll need to give some direction on sound FX.
It’s similar to writing a play in the same way that writing a television show is similar, which is to say, not really. They are very different media with different formatting requirements and different parameters for the kinds of stories that work.
As a starting point, visit The American Society for Science Fiction Audio, which presents the Mark Time Awards for SF and the Ogle Awards for Fantasy/Horror. There are links there to companies doing really excellent work in the field which you might listen to for examples of how radio is different from stage or film.
I think she was speaking more about formatting, which is similar for play, tv, movie, etc. inasmuch as you have:
John: says something
Art: Says something witty
Jezebel enters
Jezebel: says something to make John cry
There are some differences, but the basic format is similar (at least from the examples I saw, cuz I looked it up)
That is awesome! I love the idea that audio dramas are being brought back. I used to listen to these great stories on the radio when I was studying in abroad in China, and was so sad when I came back to the U.S. where nothing like this was being done.
Is it like writing a play? Or is it more like a tv/movie script format? Are there any examples you can point me to?
Wow. Talk about timing; I was just talking with Ben Rosenbaum about adapting one of his short stories into a play. Dude, for that matter, one of my plays is getting published in about a month….
Oh, cool!
My biblio and contact info’s at my website. Some story’s rights aren’t available, but most are.
Guh. I stupidly didn’t put my contact info in that post above. Sorry!
My Web site is http://www.josellevanderhooft.com, and the link you’ll want is “short stories.”
Email me at upstart(.)crow @ gmail (.) com if anything there strikes you!
Well, I don’t have a lot of short stories, and my one novel is pretty sparse when it comes to dialogue, but if someone wants to adapt one of my short stories into a play, I’d love to talk with him/her.
I also miss playwriting like I miss Utah autumns, so if anyone wants me to try my hand at an adaptation, I’d love to hear from him/her, too!