2. Remember that unlike with
reading, when people are
listening to something, there’s
really no chance for them to go
back and replay it. (Well, I guess
technically they could if it’s a
podcast or a recording – but let’s
just assume that even if they
could do that, they’re not going
to because they’re either driving
or walking around and only half-
listening at best.)
You need to keep this in mind
when you write for audio.
4. Most basically: err on the side of short, simple sentences
and concrete language (i.e., nouns and verbs rather
than adjectives and adverbs).
Use language that comes naturally to you – words that
you feel comfortable saying.
5. Make sure you know what your STORY is – what is the
primary tension that your photo shows, and what points do
you want to make about it? Using concrete details is still
important, but don’t get lost in them.
6. Avoid complex sentences that require the reader to hang
onto lot of information about what the subject of the
sentence is doing.
Example of an overly complex sentence:
”If you consider buying a puppy, whatever age or breed, always consider the type of
house you have, because without considering this first, you can find yourself with a
dog that, despite your good intentions, you just cannot keep.”
Note that the above sentence is NOT grammatically incorrect – it’s just long and
complicated, and would be hard to pay attention to if you were hearing it. Here’s a
better version of the same sentence, one written more for the ear:
“Think about the type of house you have before buying a puppy. Without considering
this, you may end up with a dog that you just can’t keep - despite your good
intentions.”
7. Make sure your writing is cohesive – your ideas should connect at the
sentence level and the paragraph level. This will make it easier for
listeners to follow your essay.
TIP: To increase cohesion, you can use devices like parallelism and
comparison/contrast to help readers follow your points.
Example of a cohesive paragraph:
“[While] the kids [play cowboys and Indians], [climb on the
monkey bars], and [collect police officer trading cards], the
adults eat and talk. At sundown [the fireworks begin], filling
the sky with [color]. My husband cringes at the [first few
flashes of light and the accompanying loud booms] before
he can settle in. My youngest son sits on his lap, leans
against his chest, and sees only [beauty in the explosions].”
-from Connie Wieneke, “Snakebit”
example of
parallelism
all of this
language
connects to
”fireworks”
contrast
(between
what the kids
and the adults
do)
8. Use inflection and tone of voice (rather than just words)
to express your attitude about something, to signal
transitions and approaching conclusions.
