Radio Play Scaffolds: A Better Prompt Pattern for Story Generation

Use a radio-play scaffold with a Narrator, Characters, and an optional Editor to structure prompts so the model generates longer, more coherent narratives with clear direction.

One of the best ways I’ve found to get a model to produce a longer, coherent narrative is to use scaffolding instead of just asking for “a story.”

A simple (and surprisingly effective) scaffold: don’t tell it to write a story at all. Tell it to write a script.

More specifically, give it roles:

  • Narrator (describes the scene, actions, and transitions)
  • Characters (dialogue)

This keeps the model from drifting into overly stylized prose and gives it a structure it can follow without getting lost. You’re basically asking it to behave like an old-fashioned radio play: the narrator describes the setting and what’s happening, the characters speak in dialogue, and then the narrator steps back in to explain what happens next.

In practice, this can create a pretty involved, fleshed-out story—and once you have that, converting it into prose is often straightforward.

Why script format works (in my experience)

1) Character dynamics stay clearer

In script form, the model tends to track “who is doing what to whom” more cleanly. It can keep track of who’s arguing with who, who wants what, and what tension is in the room.

2) The Narrator is a built-in momentum engine

If the dialogue stalls, the narrator can step in and:

  • advance time
  • change location
  • introduce a new event
  • clarify what just happened

3) It’s easier to steer

You can intervene with something as blunt as “okay, but then this happened,” and the script format absorbs that kind of direction naturally.

If you want to try this right now, here’s the simplest version:

Write a prompt where a narrator describes a scene, two characters start to talk, and then let it unfold.

And if you want even more control, you can add another role—an Editor—whose job is to steer the narrative when needed (“now this needs to happen”), and then watch the script route itself toward that requirement.

What this looks like (examples)

Below are a few examples of the format in action. Notice the pattern:

  1. Narrator establishes context
  2. Characters react via dialogue
  3. Narrator steps in to move things forward
  4. The scene escalates without needing “prose mode” at all

Example: Ghost Train — “The Newspaper”

Narrator: College students Adriana, Ray and Miko just got onboard a mysterious train after leaving a concert downtown. Things are starting to get weird.

Adriana: Does this train feel a little odd?

Narrator: Ray pushes aside a newspaper to lean his head against a window and rest.

Ray: Looks fine to me.

Narrator: Miko picks up the crumpled newspaper and reads the head line aloud.

Miko: S.S. Titanic sunk. Many lives feared lost. Does that sound recent to you?

Adriana: Let me see that.

Narrator: Adriana grabs the newspaper and reads it.

Adriana: Does this count as odd?

Narrator: Ray grabs the paper from Adriana’s hand and takes a closer look.

Ray: “Feared lost”… “Many lives.” come on.

Narrator: Adriana, Ray and Miko look around at each other in puzzlement.

Adriana: This… This train isn’t what it seems.

Why this works well: the narrator keeps inserting small “state updates” (who picks up what, who looks where), and the dialogue carries the uncertainty. It stays readable and structured, and it’s easy to expand: the narrator can reveal the next strange clue, move them to another car, introduce a new passenger, etc.

Example: Mystery Mansion — “Enter the Mansion”

Narrator: Charles and his brother Ryan are exploring the ruins of McGregor Mansion. They interior is filled with cobwebs and is only lit by the their flashlights.

Charles: This was a dumb idea.

Ryan: Are you scared?

Charles: Only of your breath.

Ryan: Let's check upstairs.

Narrator: Charles aims his flashlight at the rickety stairs with missing steps.

Charles: You first.

Ryan: I'm not going upstairs.

Narrator: Ryan looks around and takes a step towards the left.

Charles: Now what?!

Ryan: You go first.

Charles: Maybe it's safer left.

Why this works well: it’s basically a sequence of micro-decisions. The narrator provides physical staging (flashlights, stairs, missing steps), while the dialogue reveals dynamic (teasing, fear, indecision). If you later convert this to prose, the narrator lines are already 80% of your descriptive backbone.

Example: Bright Stars — “The Planetarium”

Narrator: Rick and Cassie are two college freshman who are meeting for the first time in the school planetarium. They're the first ones to arrive. Cassie has felt out of place with nobody to talk to. Rick is tired of the boring girls he's been dating. The two have a spark before they even say a word.

Rick: Is this the right place?

Cassie: I hope so. Otherwise it'd be a complete waste to have this giant dome.

Rick: Funny.

Narrator: Cassie wipes a lock of dark hair away from her green eyes and looks up at Rick. He's athletic and doesn't look like a typical science nerd.

Cassie: Are you lost?

Rick: Spiritually or geospatially?

Cassie: Start with the latter.

Why this works well: the narrator can carry “internal context” (she feels out of place, he’s tired of boring dates) without needing to write a full-on lyrical scene. The dialogue stays crisp, and the narrator can keep injecting details as needed.

A concrete prompt you can copy/paste

Use this prompt as-is, or swap in your own setting and characters.

Write a script in the style of an old-fashioned radio play.

Roles:
- NARRATOR (describes the scene, actions, and transitions)
- CHARACTER A (dialogue only)
- CHARACTER B (dialogue only)
- EDITOR (brief notes that occasionally steer the plot; the story should incorporate these notes)

Format rules:
- Use character labels (NARRATOR:, CHARACTER A:, CHARACTER B:, EDITOR:).
- Keep the writing clear and straightforward; avoid flowery prose.
- The NARRATOR should set the scene at the start, and then re-enter as needed to describe what happens next.
- Let the dialogue drive the story, but use NARRATOR to maintain momentum and clarity.
- When EDITOR provides a note, treat it as a constraint and steer the next part of the scene in that direction.
- Aim for 3–5 minutes of “radio play” length.

Story setup:
NARRATOR opens on a specific location with a strong sense of place (time of day, atmosphere, one or two vivid details).
CHARACTER A wants something specific.
CHARACTER B is opposed to it, or has a conflicting goal.
They have history with each other.

EDITOR notes to incorporate during the script:
1) About one-third of the way in, an unexpected interruption forces both characters to change tactics.
2) Later, reveal a small piece of backstory that reframes the conflict.
3) End the scene with a choice that creates a clear direction for what happens next.

Begin.

A small tip on using the “Editor” role

The Editor is a clean way to steer without rewriting the whole prompt. You can add notes like:

  • “Introduce a new character who changes the power dynamic.”
  • “Reveal that one character has been lying.”
  • “Force an immediate decision (leave now / stay and investigate).”

The script format tends to incorporate these constraints naturally because the narrator can always step in and make it so.

What to do after you generate the script

Once you generate something like that, you can either:

  • Revise it as a script (add/edit beats, insert new editor notes, tighten dialogue), or
  • Convert it into prose afterward, using the narrator lines as your descriptive backbone and the dialogue as your spoken core.

Why this is worth trying

This approach is neat, but more importantly, it’s practical: it often produces something longer and more structured than you’ll get from “write me a story about X.”

If you’re struggling to get coherent multi-scene narratives, try “radio play first.” It’s scaffolding that keeps both you and the model oriented—and makes it much easier to steer the story where you want it to go.

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