Course Content:
This course will introduce you to the world of writing audio drama. We will explore how radio drama has evolved in recent years to become a huge downloadable and popular form. We will think how traditional radio drama differs from the new international podcast dramas, and we will consider how to structure all forms of audio drama. Writing exercises will share how to create dramatic audio characters who can tell their stories through sound, and students will learn how to write convincing, engaging and memorable dialogue.

We will consider the state of the radio and podcast market now, and discuss what commissioners at the BBC and beyond, are looking for from audio drama writers.

All members of the group are welcome to share work in progress, and by the end of the five weeks you will have completed a good draft of a work of audio drama.

Prior to the class you will be sent a listening list of audio and podcast dramas to inspire and educate you about the form.

No prior writing experience or knowledge of audio drama is necessary.

Feedback from Helen's past students:
'I've really enjoyed the class and have come away with a lot of inspiration and some fantastic tips that I will definitely try to incorporate into my writing'
'It’s been a great little course, I’ve got a lot out of it'
‘Thanks for an excellent course. One of the things I found most valuable was the actual tips on the craft of writing and from someone who is actively making a living writing. A lot of courses talk about setting, character and the mechanics but few look are your work and make practical suggestions for improvement. So thank you very much I really appreciated your time.
‘I really enjoyed your input and exercises, and I greatly appreciated your enthusiasm and wealth of knowledge.’
'I found the course very inspirational. Due to the formate it also got me writing from the get -go, so by the time the course was finished I had completed my 1st draft.'
'A really helpful, informative, efficient, fun and exciting course!'

Helen Cross is an award winning novelist (author of the novel, My Summer of Love, which became a BAFTA award-winning movie starring Emily Blunt. For the last twenty years Helen also written drama regularly for BBC Radio and a number of overseas broadcasters. Her most recent BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Play, The Return of Rowena The Wonderful is available now on BBC Sounds. Her Afternoon Plays have previously won Awards in her BBC Audio Drama Awards including The Innovation Award for the drama Blue Eyed Boy. She has most-recently written two seasons of a highly acclaimed podcast drama series, English Rose, currently available on Spotify, BBC Sounds and Apple Podcasts. Her latest audio works are Flixborough 74, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Friday 28 May 2024 and Mrs Robinson, broadcast in five parts on BBC Radio 4. All these works are now available on BBC Sounds. Helen Cross has taught creative writing around the world, including on the MA and BA programmes at the University of East Anglia and at Cambridge University. She ahs been Writer in Residence at the University of Birmingham, The University of Mumbai and won many scholarships, including to the Banff Centre in Canada.

Course dates: Wednesdays starting April 8, 15, 22, 29 and 6 May 2026, 19:00 to 21:00 GMT+1
Location: Live online teaching via Zoom
Cost: £195 for all five sessions

Book your place here