Writing a script for your podcast is the backbone of your recordings. Some may write down every detail, while others may prefer drafting main points for more freedom. Whatever your method, taking time working on a script always makes editing simpler. Here are a few examples.
QuoteAn important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation. (Arthur Ashe)
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Do you remember your primary school essays đŠâđ? Good news: you are going to rediscover what you learnt back then in terms of text planning and structure. A podcast is like an essay: before you start writing (or, in this case, recording), you should take your time and think about the direction you want to go in.
Of course, podcast is about freedom, so avoid structuring your episode too much and keep room for flexibility. If you like Formula 1 đď¸, think of your cue sheet as more of the Spa-Francorchamps track than the Monaco track; it should give you room for improvisation and let you drive on the curbs rather than tapering you between low walls, leaving no space for your imagination.
If you donât get that pilot metaphor, a video game đšď¸Â comparison might be clearer. Letâs figure out you have tested the open worlds, as in Breath of the Wild or Red Dead Redemption. Would you enjoy yourself as much if you had to get back to video games which are built like tunnels that your character cannot avoid? Probably not.
Anyway, all this is a matter of balance and personality. If you are a new podcaster with no markers, then a detailed cue sheet might be better. You can make it more straightforward as you feel more confident.
Structuring your ideas⌠and your podcast
Structuring your ideas does not mean following a teleprompter đş. Only write bullet points and highlight the main elements to avoid reading your paper all along. If you feel like you cannot stop reading your cue sheet nor speak more naturally than C-3PO đ¤, then rehearse out loud beforehand. It is almost a prerequisite, especially for the most âwrittenâ parts, like your intro and conclusion.
Otto Von Bismark used to compare laws and sausages: you do not want to see how they are made. No comment here, except that this applies to podcasts too; as for sausages, you do not want your listener to guess the preparation behind the recording. By the way, if you cannot guess the cue sheet behind your favorite podcasts, it means the podcasters are very good!
In other words, the cue sheet should help you be more natural, not the opposite. How? By mentioning the jingles and transitions, for instance, thus letting you launch transitions unhesitatingly. If you are no mic veteran, a cue sheet seems vital to find your rhythm, your dynamics⌠Basically, your flow!
Markers for both the podcaster and the listener!
As mentioned before, a cue sheet is about markers, so that you donât forget anything important when recording. Trust us, if you havenât experienced that already, it is very frustrating to realize afterwards that you forgot a solid idea or an interesting anecdote.
Besides all these advantages, a cue also gives markers to the listener. Generally, your podcasts should always follow the same general structure, with an evenly built intro â at least, in its form â and more or less the same crossing points, be they chapters or phrasings, for instance.
Of course, now you expect us to give you more details about such crossing points. Well, sorry, but there are as many cue sheets as podcasters and podcast formats. So, your cue sheet should be like you, and correspond to your podcast format.
Letâs take an example: obviously, fictional podcasts take much more writing âď¸ than talk-shows. As for interviews, you will have to learn how to detach yourself from your cue sheet and carefully listen to your guest, so that you can keep track, guide him/her and build on his/her answers rather than locking yourself into your cue sheet.
As for group podcasts, cue sheets are way more important. You might want to share them with your pundits beforehand, so that you avoid or reduce some pitfalls, like interrupting one another, building on the same arguments or ideas, talking too much, changing topics too curtly, etc. However, keep room for naturalness and improvisation, and remember that this format will always need postproduction corrections and adjustments.
Are cue sheets a pre-editing tool?
What if using a cue sheet was a way to edit a podcast before even recording it? Opinions may differ on this, but one thing is for sure: this preparation phase will always make editing shorter. Keep it in mind; the more time spent beforehand, the more saved afterwards.
Basics for cue sheet writing
Yes, there are as many cue sheets as podcasts, but still, there are also many common features:
- Introduction: make it short and welcoming, talk to your regulars as well as newcomers. Talk about what is coming next without starting a monologue. Fewer than two minutes is fine, fewer than a minute is even better. âąď¸
- Guest presentation: do not only give the names of your guests, give a bit of context so that your listeners understand why they are here.
- Episode content: unlike the two previous parts, it does not take a precise and detailed script. Only write down a few key points âď¸ as a reminder.
- Calls: when closing your episode, ask your listeners to subscribe to your content (podcast, newsletter, social media, etc.), contribute to your crowdfunding đ§, and leave reviews and comments on their favorite platforms.
- Conclusion: there again, consider the importance of writing down the main elements of your conclusion. At the end of a session, you might get tired and forget what to say. So, you should thank everyone and may give a preview of your next episode. But always think about that beforehand!
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