Be visual, build colour and give your listener a chance to imagine the people you are talking about. Create a sense of 'being there' the sounds, the smells, the looks, use all of the senses in your writing.
Be concise, avoid long sentences cluttered up with redundant words, complex clauses within a sentence. You can, if you want, ignore the rules of grammar completely and work at making your script sound as natural as possible. (That does have to mean trying imitate spontaneous speech)
Always write in the active voice. Make sure you do not switch back between past and present. If you do, make sure you have warned your listener you are going to move them in time - or place.
Most Podcast stories are written in the present tense. You can also move past events into present tense. Keep it punchy. Example: "Tonight the bombing was even more intense, thirty thousand lost their lives, it was to be the worst night of the Blitz."
Be thoughtful, present the facts, but also talk about the lessons to be learned, is there a conclusion to your story? Was something resolved? Or Unresolved?
Don't break up subject and verb and if you use a title, read that first to warn your listener. Example:
Written way:
'Barney Boggs, who is the founder and Director of W.C. Boggs, says Bidet's are more common in new houses.'
Spoken Way:
'Director of W.C. Boggs Barney Boggs says Bidet's are more common in new houses.'
In and Outs
If you introduce a person into an audio clip and the clip is 30 seconds or more, always back announce the title and name of the person in that clip. (A listener cannot refer back)
Numbers and Statistics
Keep complex numbers and statistics down to the bare minimum, again the listener cannot refer back or look at a table or pie-chart.
Always write with passion, always make it matter and never be boring.
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