A podcast script is not a text to read from start to finish. It is a map. It tells you where to start, which topics to cover and how to finish, but it leaves room for the conversation to breathe. When someone reads their podcast word for word, it shows straight away and sounds like an advert voice-over.
There are two ways to prepare. A full script writes out every sentence and is used in narrative formats, documentaries or very short episodes. A running order, on the other hand, is an ordered list of segments with the key ideas and the approximate length of each one. For interviews and conversations, which are the most common formats, a running order works much better.
This structure works whether you talk alone or have guests. If your podcast is based on interviews, complete this part with our guide on how to conduct an interview.
Write out in full whatever cannot go wrong: the opening, the introduction, specific facts and the sign-off. For example, a figure, a guest’s name or a link have to be said correctly the first time. However, leave the rest as short notes, with just the idea and a keyword or two. That way you will speak in your own words and sound natural.
A useful trick is to write the way you speak. Short sentences, no long subordinate clauses and the vocabulary you would use with a friend. If you stumble when you read it out loud, the sentence is too written.
When there are guests, the script becomes more flexible. Prepare the topic segments and a few questions for each one, but do not expect to follow the order to the letter. The best part of the episode often comes when the guest goes off the planned path. So be clear about what you want to achieve in each segment and let the conversation flow.
Also, send your guest the main topics a few days beforehand. You do not need to send the exact questions, although it helps if they arrive having thought about them.
In a corporate podcast the script carries a little more weight, because there are usually messages the brand wants to get across. Even so, the most common mistake is turning it into a sales presentation. We cover this in branded podcast, where we explain how to balance brand messages with content people want to listen to.
If you want the precise meaning of the word in broadcasting, the Cambridge Dictionary defines it as the words of a film, play or broadcast. And if you are just starting out, how to make a podcast step by step covers the whole process, from the idea to publication.
Written by Adina Harnagea, journalist and co-founder of the studio.