Write On Time

Create more engaging videos with simple, actionable scriptwriting tips.

Join 4000+ scriptwriting nerds reading “Write On Time”. Insights from writing for multi-million subscriber YouTubers sent to your inbox every Friday.

"I started a Chess channel and applied some things from your newsletter. In the first month I'm doing over a million views on long form content and have 3 videos cracking the 100k views mark."

Chess Nuke

@chessnuke

30k+ Subcribers

Subscribers

A lot of my readers ask questions like:

How long does it take to write a script?
Which scripting format works best?
What do YOU do in a writing session?

So I'm gonna show you a script in progress.

I've written scripts for multi-million subscriber YouTubers like Ali Abdaal and Mike Shake, and recently had the privilege of working with Colin and Samir too.

That being said... here's what I actually achieved during a 100 minute scriptwriting session with my community members:

(20 min) - Packaging Brainstorm

First, I brainstormed a bunch of title ideas:

Next, I jumped over to 1of10 for my packaging inspiration.

When I searched "YouTube scriptwriting", it was nice to see the first outlier result was one of my own 👀

I also spotted this tasty looking outlier that was absolutely huge for a small channel (my scriptwriting channel is still tiny as well).

Next, I sketched my own packaging to make sure there was a "clickable" angle for this video:

I'm not available for thumbnail commissions, sorry :(

(10 min) - Bullet Point Brainstorm

Every script starts like this.

It's basically a free-for-all where I try to let my imagination run wild:

Once I've brainstormed the content, it's time to start scripting.

Here's why I'm obsessed with table-format scripts:

(70 min) - Scripting

Rather than staring at a blank page, a table-format script lets me plug my bullet points into a pre-established structure.

That means I can quickly see where there are gaps in the script, and where I need to spend a bit more time thinking about the content.

*e.g. Segment 2 has a setup and payoff, but I still need to find the best way to get from one to the other.*

When I'm plugging my bullet points in, I do payoffs first:

...then setups:

But before filling in the tension section, I go back to the hook.

After all, now I know all my setups and payoffs, it's way easier to distill the video's value in the hook:

*Protecting my secrets, or embarrassed by draft 1?* 🤔

And by the way... I don't need to nail the hook yet.

My priority is making continuous progress, rather than getting hung up on a single task for too long.

With the hook drafted, I go back to the body of the script and start expanding the tension segments to link all my setups to my payoffs:

In this session, I:

Ideated the packaging (made easier with 1of10).
Brainstormed the script contents.
Transferred my brainstorm into a pre-structured script (setup, tension, payoff).
Drafted the hook.

Next time, I will:

Re-write the hook.
Re-write all setups and payoffs word-for-word.
Write/expand all tension sections.
Write my end-screen CTA.

In my experience, spending 2-3 sessions on a single script is ideal.

It gives your brain time to keep ruminating on the ideas in the meantime.

That's all for this week.

Any questions, just let me know!

George 👋

Scripting Frameworks

I recently worked on this video for a client:

It's a 6.8x outlier for this relatively small channel, and is still growing nicely.

The funny thing is... this was the video that made me want to pitch working with the channel in the first place.

The idea came to me in a dingy New York hotel room back in September, and I was just convinced that if we could work together and make it... it would do well.

So, having been proven right (yay!), let's talk about:

How to ideate and package a “big swing” idea for a channel of any size.
Why it’s (sometimes) ok to break one of the most fundamental rules of scriptwriting.

Full Video Explainer (19 min)

I talk about the process of ideating, packaging and writing the hook for this video here:

Click to watch!

However, if you don’t have time, here’s the written summary…

What is a Big Swing idea?

A standout piece of content that you don't want to remake for at least 2-3 years.
It should represent your core beliefs, on a topic that is fundamental to your brand or philosophy.
It should have a higher view ceiling and act as a vehicle for growing your channel.
It might require more time or resources.
However, it's riskier. You need to be confident in the idea and its packaging before taking a big swing.

So let's talk about how to feel confident your big swing idea will perform well...

1/ Find your spikey POV

This is a unique, strongly held opinion that challenges conventional wisdom.
It must be a sincerely held POV - not controversial for the sake of it.
It should provoke thought and discussion because it goes against the norm.
Paddy Galloway spoke about using this approach with Ramit Sethi - his spikey POV is that owning a house is not the right choice for a lot of people:

I took the same approach with ‘Notion Failed You’ - I knew that my client genuinely didn’t use (or like) Notion, contrary to the glowing endorsements of most productivity influencers.

So... what's your spikey POV?

2/ Framing inspiration

The idea needs to be framed, i.e. given a specific "direction". It's a video about Notion, yes - but what's our specific angle?
Start by noticing the framing of videos you see on YouTube. Ask yourself: what sticks out to me?
For example, the framing of this Bryan Johnson video stuck out to me. It's a video about AG1, but the specific framing is "[X] Failed. Here's Why." I just loved it the moment I heard it. (And this video was also an outlier!)

I use 1of10 to keep track of videos that inspire me - whether that's the framing, the topic, or the packaging (which we'll come on to next).
I also have playlists on YouTube so I can easily add inspiration to a list when I'm scrolling.

So keep an eye out while on YouTube - ask yourself "why did the 'framing' of that video make me want to click it?"

3/ Find packaging inspiration

This is where today’s sponsor, 1of10, was essential to the process. It filters for the best-performing content in literally any niche to help you decide what to make, and how to package it.

In my case, I literally searched the word "Notion", and filtered for videos with over 200K views. I wanted to know what type of packaging in this niche had a high view ceiling.

If you find a video you like, you can filter by similar topics, thumbnails or channels for endless inspiration (in this case, I filtered by similar thumbnails).
You absolutely don't have to use 1of10 for this - it's just a lot faster and 1of10 has been an integral part of my workflow for well over a year.

So, find your thumbnail inspiration, and prepare to create your own...

3.5/ Packaging creation

Step 1: By Hand

It's a lot easier for me to draw ideas on paper first:

*Left: Conspiracy-style thumbnail featuring YouTubers’ faces / Right: Hyperrealistic, cracked logo, inspired by 'melting Google' concept*

Step 2: Mockup

Then mock it up in Canva, Photoshop, etc:

Step 3. Designer

If you have the desire/budget, hand it over to the professionals:

I literally punched the sky when we got these back from the designers 😆 Ike Design on the left, Antioch on the right.

Now, we come to the hook... and it's time for a bit of rule breaking.

4/ Packaging → Hook Flow

While it's important for a hook to convey information efficiently... it's also about creating the mood viewers are expecting upon clicking.
Having framed and packaged our spikey POV... I felt like this video needed to feel like a Netflix Trailer when you clicked it.

So, while the usual advice is that hooks should be under 30 seconds…
…this “conspiracy” style packaging inspired a very different type of hook - which was 100 seconds long.
Awkward Amy (our editor) elevated this concept even further. For example - notice how, because we had the packaging first, she was able to include the key thumbnail asset in the hook itself.

So, while rules and frameworks are super helpful for making YouTube videos (I mean, I literally spend my life coming up with them)...

...sometimes, it's ok to break a rule if the video demands it.

Summary: Why was I convinced this video would do well?

Spikey POV.
Proven framing.
Proven packaging.
Packaging-hook flow.

Keep these in mind, and you're safe to take a big swing 🏏

Huge thanks to Efficient App for letting me go behind-the-scenes with this video.

That's all for this week.

Any questions, just let me know!

Speak soon,
George 👋

Scripting Frameworks

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This week, I'd love to recommend my favourite screen recording tool, Tella. See how it works here - and if you're excited to try it, you can use my affiliate link here.

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Every video needs “stakes”.

I mean, that goes without saying, right?

Remove the stakes, and your audience has no reason to watch.

Educational content needs to tell the viewer why their life will be worse unless they take your advice.

Entertainment content needs to show the viewer why your characters are motivated to do whatever they’re doing on-screen.

Next time you feel yourself getting bored with a video, you’ll notice you probably can’t identify any stakes.

(Heads up, I’m about to add stakes to this newsletter…)

So unless you learn to add stakes to your content…

…your viewers will always get bored and click away, meaning lower retention, fewer views, and slower channel growth.

But what happens when the stakes aren’t obvious?

This week, a student of mine was working on a video called:

“How To Make 100 YouTube Shorts In 1 Day With AI.”

But they had a problem.

When trying to add “stakes” to this concept… it felt “forced”.

This video wasn’t targeted at businesses that use short-form content as a sales funnel.

If that were the case, the stakes would have been easy to figure out.

“Short-form content is essential to your sales funnel. Therefore, if you don’t make loads of YouTube Shorts, you won’t get in front of your customers and you won’t make sales!”

But my student was targeting “creators” in general - not "business owners" specifically.

Now, on one hand, we could talk “niching down” here… but that isn’t what my student needed.

Because, no matter how much you niche down, certain videos will appeal to a broader audience.

Which means you need to feel confident identifying the stakes when that happens.

But how?

Finding stakes for ANY video

So... my student was struggling to find stakes for a broad-appeal video.

This was my advice:

“This is the #1 problem that comes with having labels like “stakes” - it adds pressure to find something like “your business will collapse”, or “you’ll stop making sales!”… but stakes can be something super low-key. In this example, my brain does this:

Why do we need to make shorts FASTER? Because otherwise it’s hard to get a shorts posting cadence underway.
Ok, so, why do we need to get a shorts posting cadence underway? Because the best creators have both a long-form and short-form strategy.
Therefore, what’s at stake here? Most creators probably sleep on making shorts for months because it feels impossible to churn out quality short-form content alongside long-form content, resulting in massively reduced opportunity for channel growth.

Your video is the solution to creators not making shorts and therefore wasting potential channel growth.”

The secret is simple:

Keep. Asking. Questions.

First, ask yourself what the video will help the viewer achieve.

Next, ask yourself why that matters.

Then, keep asking why, why, why… until you reach a satisfying stake.

In this case, it only took two questions to unearth the stakes.

Sometimes, it might take 3-4.

But the process is always the same… and it’s surprisingly simple.

Then, once you have your stakes, you must include them in your hook.

Remember, stakes are what make the video feel urgent… so if you don’t call them out early, they’re wasted.

Get them in before 00:20 (or earlier, if you can).

That's all for this week.

Any questions, just let me know and I'll get back to you!

Speak soon,
George 👋

Scripting Frameworks

I just spent two weeks in France filming a new video about how to write scripts FASTER.

It was pretty fun, I guess 👀

But the biggest revelation I had while filming led to me tweaking my scriptwriting format in a small but powerful way.

Here’s a quick extract from the final script:

Today, I want to explain what’s going on with this format, and why I think you’ll find it incredibly useful when filming your next video.

The best way of explaining why this is so powerful is to break down the purpose of each column:

Column #1: Phase

Easily label the “setup” phase, the “tension” phase, and the “payoff” phase.
Setup and payoff phases should usually be 2-3 sentences max. See this article for some examples of setups and payoffs in action.
Tension phases will usually be much longer… this is where you’re building to the payoff, so you want to keep viewers in suspense
A brief glance at this column will indicate whether your phases are an appropriate length - e.g. Are my setups and payoffs taking too much time? Are my tension segments actually long enough… to create tension?!

Column #2: Script

I’ve always been a fan of the “Spreadsheet” format. But while filming this video, I reformatted the script so every sentence had its own row.
This meant I could be incredibly precise with editing direction and B-Roll notes specific to each moment:

But do this after the script is written. As you can see below, I wrote multiple sentences per row in V1 to avoid breaking my writing flow:

Additionally, before shooting anything, I colour-coded the script.

Voiceover = highlighted green
A-Roll = highlighted yellow, then re-highlighted pink as I checked off filming each line.

Column #3: Notes

For editing direction, B-Roll suggestions, and text.
I used the same colour coding system as before, too. Once I filmed a piece of B-Roll, I'd highlight it pink.
This made preparing to film way easier and kept me on top of which additional shots I still needed to film.
You'll notice that, by the end, every single row included pink-highlighted text... which indicates I'd filmed either a piece of A-Roll or B-Roll for every single line.

Formatting your scripts like this is easy in either Notion or Google Sheets 💻

That's all for this week.

Speak soon,
George 👋

Scripting Frameworks

"What does a YouTube script actually cost?"

It's something I'm asked constantly - by writers trying to price themselves, and by YouTubers trying to hire.

I wrote this article showing the spread of what I've charged over the years...

...but today, I want to talk about some of the nuances.

A subscriber recently emailed me asking how pricing changes if:

The writer comes up with the idea, does all the research and writes the script.
The client (YouTuber) already has the idea and the research, so the writer only writes the script.

Check out this 9 min video where I answered these questions (and more) - all related to pricing and client-writer relationships 👇

Click To Watch

Or, if you want the answers QUICKLY...

...here are all 5 questions from the video, and my answers summed up in a sentence:

Should the CLIENT provide the video's framing?

Ideally, yes - but even if they do, the best scriptwriters will assess the framing in relation to the channel's target audience, and challenge the client's choice of framing if necessary.

Do I (George), prefer it when the CLIENT provides the framing? And how does this affect the price?

It makes no difference because I'll think about the framing either way and incorporate this into my pricing.

How is pricing affected if the CLIENT provides the research vs the WRITER doing the research?

If trawling through a massive research pack (or doing a tonne of research) adds a non-trivial amount of extra time and effort to the writer's job (i.e. 4-8 hours), they should add ~50% to their pricing (in either case!)

What does it cost to pay a WRITER to ideate, research, and write a script?

Depends on experience (and the client's price sensitivity), but a fair range (from a Eurocentric economic perspective) is ~$200-$800... although on some bigger scripts, I've been paid as much as $1500, and friends of mine have charged $2000+ in some cases.

What does it cost to pay a WRITER to write a script (no research or ideation)?

Again, somewhere around the $200-$800 mark for a 10-15 minute video is usually reasonable for a writer with 0-2 years' experience.

Pleeeeeease note - take everything with a pinch of salt. Money is a funny topic, and the list of caveats to these opinions is as long as my arm! The more experience you get paying/charging, the easier it gets to figure out your "hell yeah" numbers.

That's all for this week.

Any questions, just let me know!

Speak soon,
George 👋

Business of Scriptwriting

To make scriptwriting faster…

Write hooks, setups and payoffs word-for-word (nothing else).
Increase or decrease the amount you script to make filming easier.
Use a simple hook formula (target, transformation, stakes // character, concept, stakes).
Write “Blob Scripts” to maintain momentum.
Templatize and reuse script segment structures.
Know your audience to prevent overthinking.
Set a timer so you have no excuses.

If you’re a busy bee, that’s all you need to know this week.

Or, read on for more detail…

Full Video Explainer (12 min)

I talk in detail about these strategies in a video I recently posted in my scriptwriting community:

Click To Watch

If you prefer to read the info, here’s an expanded summary of all 7 points:

1/ Write hooks, setups and payoffs word-for-word (but nothing else).

Don’t feel obligated to script every word. Do always write hooks, setups, and payoffs in full (and use bullet points for the rest).
The hook is important for obvious reasons (more on writing these below).
Plot your payoffs first… then it’s easy to write your setups.
See 4 examples of setups and payoffs in action here.

2/ Increase or decrease the amount you script to make filming easier.

“Fully scripted” or “totally unscripted” are not your only two options.
Treat your script like a dial - if 90% riffing felt too hard, dial the scripting up.
If it felt stilted or “not how you’d really say it”, dial the scripting down.
More time scripting will save you time when filming and editing... but it's a balance. If spending 10 hours scripting saves you 1 hour when filming... is it worth it?

3/ Use a simple hook formula.

Write the components of your hook first... and only then try to combine them into a hook.

4/ Write “Blob Scripts” to maintain momentum.

Don’t get stuck searching for the perfect word.
Write a "blob script" instead (and fix it later):

5/ Templatize and reuse script segment structures.

Once you've structured your script's first segment, re-use that structure across the entire video.
Simple example of how easy + effective this is here.

6/ Know your audience.

The #1 source of analysis paralysis is not knowing who you're talking to in your script.
So get to know your audience... what they like, what they want to achieve, and why they watch you.
Now, you’re no longer second-guessing every sentence.

You already signed up to my YouTube Scriptwriter's Compass email course, so you're ahead of the game here 👊

7/ Set a timer.

Ideally, do this with a buddy.
Look each other dead in the eye and promise... "I WILL have written a YouTube script when this timer runs out."
I do 2-hour sessions (with a 5 min break in the middle), but do whatever suits you.

**Here's me 90 minutes into a timed session in December. Am I stressed? A little. Did I *finally* write that script I'd been procrastinating? Yup.**

That's all for this week.

Next week, I'm opening up about pricing, and the nuances of how much to charge/pay in different scenarios.

Any questions, just let me know!

Speak soon,
George 👋

Scripting Frameworks

This week's newsletter was made possible by my favourite screen-recording app, Tella* 🥰

Hey,

Let’s talk about the most important retention lesson I’ve ever learned.

To do this, I’ll show you the retention graph I used to test potential scriptwriters when hiring for my agency (90% got it wrong).

By the end, you’ll understand the massive retention problem most YouTubers miss, and how to fix it at the scriptwriting stage.

For my full thoughts, check out this 12-minute video:

Click To Watch

If you prefer, here’s the lesson in just a few paragraphs:

Retention dips are often the symptom of an earlier mistake.

When you see a dip, you probably assume that’s where you screwed up.
But the real problem often happened earlier.
Overpromising, under-delivering or failing to set audience expectations can cause them to lose patience later.
So, to diagnose and address these issues, you must study the graph in its entirety.
If you can't find the problem in the dip itself, two possible mistakes you made earlier in the video might have caused it...

First... a quick word on the app I used to record the video above:

Let me tell you something you might not wanna hear:

I love Tella.

There, I said it. I won't take it back. You simply can't make me.

I've tried a couple of different screen recording options over the last two years, and this has ended up being my favourite because of how flipping good the recordings look.

Check out this quick video if you wanna see all the cool stuff Tella can do 👇

Click to watch my love story with Tella unfold in realtime ❤️

The good news? Their affiliate program is offering new users 30% off forever when you sign up through my link.

You'll literally be paying less than I am to use it lol.

Highly recommend trying it out if you do a lot of screen recording 👇

Try Tella (1 week trial, then 30% off forever)

*Because I'm an affiliate, signing up through this link will result in a small kickback for me at no extra cost to you :)

Now, where were we...?

Mistake #1 - Payoff in previous segment damaged viewer trust.

Failing to deliver a satisfying payoff in an earlier segment can cause viewers to disengage and stop watching during the current one.
If your payoff was vague, misleading, or outright boring, the lack of closure breaks the trust you’ve built with your audience, making them less likely to stay for future segments.
Clear, decisive payoffs make viewers feel rewarded for the time they gave you... so they're willing to give more.

Mistake #2 - Viewers MISSED your setup (because you didn’t explain it clearly).

A clear setup for each new segment keeps viewers oriented within the structure of the video, while a vague or abrupt transition make the overall flow difficult to follow.
When transitioning between segments, it’s crucial to communicate what’s coming next and why it matters.
Otherwise, even if the segment itself is interesting, well-edited, and well-told... viewers will gradually stop caring because they've lost the overall thread of the video.
Convey every segment’s purpose explicitly to help viewers stay oriented.

So, remember...

...although you might think the problem lies here…

…it could be a symptom of something you did here:

Any time you're struggling to diagnose a retention dip, go back and study the graph in its entirety.

And, once you've identified the problem, ensure your next script includes clear setups and satisfying payoffs.

That's all for this week.

Next week, I'm dropping my 7 favourite tips for writing scripts faster.

Any questions, just let me know!

Speak soon,
George 👋

Retention

Hey!

Yesterday, I drove for an hour to ask a man in his 50s to insult the shape of my feet... on camera.

Because “YouTube”, ok?

Seeing as I’m finally making my own “scriptwriting advice” YouTube videos this year, I want to make sure they’re as fun to make as they will be to watch.

So I’m taking my time and going the extra mile for moments like this (which will probably only be in the video for around 3s).

But in the meantime, as I’m busy scripting and filming my 2025 content…

…it pays to keep an eye on what my scriptwriting peers are making, too 👀

So, in the spirit of making all our scriptwriting better this year, here are 3 videos from other creators whose content I think you’ll enjoy:

John Dorman - “killer youtube scripts, explained” - incredible advice + insane use of props and set design. A joy to watch!
Aprilynne Alter - “how to edit a killer youtube video (for the 2025 algorithm)” - technically about editing, but watch this (especially the first half) with your scriptwriting hat on and you’ll find a ton of stuff to apply.
Bryan Ng - “How To Script YouTube Videos 10x Faster (This Changed Everything)” - I’m all about making scriptwriting sustainable, and these 5 tips from Bryan will get you writing YouTube scripts way faster.

Don’t Get Left Behind

Yes, you’ve got to have your own style...

...but it’d be silly not to watch what your friends are doing and identify what’s working really well.

For this, and to find videos like the ones I linked above...

...I use a “channel tracker”:

This channel tracker is one of the most useful features inside 1of10.

In my case, I've created a specific tracker for “YouTube Scriptwriting”.

I add channels like the ones above, so whenever they upload a new video, it'll appear on my tracked list.

(But only if it's an outlier! So I’ll only see videos from those channels that are outperforming their recent channel average.)

This makes it incredibly easy to see the best-performing, new content from channels I admire... in a single place.

Before 1of10:

Open 100 tabs for every channel I want to take inspiration from.
Sort by “Most Viewed”.
Manually review each video to check whether the “most viewed” videos are recent... or from 10 years ago.

With 1of10:

Open one tab.
Add inspirational channels to my channel tracker.
See all their best-performing videos in one place.

You know I’ve been a huge fan of 1of10 for more than a year, so I’m super grateful to Richard and the team for partnering up with me these last few months.

You can get access to 1of10’s suite of tools with 50% off using the code "GEORGE50".

That's all for this week.

For now, I'm practising filming with my new 360⁰ camera for the video I'm working on right now 😆

Speak soon,
George 👋

Business of Scriptwriting

This week’s tip in a nutshell:

Here’s a philosophy I want you to take into 2025:

“If you can dream it, you can write it. Once you write it, sh*t happens.”

How to ACTUALLY make the videos you want this year:

Last month, I wrote this line in a YouTube script:

“I may as well go the whole hog and paraglide off this mountain.”

The line came as a bit of an afterthought, to be honest. But sometimes it’s fun to ask yourself:

“If there were no barriers, what would be the coolest possible thing I could put in this video?”

Yet three weeks later… I’ve booked it!

And I’m allowed to take my new 360 camera 😆

**I hope this guy is legit. No matter what happens, please ensure the footage ends up on YouTube and that I look really cool. It’s what I would have wanted.**

It's easy to get bogged down by imaginary constraints when you've got a hundred ideas bustling around in your head.

But the moment something goes down on the page, it becomes more real.

Writing is powerful.

Of course, you may not need to do something as OTT as flinging yourself off a mountain.

For example, I once put an incredibly niche joke about UK-based sofa company, DFS, into a Creator Booth video:

I also made Justin Moore film himself hiding behind the bushes in his front yard just because I thought it’d be funny.

I even made Ali Abdaal talk about “owning a bin” in a list of his top productivity hacks. (Joke, that wasn’t me. He just loves talking about bins and nobody has figured out how to stop him yet.)

The point is:

“If you can dream it, you can write it. Once you write it, sh*t happens.”

In that vein, and to leave you on a note of inspiration, huge props to one of my community members who recently wrote a script about a pretty weird anime…

…threw it over to my students for some feedback…

…and it absolutely blew up over the holidays!

He dreamed it. He wrote it. Sh*t happened.

So… wishing you all the best with your channel this year, [FIRST NAME GOES HERE]! Don’t let any imaginary limits get in the way of making the videos you want.

Last thing before you go...

YouTube Strategy Q&A

If you didn't know, I co-host a YouTube strategy podcast called "Making It"

This week we sat down to answer a bunch of your questions, including:

Which metrics to focus on in your YouTube studio.
How to change your packaging based on the type of viewers you’re trying to reach.
Which of us would survive the longest in a zombie apocalypse (London vs Cambridge vs just outside London).

Watch It Here!

That's all for this week.

Any questions, just let me know!

Speak soon,
George 👋

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Business of Scriptwriting

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A few folks have emailed me saying:

"I don’t know what 'opening a curiosity gap' looks like in MY niche."

So here are 4 examples of how to open a curiosity gap, from creators in different niches... so you can steal them.

Quick context...

Here’s what a video structure usually looks like.

Hook → get the viewer interested.
Segments → deliver information.
CTA → send the viewer to another video.

Right now, we’re only interested in the “segments”.

Much like your hooks, you want to keep these simple:

Start of a segment → open a curiosity gap around the topic of that segment.
At the end of that segment → close the curiosity gap by delivering a payoff.

So, in our 4 examples, we’ll cover:

How the YouTuber opens a curiosity gap.
The formula (so you can steal it).
The questions it raises for the viewer.
The moment our curiosity is resolved.

1/ Aprilynne Alter

Opens curiosity:

“The first part is by far the most important… and yet also the most overlooked.”

Formula:

[X] is by far the most important… and yet also the most overlooked.

Questions:

What is [X]?
Is it possible that I’ve been overlooking [X]?
What negative effects are caused by my ignorance of [X]?

Resolution:

“The best YouTubers in the world view thumbnails as a priority. Not as an afterthought.”

2/ Mike Shake

Opens curiosity:

“I want to see for myself how hard it actually is.”

Formula:

I want to see for myself [whether “X” is true].

Questions:

Is [X] true?
If so, what is [X] capable of?
How exactly is he gonna test [X]?

Resolution:

“Since polycarbonate is clearly resilient - meaning it can bend a lot without breaking - it's definitely my best option.”

3/ Cleo Abram

Opens curiosity:

“I'm in an elevator on my way down to the giant particle smasher.”

Formula:

I’m [travelling directly to] [the thing you’re curious about].

Questions:

What will [the thing] [be like/look like/feel like/sound like]?
What else will I find out about [the thing]?
What is [the thing] even for?!

Resolution:

[Plenty of up-close footage of "the thing"] “This giant underground detector is where those particles finally collide after being sped up close to the speed of light around that 27km track.”

4/ Mrwhosetheboss

Opens curiosity:

“The first thing to understand is that every big tech company follows the exact same pattern.”

Formula:

“The first thing to understand is that [thing of interest] does [surprising statement that needs clarification].”

Questions:

How can [surprising statement] be true?
Why does [thing of interest] behave this way?
Is there some sort of conspiracy?!

Resolution:

“Their objectives often boil down to ‘how do we make the users pay up until the absolute limit of what they're willing to, but just not past it?’”

Steal 'em…

If you’re struggling to open curiosity gaps in your script, start by taking inspiration from these:

[X] is by far the most important… and yet also the most overlooked.
I want to see for myself [whether “X” is true].
I’m [travelling directly to] [the thing you’re curious about].
“The first thing to understand is that [thing of interest] does [surprising thing that needs clarification].”

Btw, I’m working on a bunch of much larger cheatsheets + swipe files while revamping YTSP.

As an existing YTSP student, I’m excited to share these with you when V2 launches later this year!

‍

The Secret To Hiring On YouTube...

I've hired (and been hired) a bunch of times for YouTube.

That's why Jamie, Gwilym and I sat down to talk "hiring" last week.

Whether you're looking for creator economy talent, or you are the talent...

I think you'll like this episode 👇

Watch Now

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

Speak soon,

George 👋

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This week, I'd love to recommend my favourite video ideation tool, 1of10. See how I used 1of10 to create a small channel's fastest growing video here. You can use my affiliate link or head direct to their website

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‍

There's a rule I always follow when writing a YouTube hook:

If in doubt, keep it simple 👇

(Bookmark this article - my simple, 3-step hook formula.)

But, if we look closely, it's easy to spot the little extra sauce the biggest YouTubers use to keep us hooked.

So this week, I studied Ryan Trahan.

And I discovered the cheeky psychological trick you can steal that'll hook viewers for longer (in 6 simple steps).

For this demo, we'll break down the hook of I Stayed in Every Hotel at Disney World...

‍

1/ Context

"Disney World claims to be the most magical place on Earth."

Provides brief context on the setting.
We know we’re going to Disney World.

Other examples of “context” sentences:

“So everyone wants to get more productive…”
“The new iPad just sent Twitter crazy…”
“How powerful is a slingshot?”

Simply introduce the audience to the topic.

‍

2/ Proof

[B-Roll from Ryan's visit.] "Not only are the theme parks unbelievable but there are dozens of hotels at Disney that seem like fairy tales..."

Instantly proves he’s doing what we clicked for.
Low-res cameraphone footage proves he went.
This shot also cuts in dramatically after just 3 seconds. The earlier you can offer your "proof", the better.

Other examples of “proof”:

[B-Roll timelapse.] “So I spent 37 hours researching the best productivity hacks...”
[B-Roll of new iPad in creator’s hands.] So I bought it...
[B-Roll of slingshot being fired in slow motion] “I wanted to find out whether it could…”

Your “proof” can be entirely visual. Get a good shot that proves you did the thing.

‍

3/ Structure

"This week I'm going to every single Disney World hotel to investigate."

Orients the viewer within the video right away.
We know he’s going to stay in 8 locations, each crazier than the last.
Remember - structure is SO important. Make it obvious what the flow of the video is going to be.

Other examples of “structure”:

“We’re gonna talk about the 10 best hacks that I found.
“I’m gonna test the iPad in [XYZ] different ways.”
“I’m gonna build a slingshot, compare it to my other one, and then…”

This is closely related to step 5, but we need to complete step 4 first.

‍

4/ Motivation

"And guess who I'm bringing? A girl. A girl that says we don't have enough photos together."

Explains why he’s making the video. Ryan’s wife is revealed to be going with him.
After the first 3 speedy segments, you’ll notice this part slows down.
When introducing an important character (and the motivation for the entire video), it’s ok to go slower.

Other examples of “motivation”:

“Most of us struggle to get through our to-do lists…”
“I’m desperate to find a lightweight solution to travelling with my tech…”
“Last time I built a slingshot, I got humiliated…”

Give your video emotional weight, either for the involved characters (entertainment), or for the viewer (educational).

‍

5/ Plan

"So my plan is simple. I take her to the most magical place on Earth - Orlando Florida, home of Disney World. And, every day, capture a magical moment that we bring home to frame."

Now we understand the ‘why’, he explains the ‘how’.
Think of this step like ‘upgrading’ your structure, now with added emotional weight.

Other examples of “plan”:

“I’m testing which technique boosts my productivity most over the next month.”
“I’m swapping out my Mac for an iPad all week.”
“To build a better slingshot, I’ll need to [ABC]…”

It's ok to add more detail to the concept once the audience understands your "why".

‍

6/ Setup

"And Haley doesn't know this, but I'm really trying to book the room inside of the Magic Kingdom Castle, which is nearly impossible by the way."

Sets up the Grand Payoff - the ultimate curiosity of the video.
While the structure creates inherent curiosity (”I wonder how nice/crazy/expensive each place is.”)…
...Ryan sets up a secret goal re. the final location which even his wife doesn't know about.
This Grand Payoff creates a bunch of curiosity for us:
- Will he be able to book the actual Disney Castle?
- What’s it like in there?
- How will she react?

Other examples of "setting up" the payoff:

“I’ll reveal the biggest timesaver…”
“I’m going to find out if this iPad iscould actually replace my Mac.”
“Can my new slingshot destroy a ballistic dummy?”

Think - what's going to get your audience really curious?

‍

On your next script...

Write out these 6 steps.
Force yourself to write a sentence for each.
Craft a hook using these components.

Remember - you don't have to stick to the same order as Ryan. Simply try to include all 6 elements.

Oh, one last thing...

‍

What traits do successful YouTubers share?

Ever wondered what multi-million sub YouTubers are actually like in person?

Are they driven? Introverted? Strategically lazy?!

Having worked with a tonne of huge YouTubers for the last 2 years, Gwilym, Jamie and I discussed the traits we've spotted time and time again 👇

**The Characteristics That Make YouTubers Go Viral**

Watch Now

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

Speak soon,
George 👋

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 👋

Since 2021, the videos I’ve written have gained 25,000,000+ views.

And, as you’ve probably heard over and over again…

The idea is the most important part of any video.

That’s why I’m excited to show you how I’m using 1of10.com to grow the ideas bank for my own channel…

…and how this impacts the scripts themselves.

Thanks to 1of10 for partnering with me this week 🤝

You can get 20% off your subscription (recurring!) using the code "GEORGEBLACKMAN".

Get 1of10 Now!

I'm super excited about this partnership because I literally use 1of10 every single day.

So let’s talk about how you can use outlier videos to:

Generate killer video ideas.
Make important scriptwriting decisions.

Part 1 - Idea Generation

In 1of10’s search bar, I can search for the niche I wanted to get inspiration for:

As you'll see below, 1of10 only shows videos that are outperforming their channel’s recent views average.

So, right away, I know that every video I’m seeing is doing something particularly well 👇

But, for my channel, I need to be mindful of something...

YouTube advice can go stale fast, so I don't want to see any videos that were published years ago.

In fact, there were a few extra parameters I wanted to set.

So I filtered for videos that:

Were 2x outliers or higher.
Had 10k views or more.
Were from the last 6 months.

Once I applied these filters, I noticed a video called “How To Write A Killer YouTube Script (2024 Algorithm)”.

This is exactly the type of video I could see myself making a version of...

So I wanted to see similar content that could inspire me.

Aaaand 1of10 lets you do that by clicking “similar topic” 👇

Now I was only seeing videos similar to the one I liked 👇

But a big problem my students have raised inside my community is knowing which outlier ideas to take forward...

To help with this, I consider these 3 factors:

Subject - am I immediately enthusiastic about the topic presented in the title?
Expertise - do I have the experience to create a better version of this video?
Views - what’s the view ceiling? We already filtered for videos with 10k+, but the higher the potential, the better.

Based on those factors, I used 1of10’s “bookmark” feature to save a bunch of these videos into a visualisation space 👇

Now I've got a bank of super relevant, high-performing content from which to take inspiration.

Part 2 - Scripting

But how does this influence the script itself?

This is where a little analysis comes in.

By having these high-performing outliers in the same place, it’s much easier to compare how they approach their scripts.

Pay attention to their...

Tone
Format
Style

Here’s a super distilled version of what that might look like for three of the videos in my “bookmarks”.

How To Write A Killer YouTube Script (2024 Algorithm):

Tone: Chilled.

Format: 5-step system.

Style: Fairly basic talking head A-Roll.

How To Write ADDICTIVE YouTube Scripts:

Tone: “Conspiracy.”

Format: Superfast hook, straight into point #1.

Style: Rapid editing changes, not to my taste. Appears to be deliberately overwhelming.

how to make a killer youtube intro (for the 2024 algorithm):

Tone: “Traditional” explainer.

Format: Another system (4 steps)

Style: Inspiring (”most creators got their big break from one video”)

As James Hoffman says, it's way easier to figure out which type of coffee you like by directly comparing two different cups.

So, by analysing and comparing these outlier videos, it’s easier to figure out what you want your scripts to look like.

My takeaways:

Tone: While it's clearly working for their target audiences, none of these tones felt like me. I prefer energetic and humourous.
Format: "Systems" made videos easier to follow. Superfast hook was effective.
Style: Avoid the conspiracy-style, retention-edited approach of Money Maxing. Lean into the authoritative, inspiring style of Aprilynne.

Recap

Identify outlier videos (initially in your niche, then branch outwards).
Determine which videos fulfil the “Topic, Expertise, Views” criteria.
Review each video and identify what you resonate with.

1of10.com makes this process so much faster and ensures you’re only ever modelling videos that you know are outperforming others.

Remember, you can use “GEORGEBLACKMAN” at the checkout to get a recurring 20% off your subscription.

Get 1of10 Now!

If you have any questions about how I use 1of10 (or anything else!), feel free to drop me a message!

Speak soon,
George 👋

‍

Imagine a car that has no windscreen.

As you drive around, you get frustrated as the seat upholstery gets covered in muck.

After all, there’s no windscreen to protect the interior.

So, being the fast-thinking genius that you are…

You replace the seat upholstery.

Good move. Windscreen aside, your car looks brand new again.

But, as soon as you take the car out for another spin…

…the seats get covered in muck again.

Because, with no windscreen, your car has a chronic problem.

And, sooner or later, you’ve probably got to ask yourself:

“Should I just buy a windscreen?”

Structural Problems

When we rely on a retention graph to identify problems with our video…

It’s like replacing the upholstery in a car that has no windscreen.

Yes, it’s going to help in the short term…

…but it doesn’t account for critical, structural problems with our content.

“But wait a sec, George. Didn’t this newsletter used to be all about retention graphs?”

Firstly, there's no need to call me out like that!

But secondly - yes it did. And it made me realise something.

It’s usually pretty easy to figure out what happened at moments like this in your video...

You started a new topic which the audience wasn’t interested in.
You rambled for too long about something and people got bored.
You introduced the video’s sponsor.

(Or any number of things.)

But, for graphs like this, it’s not always so simple.

Sometimes, we can’t rely on big dips and obvious clues.

Mindset Shift

That's why my goal across everything I write is to create a mindset shift among YouTubers.

Rather than troubleshooting individual problems after you've made the video…

…I want to bake in strong “retention awareness” before you make it.

Because, sometimes, it’s not as simple as reupholstering the seats.

It might be the problem with your windshield...

‍

“All I'm trying to do is get people to a point where they're CLOSER to scripting, even if they’re just planning more and really thinking about the structure ahead of time.

It's why every single YouTuber under the sun starts out a video like ‘here are the objectives’ or ‘in this video we're going to talk about boom boom boom’ or ‘here's the game plan’. It just makes it easier for us to digest.”

- Me, on the Scriptwriting For Newbs Podcast.

‍

When your retention graph is slowly declining for no clear reason, it's nearly always a problem with:

Confusing structure.
Lack of payoffs
Payoffs given too early.

That's why you can't think of your videos as a series of moments that can be corrected with quick "retention fixes".

You need to zoom out and view your video as a whole.

That's why, when scripting a video, I encourage YouTubers to:

Break the script down into segments.
Identify the payoff for each segment.
Ensure each payoff is properly set up.

(There's lots more to talk about here, so check out my full scriptwriting system if you're interested.)

And look, I get it.

For some folks, word-for-word scripting will never be enjoyable.

In fact, for some niches, it doesn’t make sense at all.

But, by encouraging creators to “script everything”, I’m not actually saying that you should.

I’m just trying to make you think about the structure a little more.

Because a clear structure keeps the viewer oriented within the video.

And when we feel oriented, we’re less likely to get overwhelmed and click away.

So keep reviewing your retention graphs, but remember they only tell half the story.

They’ll help you troubleshoot the little things over time.

But if you want to make your videos better, faster…

Spend more time plotting the structure.

Wanna hear more?

This newsletter was inspired a longer conversation I had on the Scriptwriting For Newbs Podcast, where we also discussed:

How I learned lots about scriptwriting in a short period of time.
Scriptwriting workflow for entertainment channels.
Imposter syndrome when working with 10m subscriber creators.

Watch Now

Miko’s questions were different to the usual stuff I get asked, and it was one of the most fun podcast experiences I’ve had.

(Ed from Film Booth went on the week after me too, so there will be plenty of amazing guests to come.)

That's all for this week!

Speak soon,
George 👋

Last year, I made a pretty wild claim.

I said that my end-screen call-to-action (CTA) formula could boost your end-screen click-through rate (CTR) by as much as 3-4x.

It turns out I was wrong.

Today, I found out that when Jay Clouse took my advice…

...his end-screen CTR increased by 5x:

"This ONE change made a huge difference for our channel…

‍@GeorgeBlackman_ gave us the secret to improving the end screen click rate on our videos.

After implementing this, our end screen click rate went from ~3% in our videos up to 15%+ for some videos."

‍Need a refresher on why this matters for your channel? Check out my original article here.

Can we take this further?

I’ve had a lot of people asking how to apply this formula to a different type of CTA.

One where, instead of promoting another video, you're encouraging the viewer to sign up to or download something.

It could be a free resource, a template pack, or even a paid course.

These types of CTA usually occur mid-video, rather than at the end.

So, my question is this:

Can the same CTA formula be used halfway through a video to promote products and services, as it can to promote another video?

To find out, let’s talk about the subtle difference between an end-of-video CTA (”End-CTA”) and a mid-video CTA (”Mid-CTA”) so you can drive more downloads of your products and services.

(Worth noting, I’m not talking about integrating paid sponsorships here. I may do in future, but the number of variables involved in a sponsorship makes it tricky to distil into a simple formula.)

(1/3) Recap

For an End-CTA, this is the formula I use:

Link - refer back to something covered in the video.
Curiosity - open a new curiosity gap around that topic.
Promise/CTA - outline the transformation they’ll experience by clicking your next video and closing that curiosity gap.

So, let's adapt this to create a Mid-CTA…

(2/3) Theory

The biggest difference between an End-CTA and a Mid-CTA is the level of subtlety we can apply.

During an End-CTA, we’re being super subtle.

Because, when well-executed, the viewer thinks we’re simply setting up the next talking point of the video.

Yes, they have to click to keep watching…

But we create the effect that it’s all part of the same information flow.

During a Mid-CTA, there’s no escaping the inevitable “plug”.

One way or another, you're going to have to tell them to “download my thing”.

This feels different for the viewer because we can’t apply the same level of subtlety.

So, to combat the “ick” they (or we) get from the plug, we need to:

Keep it brief.
Illustrate clear benefits to the audience.

With that in mind, here’s how I think about adapting the formula for a Mid-CTA:

LINK becomes “TRANSITION”.

Rather than calling back to something else that happened earlier, the information is integrated in a way that would still make sense even if the "Plug" (see below) was removed.

Check out this example from Pick Up Limes. You wouldn’t know it in isolation, but this is actually the start of her Mid-CTA…

"So I just checked and this soup is super nutritious… I think because of the legumes and all the different greens in there. There's over 25 g of protein and over 7 G of iron per serving…"

CURIOSITY becomes “PLUG”:

There’s no escaping it: you’re gonna have to straight-up say what the product/service is.

But think about it from an audience-first perspective - what do they want and why does your thing make it easier?

Pick Up Limes continues as such...

"…and this is also going to be a shameless plug for our app. But if you are interested in more high-iron and high-protein recipes, we've got a filter for that!"

PROMISE becomes “DETAIL”:

Briefly provide additional information for the viewer.

That could mean listing a couple of additional benefits of your product, or getting them excited with the promise of a free trial.

Pick Up Limes concludes...

"If you want to try out one week for free check out the link in the description box below."

So, thats... Transition > Plug > Detail

Here's another example from Bass Buzz, this time without interruption:

"You just start one scale note below, and then bask maniacally in the glory of your superior theoretical knowledge.

[Transition] If you don't have the theory chops to bask maniacally and know the right scale…

[Plug]…maybe it's time to take my Beginner to Badass course where I'll cover all this essential theory in a way you can actually understand…

[Detail]…plus everything else you're working in this exercise, including muting, accuracy and basic slap technique."

(3/3) Experiment

So, here’s our formula:

Transition - subtly set up the reason the audience might need your product.
Plug - tell them what it is and be explicit about the benefits.
Detail - provide any extra info (and get out of there!)

But remember... the audience will be on to you almost immediately.

The moment you reach the "Plug", you start a ticking timer in the viewer's mind.

While you can take your time with an End-CTA, carefully widening the curiosity gap and getting them excited for the next video...

...the Mid-CTA needs to be snappy.

You haven't delivered the Grand Payoff yet, so don't spend more than 10-15s promoting your product.

‍

If you promote your own products/services inside your content, I’d love you to try this:

Record your average conversion rate across the last 3-5 videos.
Implement this formula.
Compare conversions over the following 3-5 videos.

That's all for this week!

If you have any questions, you can always reply :)

Speak soon,
George 👋

A lot of people ask me what to charge for scriptwriting.

(Or, how much to pay a scriptwriter.)

So, I went back through a bunch of invoices I’ve sent to clients in the last 2 years.

And I noticed some patterns which I think you’ll find useful (or at least interesting), whether you’re trying to figure out what to charge, or what to pay.

But before we get into it...

Want us to review your script?

My small team will provide detailed notes (and video feedback) from a structural and visual standpoint, including recommendations for...

The hook, use of B-Roll, storytelling, pacing, CTA, and more.

And, while I'm training them up... I'll actually be doing the reviews myself.

So, for a limited time, you'll get a personal review from me at a reduced price!

Learn More!

So, let's talk script pricing...

The single biggest factor that determined what I could charge was actually the client’s level of YouTube experience.

But, interestingly, it was not a linear pattern.

In fact, hitting the highest rates ($1000+) was only really possible when dealing with clients who had EITHER very low or very high experience.

Those with middling experience, or whose channels were not yet making life-changing sums of money were (obviously) inclined to pay less.

Taking 10 real scripts as our data points, here’s the spread:

*Does this graph surprise you? Or is it what you were expecting?*

Let’s explore the different “clusters” so you can understand more about who these channels are, what they want, and why these were the rates we agreed on.

1/ Low Experience, High Cash

These are almost always businesses.

They have low YouTube experience, but plenty of cash.

They’re treating YouTube as a funnel for their products and services, so aren’t often “passionate” about the platform.

They just want someone to kickstart / maintain their YouTube presence.

Because YouTube is top-of-funnel for their business, the ROI from hiring a writer is high.

If their flagship product (e.g. course, software, etc) sells for $200 and they pay a writer $1000, the video only needs to convert 5 customers in its lifetime to make a return.

Remember - the "value" of a script changes based on the goals of the YouTuber. When negotiating, always think about what would make the deal a “win” for both writer and YouTuber.

2/ Some Experience, Some Cash

Here, we’re often talking about channels with under 100k subscribers.

This can obviously vary wildly, but a common trait of this middle group is that YouTube, by itself, isn’t generating a shed-tonne of money.

Or, maybe their YouTube budget is being funnelled into something they consider higher ROI, like editing.

They aren’t necessarily looking for a writer to revolutionise their channel. They just need help maintaining upload consistency.

Naturally, these are the YouTubers to target when you’re just starting out as a writer, because you’re basically paid to plug into an existing machine, learn fast, and keep the wheels turning.

If you’re hiring a writer and paying $3-400, you shouldn’t expect them to make a tonne of strategic suggestions either. If they do, they’re probably above-averagely good, and you should consider paying them more.

3/ High Experience, High Cash

As we move towards more experienced channels, the budgets go back up.

Generally, we’re looking at channels between 100k-1m subscribers (and beyond).

Anecdotally (though I have no idea if this is representative), these channels are the most “creative” - their content is really fun to write.

They’re probably pulling in plenty of money through AdSense, sponsorships, and other parts of their ecosystem.

Ergo, they’re willing to pay for writers with a little more experience.

At this level, writers should be thinking strategically, pushing back on bad ideas, and making suggestions of their own.

Some experience working in clusters 1 and 2 is invaluable for landing clients like these.

4/ High Experience, High Expectations

Once we go upwards of $1200, these are usually (though not always) multi-million subscriber channels.

They absolutely aren’t looking for “plug and play” writers - they want strategic thinkers as well.

When I’ve worked with YouTubers in this camp, they’ll:

Ask for insights from other clients I’ve worked with.
Expect me to spend more time looking at retention graphs from videos I’ve written.
Treat me like a major part of the team, and we’ll bounce ideas off each other.

Matching writers with YouTubers at this level usually comes through recommendation/headhunting.

Caveats

Let me just quickly cover my arse with a few things:

I am generalising here - there’s more nuance to the conversation than I can fit in this piece.
This is not the gospel on how much to charge. There are numerous factors when deciding how to price yourself / pay. I’m sure I have under/overcharged before.
Some projects on this list took 1-2 days… others took more than a month 😬 There’s a lot we could unpack about each project, but that’s not the focus here.
I started freelance life with an Ali Abdaal testimonial under my belt, so I was definitely able to raise prices faster than average. I’m sharing these figures to shine a light on how high the ceiling can go, not to dishearten you if you’re charging on the lower end (because that’s totally normal).

That's all for this week!

I don't often delve into this stuff, so let me know if it was helpful or not.

And, if you have any questions, you can always reply :)

Speak soon,
George 👋

When working with clients, it’s my job to extract relevant information from them to help me write the best script possible.

Because, unless I know certain details, there’s no way I’ll be able to write anything good.

So here’s a wacky thought.

What if we treated ourselves as our own client?

What if, rather than simply starting to write our next script based on intuition alone…

…we forced ourselves to lay out all the critical information we would want an external writer to know?

The problem is…

Most of us think we’ll hit the nail on the head instinctively, simply because we're experts in our subject.

But I've consistently found that the more time you spend thinking about the "macro" of your video, the easier it becomes to nail the "micro".

So, here are the most important questions I always ask a client before writing their script.

Going forwards, I encourage you to ask yourself the same things:

1/ Describe the video idea in a sentence

This is a critical starting point.
If you can’t summarise the video in a few words, the concept isn’t clear enough in your own mind yet.

2/ Who is your audience avatar?

This underpins absolutely everything you do.
It’s essential for figuring out the “framing” (more on this soon).
It’ll affect every word of your script.

3/ Why haven’t you subscribed to Tintin Smith’s newsletter yet?

Wait, sorry, how did this get in here? Well, seeing as we’re now talking about it…
Tintin is Ali Abdaal’s Head of YouTube and writes an incredibly down-to-earth weekly newsletter for educational YouTubers. He's also just a supremely nice man 🥹

You basically get the inside track on all the experiments he’s running on a 5m subscriber channel - to see what works, what doesn’t, and what he’s learning along the way.
This isn’t sponsored btw - I just want to take every opportunity to highlight other useful resources for you on your YouTube journey, and I’ve really enjoyed Tintin’s stuff recently!

Check it out ⚡️ (It's free!)

4/ How do you want this video to be framed?

This forces you to make your idea more specific.
Doing so makes the idea more interesting, but it's also essential for making sure the video appeals to your audience.
I wrote about this in way more detail here.

5/ Have you ideated any titles/thumbnails yet?

You know the score...
Don’t develop your idea before checking you can package it correctly, etc etc.
(However, I do prefer to “frame” my idea before ideating titles + thumbnails.)

6/ By the end of the video, what do you want your audience to understand/feel?

Based on the direction you choose (”framing”), what sort of transformation will the audience have undergone by the end?
Is there a specific emotion you want to elicit? (This helps focus the type of language you use).

7/ How should the video be structured?

Always create the structure before you write.
e.g. 3-5 key points that NEED to be included.
Knowing how you plan to link from one payoff to the next makes writing those transitions way easier.
Check out the “payoffs” segment of this article I wrote for a bit more detail.

And, in case you’re a writer and you’d like to use this list with your clients, here’s a quick rundown of all the other questions I ask:

Tell us about your editing capabilities. For example, do you create animations for your content, or film additional B-Roll? Or, is there anything you want to avoid, like stock footage?
Ideally, how long would this video be? (Duration/word count/both).
Would you like us to include any specific CTAs?
Is there a sponsor? If so, please link their brief below and let us know if there's a specific way you'd like us to approach the integration. If not, we'll get creative!
Any specific sources we should use to guide our research?
Any other info we should know to help guide how we write this video?

6-figure product launch with a 10k audience

Alex Llull (The Steal Club) recently interviewed me about launching a 6-figure product with a small audience.

It might be an interesting listen if you use YouTube as a funnel for your business / paid products 👇

Watch Here 🎥

That's all for this week!

If you have any questions, drop me an email!

Speak soon,
George 👋

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Create more engaging videos with simple, actionable scriptwriting tips.

30k+ Subcribers

Latest Issues

See inside my latest scriptwriting session

(20 min) - Packaging Brainstorm

(10 min) - Bullet Point Brainstorm

(70 min) - Scripting

How we made this 6.8x outlier (copy my process)

Full Video Explainer (19 min)

What is a Big Swing idea?

1/ Find your spikey POV

2/ Framing inspiration

3/ Find packaging inspiration

3.5/ Packaging creation

4/ Packaging → Hook Flow

Summary: Why was I convinced this video would do well?

How to add “stakes” to any video

But what happens when the stakes aren’t obvious?

Finding stakes for ANY video

The secret is simple:

How to keep track of B-Roll in your script

Column #1: Phase

Column #2: Script

Column #3: Notes

How much should I pay my scriptwriter?

Should the CLIENT provide the video's framing?

Do I (George), prefer it when the CLIENT provides the framing? And how does this affect the price?

How is pricing affected if the CLIENT provides the research vs the WRITER doing the research?

What does it cost to pay a WRITER to ideate, research, and write a script?

What does it cost to pay a WRITER to write a script (no research or ideation)?

How do I write YouTube scripts FASTER?

Full Video Explainer (12 min)

1/ Write hooks, setups and payoffs word-for-word (but nothing else).

2/ Increase or decrease the amount you script to make filming easier.

3/ Use a simple hook formula.

4/ Write “Blob Scripts” to maintain momentum.

5/ Templatize and reuse script segment structures.

6/ Know your audience.

7/ Set a timer.

The most important retention lesson for YouTubers

Retention dips are often the symptom of an earlier mistake.

First... a quick word on the app I used to record the video above:

Mistake #1 - Payoff in previous segment damaged viewer trust.

Mistake #2 - Viewers MISSED your setup (because you didn’t explain it clearly).

So, remember...

YouTubers, don't fall behind in 2025 (here's how)

Don’t Get Left Behind

Throwing myself off a mountain because the script told me to

This week’s tip in a nutshell:

How to ACTUALLY make the videos you want this year:

YouTube Strategy Q&A

Steal these 4 curiosity gap openers

Quick context...

1/ Aprilynne Alter

2/ Mike Shake

3/ Cleo Abram

4/ Mrwhosetheboss

Steal 'em…

The Secret To Hiring On YouTube...

Steal this Ryan Trahan hook formula (6 steps)

1/ Context

2/ Proof

3/ Structure

4/ Motivation

5/ Plan

6/ Setup

On your next script...

What traits do successful YouTubers share?

How to get hired as a writer

The Problem.

Foundation.

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

2/ Approach YouTubers you want to write for.

3/ Approach businesses.

4/ Job application!

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

New episode just dropped 💥

Run out of video ideas? Open this.

Part 1 - Idea Generation

Part 2 - Scripting