Of all the writing styles we have been studying, writing for the ear is the most unique. Typically a story is told through information that is revealed to the reader for them to interpret on their own. In audio-centered writing you instead focus on an giving the listeners an experience by following the action of a plot. The style of writing required to do so would be highly unconventional for reading, but works to keep the attention of the audio listener. 

One of the most important things to do is keep your sentences short and to the point. As Jill Swenson says in her post “Writing for the Ear Instead of the Eye”, you should follow the ABC’s: be accurate, be brief, and be clear. While using complicated jargon or sentence structures may be appropriate for the written word, it is too easy to lose the audience or sound unnatural if you do so in spoken word. Everything you say should sound like everyday speech – if anything rolls off the tongue the wrong way find an easier way to say it. It is also useful to utilize punctuation to signify pauses or emotions that can only be heard otherwise.

Another important tactic for audio writing is to show the audience instead of telling them. A perfect way to show rather than tell is to include some audio of the scene. In almost all NPR radio stories, they will introduce a change in scene by letting the audience listen to the environment for a few moments. For example, if they were visiting a soup kitchen they may play audio of the cooks calling out for orders, or if they were on a farm they may play audio of wind chimes and long grass in a breeze. This allows the listener to take a breath and let the scene in before they are thrown into the action.

When you have finished your writing, no matter what kind it is, it is important to read it aloud to catch any awkward phrasing or simple mistakes. However, it is critical to do so for writing for the ear since this is how it will actually be presented. You also want to do it as many times as possible before the you present your material – practice makes perfect!