Short Form Video Script Writer

SKILL.md

---
name: "short-form-video-script"
description: "Write short-form video scripts (TikTok/Reels/Shorts) for any audience and topic with proper hook, arc, and CTA."
---

# Short-Form Video Script — SKILL.md

## What This Skill Does

Writes short-form video scripts (TikTok, Reels, YouTube Shorts) that are built to perform — not just summarize a product or concept. The output is spoken-word only (no stage directions, no storyboard labels) ready to hand directly to a presenter or paste into a production tool.

**Default behavior:** One cross-platform script, 45–60 seconds, optimized to perform on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts simultaneously. The script is identical across all three. Captions, hashtags, and posting behavior adapt per platform — not the words.

**Optional:** Platform-specific mode available on request (e.g., a 15-second Reel or 90-second Short optimized for YouTube search).

---

## Trigger

Use this skill when asked to:
- Write a short-form video script
- Write a TikTok, Reel, or YouTube Short script
- Turn a product, concept, or feature into spoken video content
- Improve or rewrite an existing short-form script
- Generate topic or angle ideas for a content series
- Write captions for a short-form video post
- Analyze video performance and improve the next script

---

## Step 1: Clarify Before Writing

1. **What is this video about?** — One sentence.
2. **Who is the audience?** — Depth spectrum level?
3. **What is the ONE insight or idea?** — The single most interesting, surprising, or non-obvious thing.
4. **Is there a persona/voice to match?** — Get the voice profile first if yes.
5. **One-off or part of a series?** — If series, what's the premise and which installment?
6. **What runtime?** — Default: 45–60 sec.
7. **What's the CTA?**
8. **Any character limits?** — e.g., 840-character production tool cap.

---

## Step 2: Topic and Angle Generation

A topic is the subject. An angle is the specific frame that makes this video worth watching instead of the 50 others on the same subject. **The angle is what gets watched.**

### The Hook Test (topic validation)
Before committing, ask: *"What's the 3-second hook for this?"* If you can't answer instantly, the angle isn't clear. Find the angle first.

### How to Find the Right Angle

**Competitor gap check:** Search the topic on TikTok and Reels. If the first 20 results all say the same thing, find a different angle — not a different topic.

**Personalization test:** "3 signs your website is broken" outperforms "3 common website mistakes." The word "your" creates urgency. Always push toward the most personally directed version.

**The surprising truth angle:** What's the most counterintuitive thing about this topic? Lead with that. Audiences engage most with things that contradict what they assume.

**Specificity rule:** "How I got 50,000 followers in 90 days" outperforms "How to grow on TikTok." Specificity signals credibility.

**Format rotation:** Rotating format prevents audience scroll-blindness:
- **Tip/how-to** — here's something you can do
- **Myth-busting** — here's something everyone gets wrong
- **Case study** — here's what happened when X
- **Comparison** — here's the difference between X and Y
- **Behind-the-scenes** — here's how this actually works
- **Tool/skill share** — here's something worth having

**Topic bank approach:** Don't generate one topic at a time. Generate 10–15 angles on a subject, filter by hook strength, execute in order.

---

## Step 3: Audience Depth Spectrum

| Level | What they know | Hook style |
|-------|--------------|-----------|
| **Beginner** | Nothing | Pain point, frustration, surprising stat |
| **Aware** | Problem, not solution | Problem agitation + reveal |
| **Informed** | Category, evaluating options | Differentiation hook |
| **Builder/Peer** | Already in it, wants better tools | Peer share, bold claim, "wait, how?" |

**Builder/peer rule:** Never explain what the tool is. Talk like a peer handing them something useful.

**Beginner rule:** Assume nothing. But compress — get to the pain point or promise in the first line.

---

## Step 4: Voice and Persona Calibration

Scripts must sound like the presenter. For AI avatars especially, the words do all the work — there's no facial expression or body language to carry tone.

### Building a Voice Profile

**Sentence length pattern:** Short punchy bursts, or longer setup with short payoff? Most strong short-form voices vary between the two — long setup, short punch.

**Vocabulary range:** What words would this person never say? What do they use naturally? Identify the ceiling and floor and stay inside them.

**Emotional register:** Calm and confident? Energetic? Dry and matter-of-fact? Stay consistent — it's part of what audiences recognize.

**Signature patterns:** Recurring phrases, transitions, openers. Once identified, use them sparingly to reinforce voice consistency across videos.

**What they avoid:** Define the negatives as clearly as the positives.

### AI Avatar Delivery — Specific Adjustments

Avatars cannot rely on facial expressions, physical gestures, or natural vocal variation. The script must compensate:
- Use sentence structure for emphasis — short sentence after long = punch
- Use paragraph breaks to signal pacing pauses
- Avoid lines that depend on irony or subtext — they don't land without human delivery
- Make every transition explicit through word choice, not tone

### Locking the Voice
Establish a voice profile once, save it, reference it for every script in the series. Never rebuild from scratch.

---

## Step 5: Choose a Script Framework

| Framework | Best for | Structure |
|-----------|---------|-----------|
| **Hook-Value-CTA** | Beginners, educational | Hook → Value → CTA |
| **PAS** | Pain-point content, aware audience | Problem → Agitate → Solution |
| **BAB** | Transformation, case studies | Before → After → Bridge |
| **PSP** | Algorithm-optimized, scroll-stopping | Pattern interrupt → Story → Payoff |
| **AIDA** | Classic marketing arc | Attention → Interest → Desire → Action |
| **PASTOR** | Trust-building, 60-90 sec, founder style | Problem → Amplify → Story → Transformation → Offer → Response |

**For builder/peer audiences:** PSP or PASTOR.

---

## Step 6: Hook Construction

Must land in **first 1.5–3 seconds**. Target: 65%+ 3-second hold rate.

### The Four Hook Types

**1. Bold Statement** — Challenges existing beliefs. Must be backed up within 10-15 seconds.
Example: "Your agent can run your entire ClickUp workspace."

**2. Question** — Creates an information void. Must be specific, not yes/no.
Example: "Why do some scripts get 1M views while others die at 500?"

**3. Pattern Interrupt** — Unexpected opener that hijacks attention. Must connect to content.

**4. Proof-First** — Shows result first, teases methodology.
Example: "I built a skill that took over full ClickUp management in one setup."

**Rules:** Combine up to two types max. The hook opens a loop — the payoff must close it at the same intensity. Overpromising destroys trust and algorithm performance.

---

## Step 7: The Re-Hook (5–7 Second Mark)

Most scripts lose 20–30% of viewers between the opening line and the first full sentence. The re-hook prevents that drop.

**What it is:** A second attention grab 5–7 seconds in — after the hook has landed but before the body begins. It restates the value promise in a different way, or adds a new layer of intrigue that makes viewers who stayed want to keep watching.

**How to write one:**
- Reframe the hook's promise from a different angle: "And I'm not talking about task creation — I mean the whole layer."
- Add a specific detail that raises the stakes: "And the part that actually surprised me is how it decides when NOT to ask you anything."
- Create a micro-loop: "But here's where it gets interesting."

**Placement in the script:** Immediately after the hook, before the body begins. It should feel like a natural continuation, not a separate section.

**The test:** Read the script and ask — if someone blinked during the first line and caught the second one, would they still be compelled to keep watching? If yes, the re-hook is working.

---

## Step 8: Psychological Triggers

Beyond curiosity and social proof, these word-level and sentence-level techniques sharpen how copy hits:

**Identity alignment**
People act when content speaks to who they are or who they want to be. Frame the subject as something "people like them" do: "If you're running an agent stack, this is worth your time." Not a sales pitch — a signal that says "this is for you specifically."

**FOMO framing**
Not hype — specificity creates FOMO. "We built this and it's on ClawHub" lands harder than "check this out." The implication that others are already using it creates urgency without saying "act now."

**Contrast pairs**
Two-part sentences that put the before and after side-by-side: "Not helping you with ClickUp — running it." / "Not access. Operation." The contrast does more work than either half alone.

**The rule of three**
Three items in a list feel complete and memorable. Two feels unfinished. Four feels like a list. When enumerating, aim for three: "Route them, assign them, date them." / "It reads your board, comes back clean, no noise."

**Specificity as authority**
Specific numbers, names, and details signal credibility even without proof. "Point it at your workspace once" is more trusted than "it's easy to set up." Specificity implies someone who actually knows what they're talking about.

**The "but" pivot as a trust signal**
Acknowledging a limitation before the payoff builds credibility: "We built this for Claude Code and OpenClaw, but it runs the same on whatever platform you're on." The concession makes the claim feel honest rather than promotional.

---

## Step 9: Body — Open Loop Retention

### Loop Types

**Story Loop (macro):** One big question opened in the hook, answered in the payoff.

**Segment Loops (micro):** Each beat opens a small question that the next beat closes.
- "Here's what it does. But what actually makes it work is..."

**The "But" Pivot:** Signals a new direction to the brain. Use to pivot from setup to insight.

**Moment Loops:** One-word sentences, fragments, or pauses create micro-tension resolved in the next line.

### Body Pacing Rules

- One idea per video
- Short sentences. One idea per sentence.
- Read it aloud. If it sounds written, rewrite it.
- **Show don't list:**

> ❌ "It creates tasks, assigns them, routes them, dates them, moves them."
> ✅ "You just talk to it like it's a full-time operator. It figures out the rest."

---

## Step 10: Runtime and Word Count

**Cross-platform default: 45–60 seconds**

| Runtime | Word count | Notes |
|---------|-----------|-------|
| 30 sec | 60–75 words | Hook + one beat + CTA |
| 45 sec | 90–110 words | Hook + re-hook + two beats + CTA |
| 60 sec | 125–150 words | Full arc — cross-platform sweet spot |
| 90 sec | 185–225 words | PASTOR or deep PSP |

Speaking pace: ~2 words/second. Always read aloud and time it. 840 characters ≈ 150–160 words.

---

## Step 11: Series Architecture

A content series = **fixed premise, variable subjects.**

**Premise (fixed):** The format, structure, and recurring identity. What audiences recognize.
**Subject (variable):** What each installment is actually about.

### Rules

- Plan at least 5 installments before launching episode 1
- Every episode must stand alone — the algorithm pushes any installment to new audiences
- Use a quick format identifier in the hook to orient newcomers: "Here's another skill worth dropping into your agent stack —"
- End on an unresolved thread, not a resolution — the question seeds the next episode
- Series follow rates are 3–5x higher than one-off viral posts
- Series hit their stride at episodes 5–8 when the algorithm recognizes the recurring format

### Series Health Metrics
- Episode-to-episode retention rate
- Comments asking for the next part (strongest signal)
- Saves rate
- Profile visits between episodes

"High views but no return signal is a coincidence, not a format."

---

## Step 12: Platform Deployment — One Script, Adapted Posts

| Platform | Caption length | Key note |
|----------|---------------|---------|
| **TikTok** | Long (up to 4,000 chars), keyword-rich | Audio hook carries heaviest algorithm signal |
| **Instagram Reels** | Short (100-300 chars), punchy | No TikTok watermarks; saves and shares drive distribution |
| **YouTube Shorts** | Keyword-rich title + description | Evergreen content compounds; loop quality matters |

### Caption Writing

**TikTok:** Hook line first (visible before "more") → context or value → 3–5 niche hashtags. The hook line is a headline — treat it like one.

**Reels:** One punchy line that adds a layer, not a repeat of the video hook. Give silent scrollers a reason to tap.

**Shorts:** Write the title like a search query: "How to give your AI agent a ClickUp skill" not "ClickUp Operator — Video 2."

**Universal rules:**
- Never start with a hashtag
- Don't transcribe the video
- The caption should be a second hook, not a description

---

## Step 13: CTA Construction

Must flow naturally — never bolted on.

**Content series:** "Follow — I'll keep showing you what's possible."
**Product/skill/tool:** "It's on [platform]. Links in the description."
**Peer-level sharing:** "Link in the description if you want to drop it in."

Never use generic engagement bait with builder or informed audiences.

---

## Step 14: Revision Checklist

- [ ] **Hook test:** One sentence description. Does it open a loop?
- [ ] **Re-hook present:** Is there a second attention grab at the 5–7 second mark?
- [ ] **One idea check:** Exactly one core concept. Cut anything that's a second idea.
- [ ] **Psychological triggers:** At least one contrast pair, identity signal, or rule of three in the body.
- [ ] **Read aloud:** Natural? Any stumbles? Anything that sounds written?
- [ ] **Word count:** Within target for runtime?
- [ ] **Character count:** Within production tool limit if applicable?
- [ ] **Loop closed:** Payoff closes the hook's loop at the same intensity?
- [ ] **CTA flow:** Feels like natural continuation, not an add-on?
- [ ] **Voice match:** Sounds like the presenter?
- [ ] **Series check (if applicable):** Standalone? Format identifier present? Ends on unresolved thread?

---

## Step 15: Performance Analysis Loop

The script doesn't end at posting. Each video is data for the next one.

### What to Measure

**3-second hold rate** (primary hook signal)
- Above 65%: hook worked
- 40–65%: hook has issues — review the first line
- Below 40%: hook failed — rewrite before making more videos with the same structure

**Completion rate** (body signal)
- High completion = body is holding attention
- Drop-off spike at a specific second = something in the script at that point lost people

**Save rate** (value signal)
- High saves = the content felt worth keeping
- Low saves despite high views = entertaining but not valuable enough to return to

**Comments asking "when's the next one?" or "where can I get this?"** = the single strongest signal that the script hit. These are the comments to chase.

### The Iteration Rule

After every 3–5 videos, run a simple debrief:
1. Which hook performed best (3-second hold rate)?
2. Where did people drop off in the body?
3. What did people save or comment on?
4. What does the next script change as a result?

Don't iterate one video at a time — patterns only show up across a set. Run 3–5, then adjust the template.

### Feeding Learnings Back

If a hook type consistently outperforms, make it the default. If a specific angle (myth-busting, tool share, etc.) drives more saves, rotate it more frequently. If drop-off always happens at the same point in the structure, that's a body pacing problem — tighten that section.

The skill gets better with each iteration. Treat the first 10 videos as calibration, not final product.

---

## Writing Rules

**Do:**
- Short sentences. One idea per sentence.
- Contractions — sounds human
- Concrete specifics over abstract claims
- Open a loop in the hook, close it in the payoff
- Re-hook at 5–7 seconds
- At least one psychological trigger in the body
- Read it aloud

**Don't:**
- Feature lists
- "Most people think..." hooks for builder audiences
- Salesy language, hype-bro energy, corporate jargon, AI buzzwords
- Stage directions or storyboard labels
- Explaining what a tool is to an audience that uses it
- More than one core idea per video
- Overpromising in the hook

---

## Output Format

**Spoken words only.** No scene labels, no `[B-roll]`, no directions.

Separate paragraphs with a blank line. Each paragraph = a natural breath/pause.

---

## Canonical Example — ClickUp Operator (Builder/Peer, ~90 sec)

**Framework:** PSP | **Audience:** Builder/Peer | **Hook:** Bold Statement | **Re-hook:** "But what actually makes it work..." | **Series:** Spotlight Revenue skills, installment 2

---

Your agent can run your entire ClickUp workspace.

Not just create tasks — the full layer. Route them, assign them, date them. Promote ideas into projects. Surface what's overdue. Move things around.

But what actually makes it work is the judgment. It acts on the obvious without checking in. Only asks when a detail would actually change the outcome.

You just talk to it like it's a full-time operator on your team. It figures out the rest — what list, who it goes to, when it's due. No defining, no navigating. You say the thing and it handles it.

You ask what's active right now. It reads your board and comes back clean — no completed noise, just what actually needs attention.

You say an idea just got serious. It becomes a project. From there it can break it down — core steps, timeline, the full roadmap — so you're not starting from a blank board.

And once the work is in motion, it stays on it. It knows what's inside each project, helps you prioritize across the pieces, and follows up to make sure things actually get done on time.

We built this for Claude Code and OpenClaw, but it runs the same on whatever agent platform you're on. Guided onboarding and a config template are built in — point it at your workspace once and it's running.

It's on ClawHub and GitHub. Links in the description.

---

**Annotations:**
- **Hook:** Bold statement — opens the main loop ("wait, really?")
- **Re-hook:** "But what actually makes it work is the judgment." — 5-7 sec mark, new layer of intrigue, prevents mid-video drop
- **Psychological triggers:** Identity alignment ("full-time operator on your team"), contrast pair ("not completed noise, just what actually needs attention"), rule of three ("route them, assign them, date them"), "but" pivot as trust signal
- **Show don't list:** Natural language section teaches the principle, not the spec
- **Loop close:** Judgment + project breakdown + follow-up layer closes the main promise
- **CTA:** Flows from the conversation

---

## ClawHub Publishing Notes

- Slug: `short-form-video-script`
- Category: Content / Creative
- Works in: Claude Code, OpenClaw, any Claude-based agent
- No external API keys required
- Tested on: Builder/peer AI audience, tech product content