An episode plan decides what the show is about. A run of show sets the timing. This script is the third piece: the actual words you say, block by block, from the cold open to the last call to action. It comes in a solo version and an interview version.
What you get
Word-for-word script blocks for the cold open, intro, segments, transitions, and outro
Pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll ad slots placed where they belong in the script
A solo-episode script and an interview-episode script, each with a timing column
An editable CSV to write in each week plus a branded PDF
How to use this template
1
Pick the version. Use the solo script when you carry the episode alone and the interview script when a guest does most of the talking. The ad slots and outro stay the same in both.
2
Script the edges, outline the middle. Write the cold open, intro, ad reads, transitions, and outro word for word. For the main segments, write the opening line and the points you must hit, then talk naturally.
3
Read it out loud once. Say every scripted block out loud before you record and time it. Cut any sentence you stumble on. Written English and spoken English are different.
4
Mark changes for the edit. Note anything you ad-libbed, skipped, or re-recorded in the notes column so your editor knows what to keep and where the ad markers go.
What's inside
Here's a preview. Unlock the free download to get all 5 sections (4 more below).
Solo episode script
One row per block, in the order you say them. Write the script column exactly as you will say it. Time is where the block should start.
Time
Block
Script (word for word)
Notes / cues
00:00
Cold open
Most new podcasts lose half their listeners in the first minute. Today I'll show you the three things I cut from my intro that fixed that.
No music. Strongest line first.
00:20
Intro / theme
This is [Show name], the show where [one-line promise]. I'm [Host]. Let's get into it.
A run of show is the minute-by-minute script behind a smooth episode. This template lays out every segment, cue, and handoff with timing so you and any co-host or producer always know what comes next.
Recording without a plan is how episodes ramble and listeners drop off. This planner forces the decisions that make an episode tight — the single takeaway, the segment flow, and the hook — before the mic is on.
Host-read ads work when they sound like you. This template gives you a structure for each slot length, a sheet for everything the sponsor sends, and a must-say and never-say table so you hit the brief without reading it like a robot.
Script the parts that need to be tight: the cold open, the intro, ad reads, transitions, and the outro. Outline the main content with an opening line and bullet points. A fully read script tends to sound flat unless you have practice reading aloud.
How do you write a podcast script for an interview?
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Script only your side: the intro, the guest introduction, your handoffs into and out of ad breaks, and the wrap-up. Keep your questions in a separate list and let the guest answer in their own words.
How long is a podcast script for a 30-minute episode?
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It depends how much you script. A common rule of thumb for speaking pace is roughly 130 to 160 words per minute, so a fully scripted 30-minute solo episode runs several thousand words. Most hosts script far less and outline the rest.
