Alfred Bradley Bursary Award - Making the Cut

Winner Furquan Akhtar and Shortlisters Becky Prestwich and Sarah McDonald Hughes talk about how making the cut for the Alfred Bradley Bursary Award has influenced their careers and on their experiences of taking part in the process.

Furquan Akhtar - Alfred Bradley Bursary Award Winner 2014

I wanted to apply for the Alfred Bradley Award for the chance to earn my first writing credit. The opportunity to have my work read by the Writersroom and forge new relationships was incredibly enticing. I had no idea where to begin when it came to pitching for Radio. After winning ABBA I worked closely with a producer called Gary Brown who I have gone on to call my Mr. Miyagi of Radio. This still stands. Gary was patient, honest and just generally brilliant when it came to the draft process of “Shamed” and I’m looking forward to working with him again on our next play. The Alfred Bradley Award has opened so many doors for me in Radio and beyond but most importantly gave me a huge vote of confidence as a new writer.

Writing for radio is a privilege because it allows you to create entire worlds based solely on the words that you have written. I know that may sound obvious but it’s one of the most enticing things about writing for the medium. However I also see that endless opportunity as a tool. If I was to offer anyone advice about writing for radio it would be to tell a story that you're desperate to tell. It should be a story that they won’t hear anywhere else but use the endless possibilities that radio drama offers you to do so. You can set it on the planet formerly known as Pluto or in your kitchen; that amount of freedom is rare and as a writer it should leave you itching to write.

Becky Prestwich - Alfred Bradley Bursary Award Shortlist 2013

Before winning the Runner Up Prize in the Alfred Bradley Bursary Award, I had pitched other ideas for the Afternoon Drama. When my ideas didn’t get through the pitching process, I was frustrated and disheartened. I was convinced that if I could just actually write the script then it would be good enough. And maybe some of those ideas would have been ‘good enough’– but when I read back over those pitches now, I know that they wouldn’t have been the best stories I could have told on radio. Writing for radio is incredibly collaborative. The Drama Department has a wealth of people with an immense passion for and knowledge of radio storytelling.

The Alfred Bradley Bursary Award is an opportunity to forge relationships with those people. I was lucky enough to develop a relationship with an incredibly talented producer. Following ABBA, we worked on new ideas together and throughout the process, she challenged me, encouraged me and pushed me to make bolder, better choices about the stories we could tell together and the ways we could make those stories sing on Radio. Radio is a joy to write because you are whispering right in your audience’s ear. The audience are going about their lives while they listen to your play – they could switch off at anytime – you have to earn their attention. You’re not aiming to write a ‘good enough’ play, you are aiming to tell a story so surprising, emotive and engaging that your listeners pull over their car to listen to how it ends. I believe the support, partnerships and learning I gained through the Alfred Bradley Bursary Award have taken me a little bit closer to writing that play.

Sarah McDonald Hughes - Alfred Bradley Bursary Award Shortlist 2009

I first discovered radio drama as an actor, and quickly became a huge fan – I love the combination of intimacy and scope they offer. When you hear a really good radio drama, it stays with you for days – something about the medium means that these brilliant stories get right inside your head and stay there.

I entered the 2009 Alfred Bradley Award hoping to get some useful feedback on my play, and was surprised to be ‘highly commended’, which meant I won a year’s mentoring with Sue Roberts and Charlotte Riches. The support, encouragement and expert help I received from Sue and Charlotte really was invaluable and led to my play Maine Road being commissioned and produced in 2010. Since then I’ve continued to work with Charlotte – a truly brilliant producer who has really helped me to develop my ideas and writing for radio – and have written 3 further radio dramas. The ABBA really did open a door into radio for me that I think would’ve otherwise stayed shut.

Are you thinking of entering this year's Alfred Bradley Bursary Award for Radio Drama writers in the North of England?

Watch two great advice videos from the team at BBC Radio Drama North

 See below to find out more about the Alfred Bradley award and to hear from others who have made the cut:

Blog with the previous winner Furquan Akhtar on his journey

Read Furquan Akhtar on writing 'Shamed' for BBC Radio 4

Read ABBA Runner-up Alan Mockler on his experiences

Blog with ABBA Runner-up Ian Townsend on getting onto the ABBA shortlist