Short stories for radio

[The Judge]

I've had the following from the Hampshire Writers' Society, which I thought might be of interest to our UK writers:

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​ ​ ​ WANTED... Short Stories for Radio We have received this message via the HWS website from Gloria Khamkar asking for short stories. If you are interested, please get in touch with her directly. Hello, I am a community radio practitioner based in Southampton. I am developing a radio series of ‘reading short stories’ for local community radio listeners (across the UK) during the social isolation and lockdown due to COVID-19 situation. I am exploring if I could get in touch with any writers, who might like to get their short stories heard on radio in my radio series. Can you help me getting in touch with the writers please? Many thanks. Best wishes, Gloria (Email: gloriakhamkar@gmail.com)

I don't know anything more about it than that, so I've no idea who she is or if they are prepared to pay, so if anyone is interested, do take care before agreeing to anything. And perhaps come back here and report!

EDITED TO ADD: thanks to Biskit's speedy investigation, it's clear this isn't going ahead. Sorry for raising people's hopes.

 

[Biskit]

I've had the following from the Hampshire Writers' Society, which I thought might be of interest to our UK writers:

​

​

​ ​ ​ WANTED... Short Stories for Radio We have received this message via the HWS website from Gloria Khamkar asking for short stories. If you are interested, please get in touch with her directly. Hello, I am a community radio practitioner based in Southampton. I am developing a radio series of ‘reading short stories’ for local community radio listeners (across the UK) during the social isolation and lockdown due to COVID-19 situation. I am exploring if I could get in touch with any writers, who might like to get their short stories heard on radio in my radio series. Can you help me getting in touch with the writers please? Many thanks. Best wishes, Gloria (Email: gloriakhamkar@gmail.com)

I don't know anything more about it than that, so I've no idea who she is or if they are prepared to pay, so if anyone is interested, do take care before agreeing to anything. And perhaps come back here and report!

I've dropped her an email and I'll see what happens. Some of my shorts were actually written for live reading.
Sadly, the most popular one is not really suitable - the brief was to imagine the future of disease and what the next plague might look like.

 

[Biskit]

I've had a reply:
"Thanks for getting in touch. That appeal was done some time ago. Unfortunately the project is not going ahead. Thanks for your interest in this project."

 

[The Judge]

I don't know where the hold-up was then, since the HWS newsletter I've quoted is dated 24 April, and the person dealing with it only received notice of it after she posted the April newsletter on the 19th. Very odd!

(And one wonders how long "some time ago" could be, when she refers to the lockdown which has only been going for 4 weeks!)

 

[Biskit]

I don't know where the hold-up was then, since the HWS newsletter I've quoted is dated 24 April, and the person dealing with it only received notice of it after she posted the April newsletter on the 19th. Very odd!

(And one wonders how long "some time ago" could be, when she refers to the lockdown which has only been going for 4 weeks!)

Clearly time is different in the radio world.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

It's to do with the speed of write

 

[-K2-]

It's to do with the speed of write

*Insert rimshot and groan here*

K2

 

[Abernovo]

Okay, this one is a no go, but some of you may (or not) be aware of Podcastle - it's a highly respected fantasy short fiction podcast. The site links to sister sites of Escape Pod (science fiction), Cast of Wonders (YA), and PseudoPod (horror). Escape Pod has nominated for a Hugo. again, so it's high on quality.

Importantly, they all have regular open submission slots. Escape Pod is open now, Podcastle next month? You write and, if they accept, they have voice artists who record the story. Professional rates, and they're a SFWA-qualifying market.

There are some talented writers here, and a lot of audiobook listeners, so this sort of site might interest both. Many radio stations now stream their material, and you can pick and choose which programmes you wish to listen to, so podcasts are often little different from that, in most respects.