Write On Time

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"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

If you’ve already enrolled in my audience avatar mini-course, the YouTube Scriptwriting Compass, you'll know how important understanding who your audience is.

But understanding who they’re NOT is just as important.

After all, attracting the wrong viewers can devastate a YouTube channel:

They loved that random "drama" video you made, but won’t click your usual content. They're a dead subscriber.
They misunderstand the value proposition of your channel, subscribe, then only watch 20s of your next video because it’s not what they expected. They'll wreck your retention.
They have no intention of ever buying your products/services. You'll waste time trying to convince them.

At the end of the day, you need to make it crystal clear who your videos are for.

It will affect your scripts, your topic choices... even the title and thumbnail.

So here are 11 questions to figure out who your videos are NOT for (so your content aligns with your broader YouTube goals).

🎯 GOALS

Who might seem similar to your avatar, but is ultimately pursuing different long-term goals than what your content supports?
What types of success or outcomes do you not help your viewers pursue?

🧭 POSITIONING

Who might misinterpret the role your content plays — for example, expecting entertainment instead of education, or tactics instead of frameworks?
What kind of viewer might click your video for the wrong reasons (topic, title, trend) but be turned off by the actual delivery?
Who might apply your content in a completely different context than it was intended for — and get confused or frustrated as a result?

🧠 PERSONALITY & HOBBIES

What kinds of personality traits or communication preferences would make someone unlikely to resonate with your tone or teaching style?
Who might prefer a totally different type of creator energy — slower, faster, more formal, more casual, etc.?

😣 CHALLENGES & PAIN POINTS

What types of challenges does your content not aim to solve — even if your viewers might assume you do?
Who’s still stuck at a level of frustration that your content assumes they’ve moved past?
What kinds of problems require a mindset, toolset, or solution you explicitly don’t teach?

💳 PURCHASING PROCESS

What kind of viewer would never be willing to pay you a dime for products or services you offer?

To see how drastically an audience avatar can affect a video's hook, check out this article I wrote last year.

Audience Avatar

“My hook is too long, but I don’t know what to delete!”

Let’s solve this common problem using a simple framework.

The 3 most common reasons your hook gets bloated:

You’re explaining the concept in too much detail.
You’re spending too long “proving your credibility”.
You’re overcomplicating the concept with a crazy metaphor.

No matter which you’re experiencing…

…all three can be fixed with a single framework.

(And you won’t actually need to delete anything.)

But before we can fix the hook, you need to understand...

Critical vs Beneficial Information

“Critical” information - highly likely to convince your target audience to keep watching. The video won't make sense without it.
“Beneficial” information - the viewer will find this interesting, but they don't need it to understand or be convinced to watch the video.

Your hook should only contain critical information.

Fixing Problem #1 - Too Much Detail

Before - with critical and beneficial information

"I'll show you the bench press strategy that'll help you increase your one rep max by 10kg per month, every month, without injuring yourself. It's all about finding the right balance between loading more weight, eating properly, and making sure you're sleeping well enough."

After - with critical information only.

"I'll show you the bench press strategy that'll help you increase your one rep max by 10kg per month, every month, without injuring yourself."

The extra information about adding weight, changing diet and improving sleep is interesting, but:

The viewer doesn't need it to understand the video's concept.
It doesn't alter the promise of the video (which is what hooks them)... it goes into detail about the process, which is unecessary.

Fixing Problem #2 - Proving your Credibility

This is a simple fix.

You only need to prove your credibility once during the hook.

If we imagine the same video again (helping the viewer improve their bench press), you could prove your credibility in several ways:

That you're a gym instructor with over 20 years of experience and 500+ happy clients.
You've competed in yearly weight lifting competitions against the fittest athletes in the world.
You've read over 200 books on the science of weight lifting and put your findings into practice across a career spanning more than a decade.

These are all great statements that prove credibility.

But your viewer will rarely need more than one of these to be convinced to watch.

Remember - we're trying to keep our hooks as to-the-point as possible.

The first credibility statement is often critical. The second, third (etc) are barely even beneficial.

Viewers don't need your entire resumé.

Fixing Problem #3 - Overcomplicating due to Unecessary Metaphor

Simplest fix yet.

Metaphors are great for explaining more complex ideas or teaching them in a memorable way.

But they’re rarely what a viewer needs to be convinced to watch.

See how annoying this hook extract is to read (lol):

"Increasing your one rep max is just like growing a healthy plant. You have to nurture it on a consistent basis over a long period of time. And while forgetting to nourish a plant once or twice won't kill it, it will prevent it from achieving the level of growth you were expecting over the next 12 months."

The metaphor is not critical to understanding the video's concept, or convincing me to watch.

In 99% of cases, you should save your metaphor for later.

So if we don't cut beneficial information out... where does it go?

Here’s the good news:

You don’t have to delete it. Most beneficial information you cut from your hook is perfect as a "setup" for your main video segments.

In the examples from this article:

Extra detail, like alluding to the importance of multiple factors in increasing your one rep max, can be used during the setup for segment 1:

"Now, lifting heavier weights is actually the by-product of three incredibly important factors. So let's talk about how to optimize the first... sleep."

Additional credibility statements can be added to a later segment to elevate a particular story, or to add credibility to a specific claim.

"So now you know how to optimize your sleep, let's talk about the second factor... diet. Starting with a lesson I learned when training for the world championships."

Metaphors can usually be introduced during the setup for segment 1, rather than in the hook:

[Note from George - I don't know enough about sports science to write a clever metaphor about how growing a plant is similar to the science behind building muscle. You'll have to ask ChatGPT for that one.]

Remember - if the information is "critical" to understand the video's concept or to convince the viewer to watch, that stays in the hook

If the information is merely "beneficial", turn it into a segment setup.

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

Speak soon,
George 👋

Hook

A video without stakes is a retention disaster.

But it's not always easy to figure out what your stakes are.

You don't wanna seem fake - adding something random and scary just to clickbait your audience into watching longer:

"You need to watch this video or your business will maybe, probably, DEFINITELY collapse by next week!!"
"And stick around to the end to learn how to make $10m per month running 79 faceless YouTube channels or you'll be miserable like I am. I mean was."
"If you stop watching this video, I've taken your family and I will force them to scroll through Twitter for half an hour."

We don't want to invent awful-sounding scenarios like these... we want to get to the heart of what your audience really cares about so they keep watching.

Introducing: StakeBake

No, not the delicious British snack available from Greggs...

Greggs launches meatless steak bake to beef up its vegan range | Greggs | The Guardian — *Probably the most "UK" reference I've ever included in one of these... sorry.*

"StakeBake" is my new, free GPT that'll take your video's title and suggest:

What the stakes should be.
How to make them more effective.
Alternate title ideas that convey the stakes more strongly.

(And by the way, this GPT is trained on my entire 36,000 word scriptwriting course.)

It helps you... "bake" stakes into your script 👀

First up - let's get a proven title

These days, 1of10.com makes this a tonne easier.

Because it's synced up with my channel, I have a list of ideas waiting for me when I log in:

If I want to double down, I can use their AI to generate a bunch more ideas, too:

Otherwise, you can spend time scrolling through your YouTube homepage to see which titles jump out.

Save them to a playlist and use them as inspiration for your channel.

You'll save so much time generating these ideas with 1of10 though, so feel free to use my affiliate link.

Now, let's find the stakes!

Once I have a title, I can feed it directly into StakeBake:

Let's go with this title:

"My Blueprint for Mastering YouTube Scriptwriting"

Assuming I haven't thought of my stakes yet, the GPT will automatically suggest them:

This is literally a cheat code to help figure out what will make your viewers watch longer.

Or, if you do have some stakes in mind, it'll tell you how to make them even more compelling!

It'll even provide some alternate title ideas based on those stakes:

That's all you need.

Now you have your stakes, you have your focus.

Include them in the hook, and your audience will be way more invested in your video.

To get access to StakeBake, click here:

Get StakeBake (free custom GPT)

That's all for this week.

If you have feedback on StakeBake, just let me know! I'd love to keep improving it.

Speak soon,
George 👋

Scripting Frameworks

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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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

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"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

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Recently, I broke down the subtle psychological tricks used in Ryan Trahan’s hooks.

You folks seemed to really enjoy that one…

…but I also got a lot of replies asking how to break down and analyse a script in that way.

And it’s a good question.

After almost 3 years in this industry, learning to analyse other videos is one of the most valuable skills I’ve learned.

Because once you understand why a video kept you watching…

…you can use the same techniques in your own scripts.

So… here’s how to analyse a successful script (so you can steal all the stuff that works).

1/ Find Outliers

If you’re spending time breaking a script down, you wanna make sure it’s actually worth your time.

So studying an “outlier video” is your best bet.

These are videos that are significantly outperforming a channel’s recent average.

These are easy to spot using 1of10’s free chrome plugin.

Let’s say I was on the GrowVeg YouTube channel:

Here, I might wanna check out “You Must Sow These Seeds in August”.

Because, thanks to the free 1of10 plugin, I can see this video is a 6.1x outlier.

Grab the free 1of10 Chrome Extension here ⚡️

So, whichever video you’re analysing, copy the transcript over from YouTube, and get ready to break it down.

2/ Identify the Structure

If you saw my article from a few weeks back, I broke down the basic structure of most YouTube videos like this:

This is the first step of analysing any script.

It might be hard to spot in a fast-moving video - say, a tech breakdown from Mrwhosetheboss - but that structure is always there.

Split the transcript up into these components so you can clearly see how it all fits together.

There's a lot we can analyse from this point onwards...

But, today, we’ll stick with the hook.

3/ Analyse the Hook

Step 1 - Just Watch

In the case of Ryan’s video, I started by watching the hook several times.

It’s tempting to start analysing every sentence right away, but you’ll lose the overall context.

You need to see the entire hook, in full flow, before breaking it down.

Step 2 - Break It Down

Next, it’s time to break the hook into its components.

In Ryan’s case, I was literally looking for any time he introduced a new “idea”.

For example:

“This week I'm going to every single Disney World hotel to investigate. And guess who I'm bringing? A girl.”

There’s a clear distinction between ideas at this moment.

He goes from explaining the video’s structure to asking the audience a direct question.

So, break these different “ideas” up within the transcript.

Initially, you don’t need to figure out what’s happening.

Just break it down and notice when there’s an “idea change”.

Step 3 - Think

The next part relies on your intuition.

Review each of the hook's sentences and ask yourself questions like:

Why is this here?
How did it make me feel?
Why did it pique my curiosity?
How does it work in relation to the sentences before and after?
How does it contribute to the overall hook?

Especially with someone like Ryan, you know every sentence has a reason to be there.

And it’s your job to figure them out.

Step 4 - Create a Framework

Once I’ve spent time thinking about the questions in step 3, I love to distil my thoughts into a framework:

For example, after thinking about this sentence:

[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..."

The best way I could summarise what had been achieved by the sentence was:

“It proves that he really went to the place he’s describing.”

Ergo, step 2 of the framework became “proof”.

Not only does creating a framework make it easier to consolidate your thoughts and to visualise the flow of the hook…

It also makes it easier to do step 5…

Step 5 - Test

Now, it’s time to test this framework in your own content.

For example, students in my community have started testing the Ryan Trahan framework in totally different niches:

This is the best way to find any imperfections in your analysis, too.

In an educational context (see above from Julian), we found the “Payoff” part of the framework was too repetitive.

So Julian re-wrote his hook with that in mind:

The fastest way to fine-tune your framework is to test it.

And that’s all there is to it, as far as the hook goes.

But what about the rest of the script?

So we’ve covered the hook…

But there’s still a lot to analyse!

That's why the full process of how I break down and analyse YouTube scripts will be available in V2 of The YouTube Scriptwriter’s Playbook.

And, as an existing YTSP student, you'll of course get this for free when it launches in July.

Looking forward to sharing it with you! 🥹

That’s almost everything for this week!

But I have a quick announcement to make...

I'm putting this newsletter on hiatus until the end of June.

Nothing to worry about!

I'm doing this to get YTSP V2 finished sooner.

As you undoubtedly know from writing YouTube scripts...

Loss of momentum absolutely kills joy.

Sometimes you've gotta focus up and get sh*t done 🤓

So... thanks for your patience [FIRST NAME GOES HERE], and I'll see you in July!

Oh and don’t forget to download the free 1of10 Chrome plugin 🔌

No sign-ups, no cost, no catches. Don't like it? Delete it.

But I can confidently say it's the most useful YouTube plugin I've ever used... so I reckon you'll keep hold of it 😉

Grab the free 1of10 Chrome Extension here ⚡️

That's all for now! Any questions, just let me know - and I'll see you in July.

Speak soon,
George 👋

‍

Quick one before we begin...!

If you've been following my podcast, Making It, we just finished off season 1 with a big ol' debrief.

We talk sponsorships, YouTube strategy and plans for the future - should be interesting if you're playing the long game on YouTube 👇

Watch Now

‍

The 3 Levels of YouTube Scriptwriting

The main objections I get to writing word-for-word scripts are:

I don't have time.
It's not always fun.
After the "bullet point" stage, scriptwriting has diminishing returns.

And you know what?

I've felt all three of these things.

And students inside my scriptwriting community have been asking:

"How much scripting should I do if I don't have much time?"

To answer this, I've written out the same segment of a script three times, from levels 1 to 3.

Level 1 requires the least effort, and level 3 is word-for-word scripted...

At the end, I'll reveal the minimum level you should aim for.

Especially if you don't have much time.

‍

Level 0

Ok, yes, there's a secret level 0:

Riffing the entire thing.

No scriptwriting required (yay!) but your video will be a mess (boo).

Even pro-riffers like Ali Abdaal write out some bullet points.

So, unless you're vlogging, avoid level 0 as it'll make both filming and editing more stressful.

‍

Level 1

In this made-up example, I'm writing a script about... how to write scripts faster 🤯

It's a bit meta, but go with me.

At level 1, all you need is a broad-strokes bullet point that describes what will happen during the segment.

Here's my "level 1" script extract:

Explain that, to get faster at scriptwriting, the viewer needs a system.

That's it. Level 1 complete.

You'd write a bullet point like this for every segment, and riff on them.

‍

Level 2

At this level, we're still only using bullet points, but with a bit more detail.

Break your level 1 bullet point down into these key elements:

Setup (explain why the segment is important).
Tension (gradually add information and build towards the reveal).
Payoff (reveal the exciting or important information).

Here's my "level 2" script extract:

Setup
- "But first, we need to talk about the most important thing every YouTuber needs before they start writing."
Tension
- Metaphor about not having a system for something.
- Possibly something about sports teams - they have systems of play which make outcomes more predictable.
- Compare: trying to play elite-level sport without a system... to writing YouTube scripts without a system.
Payoff
- "And that’s the first principle you need to understand. Unless you have a scriptwriting system, the writing process will always feel unfocused and chaotic, making it impossible to get faster."

You'll notice I wrote the sentences word-for-word during the tension and payoff bullet points.

You'll probably find this happens naturally because you're thinking more consciously about how to introduce and conclude the segment.

But the tension bullet points are in note form, so you'll still riff the majority of the segment - albeit with a lot more structure.

‍

Level 3

This is word-for-word scripting.

I still think of each segment in terms of setup, tension and payoff, but now every sentence is written in full.

Additionally, I'm adding B-Roll as I go - fully envisioning how this video should look as I write...

Here's my "level 3" script extract:

Setup
- But first, we need to talk about the most important thing every YouTuber needs before they start writing.
Tension
- And to understand what it is, we need to talk about David Beckham. [Harsh cut to close-up of Beckham B-Roll]
- In his Netflix documentary, his teammates describe how it felt to play alongside him. And they all said the same thing. [B-Roll Gary Neville, quote appears beside him blurred out.]
- They always knew where Becks was gonna be.
- Without even looking, they could pass the ball up the right wing knowing he'd be there to collect it. [Supercut archive clips of this happening.]
- But how was that possible?
- Well, elite-level sports teams always have a system. [B-Roll famous managers in front of whiteboards.]
- Players spend years drilling different scenarios so, when they have to act fast, they do it instinctively.
- And while you can play team sports without a system, it makes it impossible to predict your own performance. [Possible B-Roll from Man Utd's 2023/4 season lol]
- Trying to make an elite-level YouTube video is the same.
- Without a system, you can't guarantee results.
Payoff.
- And that’s the first principle you need to understand.
- Unless you have a scriptwriting system, the writing process will always feel unfocused and chaotic. [Text: You need a system.]
- But once you have one, problems like writer's block will almost completely disappear, and you'll start to write better scripts, faster.

Then, we'd transition into the SETUP for segment 2:

Which begs the question - how do we create a system for writing YouTube scripts...?

‍

Which level is right for me?

Of course, writing a level 3 script is ideal.

But, to make progress on YouTube, your process has to be sustainable.

So, if you're consistently short of time, level 2 will get you 70-80% of the way there.

I encourage you to write your setup and payoff sentence in full (as I did in my level 2 example), no matter what.

These transition moments between segments are where viewers are most likely to click away - so it's worth making those sentences hella convincing.

Otherwise, pick a level that's sustainable and run with it.

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

Speak soon,
George 👋

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Find out how I used 1of10 to create a small channel's fastest growing video here. For more, click my affiliate link or check out their website...

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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 👋

Create more engaging videos with simple, actionable scriptwriting tips.

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Create more engaging videos with simple, actionable scriptwriting tips.

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