It would be difficult to write a successful radio play without having a closer acquaintance with the form than can be given in these short notes. Obviously, the best way to become familiar with the possibilities of the medium is to listen to radio plays as often as possible and decide what works well and what doesn't. There are sonic radio plays available on cassette, but these are mainly recordings of established work. Enquiries should be addressed to BBC Enterprises (BBC Records and tapes, Room C23 1, Woodlands, 80 Wood Lane, London, W 1 2 0TT).

In the earlier years of Radio Drama, a number of excellent books about radio craft were written by Gordon Lea, Val Gielgud, Lance Sievenking. Later, Donald McWhinnie's classic work "The Art of Radio" dealt with both the theory and practice, of a number of productions. You may also find useful "Radio Drama" by lan Rodger and "Radio Drama" edited by Peter Lewis. There are many other more recent books dealing with certain aspects of radio drama and its theory - though none sets out to cover the basic principles of writing for the medium. Up until 1992, Methuen published The Best Radio Plays of each year including the Giles Cooper Award Winners. While sadly no longer in print they do provide an opportunity to study texts of successful plays and are available in libraries. There are also radio plays in the works of established writers such as Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, Samuel Beckett, Howard Barker, Giles Cooper, Angela Carter, Susan Hill, John Mortimer and others. Not all of these remain in print but again most can be obtained through libraries. In some respects, the most useful publication is Radio Times.
"Radio has really become the national playhouse. It is where people who don't go to the theatre turn to hear the rearrangement of life into drama, that curious process which can make sense of what happens, help with pain, heal through laughter."
Gillian Reynolds. The Daily Telegraph