To write a video script, decide the one point the video makes, open with a line that states it, write the rest the way you would say it, check the length against the clock, then add on-screen text and visuals. This guide gives the steps, spoken-versus-written rules, a words-to-seconds table, a simple layout and a finished 30-second example for Reels, TikTok and Shorts.
To write a video script, decide the one point the video makes, open with a line that states it, write the rest the way you would say it out loud, and check the length against the clock. Then add on-screen text and visuals in their own columns. Read the script aloud before you film. The steps, a simple layout and a finished 30-second example are below, aimed at short videos for Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts. The last section covers what changes for longer videos.
How to write a video script, step by step
The steps are craft guidance, not platform rules.
1. Decide the one point and the next step
Finish this sentence: "After this video, the viewer can ___." If you need the word "and" to finish it, you probably have two videos. Then decide what you want the viewer to do next: save it, follow, visit a link, or nothing at all. A script with one point and one next step is easy to cut and easy to film.
2. Write three versions of the first line
The first line is the hook: the sentence that tells the viewer what the video is about and why to stay. Write three versions and keep the one that states the point fastest. Common shapes:
- The problem: "Shaky phone video? Try these three habits before you buy a gimbal."
- The number: "Three habits that steady a phone video."
- The mistake: "Stop holding your phone with one hand."
- The question: "Why does your phone video look shaky?"
- The result first: show the finished shot, then say how you got it.
Write a hook that the rest of the script can keep.
3. Outline the hook, the body and the payoff
Write one line for each part before you write any full sentences.
| Part | Its job | Write it as |
|---|---|---|
| Hook | State the point or the problem | One or two short sentences |
| Body | Deliver what the hook promised | Two to four beats, one idea each |
| Payoff | Finish the promise and give the next step | One result line and one ask |
If the outline needs a fourth body beat, check whether it belongs in a second video.
4. Write it the way you would say it
Write each line as speech, not as a paragraph. The rules are in the next section.
5. Check the length against the clock
Count the spoken words and compare them with the timing table below. If you are over, cut a body beat instead of speeding up.
6. Add on-screen text and visuals
Give each spoken line a visual and, where it helps, a few words of on-screen text. Treat the two as separate jobs. The voiceover explains. The on-screen text names the idea in a few words, so repeating the whole sentence on screen wastes the space. The layout section below shows how to keep them apart.
7. Read it aloud, time it, then cut
Read the script at full volume with a timer running. Mark every place you stumble or run out of breath and reword it. Then cut again: delete the first sentence of the body if the hook already said it, and any line that does not serve the one point.
Spoken, not written: rules for video script writing
A viewer hears a script instead of reading it, so a long sentence cannot be re-read. These rules are advice from common scriptwriting practice, not measured results.
| Written habit | Spoken fix |
|---|---|
| Long sentences with several clauses | Split them. One idea per sentence |
| "Do not", "cannot", "it is" | Use contractions if that is how you talk: "don't", "can't", "it's" |
| Parentheses, brackets and semicolons | You cannot say them. Make a new sentence or drop the aside |
| "It", "they", "this" pointing back several lines | Repeat the noun. A listener cannot scroll back |
| "In order to", "utilize", "furthermore" | "To", "use", or nothing |
| A greeting and a warm-up ("Hi everyone, today I'm going to talk about...") | Start on the point |
| Digits and symbols | Write numbers the way you will say them, and use few of them |
| Phrases that trip your tongue | Reword them. If you stumble twice, the viewer will hear it |
How long should a video script be?
Length is set by the clock, so start from seconds and work back to words. A published review of reading studies puts the average adult rate for reading aloud in English at 183 words per minute, about 3 words per second (Brysbaert, 2019, 77 studies and 5,965 participants). That is a mean for people reading text aloud, not a measurement of on-camera delivery. Treat the table below as a rule of thumb.
| Video length | Ceiling at 3 words per second | A more comfortable target (about 20% fewer) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 seconds | 45 words | 36 words |
| 30 seconds | 90 words | 72 words |
| 45 seconds | 135 words | 108 words |
| 60 seconds | 180 words | 144 words |
| 90 seconds | 270 words | 216 words |
The comfortable target is our own rule of thumb. It leaves room for pauses, a silent visual beat, and a breath. A script with long silent shots needs fewer words than the table shows.
Your own pace beats any average; the same review found lower rates for children, older adults and readers using English as a second language. A quick way to find yours: read 100 words of your own writing aloud, time it, and divide 100 by the seconds.
Platform limits are much longer than these scripts. Instagram says you can record Reels up to 20 minutes, and adds that "Reels over 3 minutes won't be recommended to new audiences" (Instagram Help Center). YouTube says Shorts can be up to three minutes (YouTube Help). TikTok's developer documentation says all creators can post 3-minute videos and some can post 5 or 10 minutes (TikTok for Developers). Limits can differ by account and change over time, so check the app. None of those pages says how long a script should be. For frame sizes, see the Instagram Reel size guide, the TikTok video size guide and the YouTube video size guide.
A simple video script template
A video script template is a layout, and one this small does not need a download. There is no single standard one. Make a table in any document or notes app with four columns, one row per beat:
| Time | Spoken (voiceover) | On-screen text | Visual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | The exact words you will say | A few words, or none | What the viewer sees |
Put the time in the first column as a running estimate from your word count. Write the spoken line exactly as you will say it, because that is the column you read aloud and count. Keep the on-screen column to a few words per row. If you plan to put text over footage, check where the app's own buttons and captions may cover it with the safe zone checker.
Worked example: a 30-second script
This is an example we wrote to show the layout. It is not a test result, and we make no claim about how any video made from it would perform. The topic is steadier phone video.
| Time | Spoken (voiceover) | On-screen text | Visual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | Shaky phone video? Try these three habits before you buy a gimbal. | Shaky video? Try 3 habits | Handheld shot, one hand, visibly moving |
| 0:04 | One. Tuck your elbows into your sides and hold the phone with both hands. | 1. Elbows in, two hands | Side view of the grip |
| 0:10 | Two. Lean on something solid, like a wall or a door frame. | 2. Lean on something | Person braced against a door frame |
| 0:16 | Three. Walk slower than feels natural, and bend your knees a little. | 3. Slow steps, soft knees | Walking shot, same location |
| 0:22 | Use all three on one clip, then compare it with your last one. | Compare with your last clip | Split screen of old and new clip |
| 0:27 | Save this for your next shoot. | Save for later | Hold on the final frame |
The spoken column is 69 words. At the 3 words per second ceiling that is 23 seconds, which leaves room for pauses inside 30 seconds.
Here is the hook before and after the speech rules. The first version is 30 words and puts the point in the last sentence:
Hi everyone, welcome back to the channel. In today's video I'm going to share some tips on how you can get steadier footage when you are filming with your phone.
The second is 12 words and starts with the problem:
Shaky phone video? Try these three habits before you buy a gimbal.
The example has one point, three beats and one ask. The on-screen text names each habit in a few words and never repeats the voiceover. Each spoken line has its own visual, so the picture changes as the idea changes.
Mistakes to avoid
- Writing the introduction first. Write the point and the hook first, then the body.
- Two ideas in one script. If the outline has two points, make two videos.
- A greeting before the point. It spends your first seconds on nothing the viewer came for.
- A hook the video does not keep. Match the first line to what the body delivers.
- The same sentence in the voiceover and on screen. Use the text for the keyword or the number.
- Never reading it aloud. A script that looks fine on the page can still be hard to say.
- Counting written words instead of spoken ones. Count only the words you will say, or the clock will not match the table above.
What changes for longer videos
The steps stay the same, but the outline grows. Split a longer video into sections, give each section one point, and open each one with its own short hook line. The timing arithmetic scales too: at 3 words per second, a five-minute video has a ceiling of about 900 words. The layout works unchanged, with one row per beat or per scene.
A video with no one on camera uses the same layout. Write the spoken column first, then choose footage for each line. For voiceover-led formats, see the guide to faceless Reels, or the faceless YouTube channel guide for long-form. If you do not yet know what to film, start with the video ideas guide.
Sources
Facts about reading speed and video length come from these pages, read on October 19, 2026:
- How many words do we read per minute? A review and meta-analysis of reading rate (Brysbaert, Journal of Memory and Language, 2019; abstract read)
- Record a reel on Instagram (Instagram Help Center)
- Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts (YouTube Help)
- Content Posting API: Media Transfer Guide (TikTok for Developers)
The steps, hook shapes, spoken-versus-written rules and the example are editorial craft guidance written by Viral Labz, not platform rules. Platforms can change their limits, so check the app if a number matters.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a video script be?
It depends on the video's length. Work from seconds: at about 3 words per second, a 30-second video has a ceiling of roughly 90 words, and a 60-second video roughly 180. Aim for about a fifth fewer to leave room for pauses, then time yourself reading it aloud.
How do I make a script for a video from scratch?
Write the one point first, then three versions of the opening line, then one line each for the body and the payoff. Turn those lines into sentences you would say out loud, check the word count against the clock, and add the visuals. The step-by-step section above covers each stage.
How many words is a 60-second video script?
Up to about 180 words if you speak continuously at the average reading-aloud rate of 183 words per minute. A comfortable target is about 144 words. Your own pace and any silent visual beats change the number.
What is the format of a video script?
A video script lists what is said and what is seen. The simplest format is a table with a time column, the spoken lines, any on-screen text and a description of the visual, with one row per beat. No official standard format exists on the platform pages read for this guide.
Do I need a script for a short video?
None of the platform pages we read requires one. A script helps most when you are speaking to the camera or recording a voiceover and need to say something in a fixed number of seconds. At minimum, write the point and the first line.
How do I write a script when I am not on camera?
Use the same four columns, but write the spoken column first and choose footage for each line afterwards. The voiceover then has to carry the point on its own, so read it aloud with no picture and check that it makes sense. The guide to making Reels without showing your face covers formats built this way.
How long can a Reel, a Short or a TikTok be?
Instagram Help says Reels can be recorded up to 20 minutes. YouTube says Shorts can be up to three minutes. TikTok's developer documentation says all creators can post 3-minute videos and some can post 5 or 10 minutes. Check the app, because limits can differ by account.