SPACE SPECKS Audio Drama

A POST-APOCALYPTIC AUDIO DRAMA ABOUT THE SECOND END OF THE WORLD AND THE PEOPLE WHO REFUSED TO END ALONG WITH IT.

New Olympus was supposed to save them—to be a safe haven for the scattered remains of humanity—but they were doomed from the start. SPACE SPECKS follows a crew of haphazard survivors in the wreckage of their former exoplanet home, chronicling the end of the world through an aromantic and asexual lens.

Title: SPACE SPECKS

Genre: Queer, Sci-Fi, Post-apocalyptic

Content: Ten 30-minute episodes (opportunity for future seasons)

Estimated completion: TBD

Compensation: Unpaid (deferred payment via crowdfund in future seasons)

Contact: smallsies on Discord

SPACE SPECKS is created by Finch (he/him) and Quills(she/her). As creative partners we’ve been working on various projects together for the better part of two years, namely via running the online community organization Podcast Book Club, which Finch founded in 2023. Production on SPACE SPECKS has unfortunately slowed and stopped in the time since the show first began during Podcast Jam 2024 due in large part to our responsibility as administrators in Podcast Book Club, alongside other creative projects — so, we wish to bring new writers onto the team with the space to tell this story we both care very deeply about but that would remain just a concept if we continue waiting until we both have the time to do this show the justice it deserves. You can find Finch’s resume here.

The podcast was originally created as a pilot-only episode during Podcast Book Club’s 2024 Podcast Jam event, in which the bulk of show production was done over one weekend. The concept pilot from the Jam can be found here, though as we’ve continued working on the show after the event, we’d like the pacing and structure set up in the original to now be improved upon by us and the chosen writer as we’re no longer racing a quick deadline. 

When you apply, please indicate whether you have been involved in audio drama before, any script examples you may have, and let us know what about the show's concept interested you.

Please note that this show heavily features themes such as trauma, government surveillance and control, complex mental health, and includes graphic depictions of violence and other intense conflict. Additionally, a prominent character in the show struggles with limb loss and medical complications following an amputation. The main cast also all fall somewhere on the aromantic and/or asexual spectrum, with varying perspectives on their own identities, and there is a queerplatonic relationship central to the story. While personal experience with the above subjects is not required to apply, we expect all topics to be handled with care by writers on the SPECKS crew.

Ideally we would like to see scripts completed during or before October 2026. We have existing cast and other members of production from the original show run in 2024, so save for some possible recasting and future calls as-needed, episode production for ½ of the episodes can begin while the latter half of scripts are being written. A full schedule of episode deadlines will be created collaboratively with producers when writers are selected and onboarded. 

After the call closes, shortlisted applicants will be interviewed by the producers via a Discord voice call. Further project communication will also take place via Discord; writers will be expected to join the show’s production server. No previous experience in audio drama production is required — new writers are encouraged to apply.

As the groundwork of the show’s characters are already developed, we thought some prospective writers may find the bios for the major characters in the show of interest. No obligation to read the below info yet!

NORA ELSINGER, earth born and New Olympus raised, spent her teen years cataloging personal accounts of the fall of Earth–leading to her career as an Archivist. During the city collapse, she was caught underneath the rubble, her left leg amputated at the knee. She struggles deeply with what this means for her future, leaning on her queerplatonic partner, Sawyer, for support. Nora is demiromantic and asexual, and uses she/her pronouns.

SAWYER “SHEP” SHEPHERD is a field researcher at the city greenhouse. A transmasculine cowboy, he has a heart of gold and a self-destructive streak that even his partner, Nora, can’t hope to change most days. Snarky, with just a touch of Southern charm, Sawyer is aromantic allosexual, and uses he/him pronouns.

SPARROW WINTERS was the owner of New Olympus’ only bar, The Demise. As poetically ironic as the bar’s name is, Sparrow remains a mostly-positive member of the end of the world, keeping her friends’ spirits high and rarely letting any negativity show. Sparrow is transfeminine, aromantic and asexual, using she/they pronouns.

CORAL JOHANSEN, a golden child of New Olympus’ government, just wishes everything would go back to normal. Unprepared for her rose-colored glasses to be shattered, Coral is on a crash course in denial, confused about both romance and her place in the world. Coral uses she/her pronouns, and, if she were more self-aware, would probably identify as aromantic and asexual.

GENE KELSEY is gunning for a better world while still hell-bent on destroying as much of New Olympus’ foundation as they can in the process. Greenhouse landscaper turned left-for-dead rebel in the city collapse, Gene is a spitfire with a long list of grievances on their mind. Gene uses he/she/they/it pronouns and is apagender, demiromantic greysexual.