Scriptwriters constantly ask me how to find clients.

So let’s talk about it.

The Problem.

You’ve probably heard of ytjobs.co, Fiverr and Upwork.

That's where most writers/editors/creators think they should start.

But unless you have a portfolio (of even just one video), you have no social proof.

Therefore, you have just one goal - to get that first client + testimonial.

Everything else will follow.

But how?

Foundation.

Like anything, you can’t just "do a skill" without practising it.

I learned more about scriptwriting in 6 months reviewing people’s retention graphs than after a year writing scripts for Ali Abdaal.

So throw yourself in.

• Break down transcripts of successful videos to figure out what they’re doing.
• Create your own scriptwriting frameworks / hypotheses / systems.
• Experiment on your own channel.

Then…

Share your thoughts, breakdowns and hot takes.

Twitter, LinkedIn, Newsletter... it doesn't matter.

And, if you’ve already written a couple of paid scripts…

What did you learn?! Talk about it publicly!

Almost every lead I’ve ever had has been inbound. Why?

Because I’m constantly sharing my thoughts on scriptwriting.

Eventually, people start to notice.

But, let’s assume you’re trying to find a client right now.

Here are your options:

1/ Don't look for clients. Look for writers.

Scour the YTjobs scriptwriter page.

Then, reach out to them on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Or, find them directly on Twitter - search “YouTube scriptwriter” and you’ll find a bunch of people advertising themselves.

Finding other writers is invaluable because:

• They might have past clients they could recommend you to.
• They might just have turned away a client because they were too busy.
• They might have their own tips about how to find clients!

When I first went freelance, my friend (and now podcast co-host!) Gwilym and I pooled our potential leads.

If I was busy, I recommended him. And vice versa.

Meeting other scriptwriters is an industry hack.

2/ Approach YouTubers you want to write for.

There are two methods here:

1/ On Twitter, search phrases like “YouTube scriptwriter”, “hiring scriptwriter”, “need scriptwriter”.

You’ll find creators who are looking for writers right now.

2/ Reach out to creators you already watch.

It’s usually best to aim for creators in the 10-100k subscriber range.

At this level, they’re making money + excited to keep scaling.

DM or email them with something like this:

“Hey [name], I just re-wrote the hook of your most recent video. I believe something like this could perform better because [include rationale].If you like, I’ll happily look over any scripts you’re working on for free to see if I can make any helpful suggestions. No strings attached, and no expectation that you’d hire me afterwards - candidly, I’m building up my experience as a scriptwriter and just looking to add value and learn.”

If you do a great job, you won’t find many creators who wouldn’t pay to keep you on.

3/ Approach businesses.

Generalising here, but…

Businesses suck at YouTube.

But they also have a lot of money to throw at the problem.

I'm talking anything from real estate agents to SaaS companies, or even local businesses that have high-ticket products/services.

Often, YouTube is an afterthought for businesses like these...

But they know at the back of their mind they ought to spend more time (or money) on it.

The ideal client is someone who’s already making content (i.e. they’re sold on the value of doing so), but their videos are bad.

Waltz into their DMs or drop them an email with an improved version of their most recent script, and ask whether they’d be interested in a paid trial to write another one.

Unlike when you’re approaching creators on Twitter, I encourage you not to work for businesses for free.

You’re likely to add significant value to their scripts + channel right away, and you’ll learn less about YouTube than when working for traditional “creators”.

Ergo, you deserve to be paid for your time.

4/ Job application!

I got my start with Ali Abdaal through a simple job application.

Creators regularly drop these in their video descriptions, so keep an eye out.

Easy peasy, (kinda).

And once you've landed your first client...

Shout about it!

The instant I wanted new clients, I tweeted this:

Yes, having Ali as my first client was a ridiculously unfair advantage.

But no matter how big the channels you've worked with, testimonials + results show you're trustworthy.

So don't be afraid to shout about your achievements!

New episode just dropped 💥

Now, I wish I could list a fifth method to get clients - "join my scriptwriting agency!"

However, as you may know, I absolutely hated running it and shut it down after 3 months 😂

But was this the right decision?

Well... feel free to check out the latest episode of Making It where Jamie and Gwilym quizzed me about exactly that 👇

I Closed my $15k /month YouTube Agency. Here’s Why.

That's all for this week. Any questions, just let me know!

Speak soon,

George 👋