Whether you’re an experienced writer or new to the craft, we welcome you to our haunted house and thank you for your interest in writing a script for “Hearing the Haunted: a Sirenicide Anthology Podcast.” Please watch the video above and read through the guidelines listed below before you start your journey.
Submission Guidelines:
Stories are only accepted in the Sirenicide Script Format—no exceptions. Please see the attached template and past episode examples. (Live support is available to help with the script formatting.)
Submissions may contain a maximum of 3 scenes.
Horror, mystery, sci-fi and drama stories are preferred, but not required. We are also open to comedies.
Submissions have an 800-word minimum and a 4800-word maximum.
A cast of 1-2 people per scene is preferred, but we will cast up 4 people if needed. Single cast stories must still be an audio drama. (See “The Silent One” example in the productions listed below.)
Minimum sound effects and background noises are preferred. Production is not looking to design sounds for a war scene or heavily populated backgrounds, but don’t let that limit you…
We can workshop any issues that arise from SFX, casting and the script format. The core story is what’s key here!
Please send submissions as an editable attachment. Microsoft Word documents are preferred. Please do not submit your story or script in a PDF file format as they cannot be edited. Just download our template and save it for futures scripts. Hearing the Haunting - Script Template.docx
Immersing yourself in the Sirenicide lore by binging the 4 seasons of the serialized show will greatly increase your chances of getting your story picked up for Hearing the Haunted, as it will help you understand our show’s style. Follow this link to start “Sirenicide” or to reacquaint yourself if you haven’t heard it in a while. Please DO NOT write stories with existing characters. Fitting your story within the timeline of events is okay, but NOT necessary.
Please don’t write in the future (After 01/01/2020) unless you have cleared it with us beforehand. That being said, the past is fair game! We have stories set in 55 B.C., 1347 A.D., 1834, 1928… you get the point. Just make sure you understand your world history if you go there. That way when you twist it up it makes it even creepier! Write in time periods and decades of which you are knowledgeable.
Write stories in locations that you are comfortable with and knowledgeable of as well. Towns, rivers, streets and seas will have name changed to fit the Sirenicide lore. However, the names of continents, oceans, countries and states will remain as they are in our reality. Don’t let this be an obstacle for you; we can always help you rename towns and streets… just write.
All approved stories will be added to the expanded Sirenicide Lore Library and, under certain circumstances, may even be canonized. Stories are also accepted on a work for hire basis with the writer credited in the audio production and in other areas of publication.
If your story is posted anywhere else, DO NOT submit it to us. Upon acceptance the author agrees to release ALL their rights to the script to Atrium Dynamics LLC.
Payment is sent upon production completion, not air date.
Stories under 1500 words will pay $50.00 USD via PayPal
Stories between 1500-3000 words will pay $75.00 USD via PayPal
Stories between 3000-4800 words will pay $100.00 USD via PayPal
Scene number will not determine payment level.
Stories written on a volunteer basis will still have to meet all other guidelines.
Not all selected stories will air on the public feed. Some will air on the paid feed.
Please email all submissions to HearingTheHaunted@gmail.com with the script’s name in the title with your pen name.
You may also submit them on our Reddit page: https://www.reddit.com/r/HearingTheHaunted/ for the public to vote on, but this is not required.
Links to examples:
1 Scene story: The Audio - ME17 - “LITTLE WOLF MOON”& The Script LINK
2 Scene story: The Audio - ME31 - "DON'T YOU SEE HIM"& The Script LINK
3 Scene story: The Audio - ME25 - “SCARY’S ON THE WALL”& The Script LINK
A story with only 1 voice actor casted: ME10 - "THE SILENT ONE"& The Script LINK
A story with 4 voice actors casted: S3E2 – “SHUTTER LOVE”& The Script LINK
Good luck and Happy Writing!
