George Blackman
@GeorgeBlackman_
Followers
9,760
Following
446
Media
703
Statuses
5,195
Consulting Scriptwriter. Clients (past/present) @AliAbdaal ✍️ @justinmooretfam 🧙♂️ @MikeshakeYT 🎯 @Ed_FilmBooth 🎥 Become a better scriptwriter for free 👇
Joined October 2012
Don't wanna be here?
Send us removal request.
Explore trending content on Musk Viewer
Luka
• 300745 Tweets
#วอลเลย์บอลหญิง
• 131562 Tweets
Mavs
• 110320 Tweets
Eminem
• 81676 Tweets
ワールド
• 49365 Tweets
#WorldNoTobaccoDay
• 48916 Tweets
ワイルズ
• 38006 Tweets
Mourinho
• 29091 Tweets
Hayırlı Cumalar
• 27349 Tweets
アイルー
• 26397 Tweets
カロスfit
• 20293 Tweets
FokusPRABOWO SiapkanTERBAIK
• 20026 Tweets
JelasPASTI UntukNEGERI
• 19255 Tweets
#يوم_الجمعه
• 18842 Tweets
マッドマックス
• 14904 Tweets
フレグランス
• 14852 Tweets
フュリオサ
• 14052 Tweets
ドジャースとコラボ
• 12841 Tweets
アイスボーン
• 12693 Tweets
KINGKONG ON ITS LIVE
• 11921 Tweets
危機契約
• 10412 Tweets
Pinned Tweet
If I wanted to write better YouTube videos in 2024, there's literally only 1 thing I'd focus on:
33
20
158
I've written scripts for these creators 👇
This is a mega-thread containing the best things I've learned, including:
1/ Constructing a hook
2/ Unusual storytelling
3/ The perfect CTA
4/ Retention killers
5/ Common retention shapes
6/ 22 graphs to learn from
YouTubers, welcome:
28
144
484
You learn something from every single YouTube video you make.
I work with creators ranging from 37,000 subscribers to 3,000,000.
Here are 5 retention-killing traps I've fallen into as a scriptwriter over the last year 🧵:
15
27
256
2 years. Dozens of scripts. 1,000,000s of views.
Here are 10 scriptwriting fundamentals I stand by for almost any YouTube video 🧵:
10
20
242
My first product launch just made $63,760 in 48 hours.
But what blows my mind is that this was possible with only:
- 7000 Twitter followers.
- 2600 newsletter subscribers.
You seriously don't need a massive audience to build a life-changing online business 🤯
33
7
238
I've studied 40+ YouTube retention graphs since October.
The more data we have, the better our videos will become.
Use THESE 22 graphs to understand WHY people click away (and how to avoid it) 🧵:
8
26
200
“I Spent 100 Days In Grand Theft Auto” is an absolute masterclass in storytelling.
And the wildest thing?
The story is not interesting at all.
Here are 13 storytelling techniques from
@RyanTrahan
which left me in awe 🧵:
[SPOILER ALERT]
11
19
185
I broke down the hook of
@Ed_FilmBooth
's best-performing video on his new channel.
I wanted to understand how it was constructed, so I asked the guy who wrote it:
Me 😁
Here's how I wrote the hook, and a key mindset shift you need before writing your next one...
14
16
155
I'm closing my $15k p/m scriptwriting agency after just 3 months.
We had a long waitlist, fantastic writers, and the proverbial "world at our feet".
It was also the worst I've ever felt as a solopreneur.
Here's my transparent take on the biggest "failure" of my YouTube career
47
5
156
6 hours since launch. I literally have no words.
The hardest skill to master as a solopreneur:
Holding your nerve.
I put 70% of my “bankable” services on hiatus for two months (to get a big project across the line).
And my financial anxiety went through the roof!
But… I’ll return to this tweet when the results are in 🤞
5
0
44
44
0
146
I'm giving away the YouTube Script template I use to write with creators like
@AliAbdaal
and
@justinmooretfam
.
I’ve noticed most Notion templates require some fairly intensive up-front time investment to get to grips with.
This template is not that.
13
14
139
The most effective CTA for growing your channel?
Getting the viewer to watch your next video.
The problem is... most creators don't know how to do this effectively.
Here's my 3-step formula for writing a killer CTA to keep people watching your content 🧵:
20
10
132
I arrived in London 3 years ago to start a job I didn't care about.
0 direction, 0 long-term plans. Happy enough, but aimless.
Today, I'm leaving the city with a life that is almost completely unrecognisable...
Sometimes, the entire direction of your life rests on your
23
5
132
I wake up and work on YouTube scripts then have lunch with YouTubers where we discuss YouTube and I synthesize what I've learned into my YouTube course and to wind down I watch YouTube lol
22
1
131
The numbers are in - at close of play, my first launch has made $74,423.
This number is genuinely life-changing.
And, more importantly, it buys me back a tonne of time.
Time to throw myself 100% into making YTSP, my community and my agency the best they can be.
Thank you ❤️
22
0
127
I'm not starting a scriptwriting agency.
I'm simply compiling a list of YouTube scriptwriters.
And YouTubers who need scripts written.
But I'm NOT starting a scriptwriting agency.
18
2
123
This video has 86% retention after 30s.
But the method used in its hook is incredibly simple.
Better yet, this method can be applied to any niche, across both education and entertainment.
After learning this, I stopped "overthinking" writing hooks for YouTube... 👇
8
6
112
HIRING: YouTube Scriptwriters.
I've worked with Ali Abdaal, Mike Shake, Noah Kagan, Creator Booth (and many more)...
Now I'm building a team to start scaling our impact.
This is a chance to learn directly from me while writing for world-class creators and businesses... 👇
12
6
115
We met as Ali Abdaal employees.
Now, we’re scaling our own creator businesses.
- But what does “working for a YouTuber” actually look like?
- How do you get hired in the first place?
- What are the realities of trying to balance work and life in an industry that's ripe with
27
3
109
Started work on my scriptwriting course in June.
This last month in particular, I've been in a permanent state of "crunch" and my brain hurts.
But 6 months, 30,000 words and 2 days of non-stop filming later, this is the moment I finally finished it 😭😭😭
32
1
105
I don't often drink tea and wear short-shorts
(I do.)
But today, I'm celebrating.
One year ago, I sent my first newsletter to exactly 2 people.
I didn't know what it was gonna be. But I committed to writing one every week.
Today, just under 365 days later, I crossed 1000
25
3
99
Struggling with writing your intro?
See if you can break it down and re-write it like this:
1 - These are the characters.
2 - This is the concept.
3 - Here’s what’s at stake.
In the first 10s, clarity is everything.
8
4
98
I learned so much working with
@AliAbdaal
and the team as a writer. Now I'm looking to write things for more creators ✍️
- YouTube Scriptwriting
- Newsletter copy
- Twitter repurposing
Hit me up 🙌
12
5
90
TOMORROW - We launch "Making It" 🚀
Continuous reflections from two years working BTS for dozens of YouTubers:
- getting hired
- working in multi-million $ creator businesses
- hiring our own teams
- AI
- failing
- more more more
Available tomorrow on all platforms 🎥🎙️
12
5
93
Writing YouTube scripts is hard.
What starts out as a flash of creative inspiration can easily turn into a slog.
Before you know it... you can't be bothered, and your half-finished script sits buried somewhere in Notion until you finally delete it.
Here's how to avoid this...
8
12
87
The reaction to me just talking about YouTube scriptwriting has been incredibly eye-opening.
It really feels like people are starved of education here.
But I promise you:
I am no better placed to be doing this than anyone else.
Before writing for Ali Abdaal, I worked in a
17
1
89
Looking for a thumbnail designer for our pod.
Want to maintain this kind of style, but open to improvements of course!
Please REPLY TO THIS with examples of your work and we'll ping you if we're excited!
(I'm already bad enough at replying to DMs lol)
68
2
89
The moment a guy pirating my course tried to sell it back to me...
...and the moment he realised 🤣
23
0
88
New YouTubers:
1/ Have a flash of inspiration.
2/ Run to their desk.
3/ Try to write the script NOW.
OP YouTubers:
1/ Have a flash of inspiration
2/ Walk to their desk.
3/ Spam some notes down.
4/ Pause.
5/ Brainstorm framing, packaging, script structure.
6/ Write.
7
5
85
I split every script into segments…
…and each segment needs a payoff…
…but that payoff should be the last thing that happens in the segment…
…before the next payoff is set up right away.
9
4
83
The YouTube Scriptwriter's Playbook is OUT NOW
It's time to transform how you write scripts for YouTube.
Learn my systemized approach to writing for channels big and small, almost regardless of niche.
Join my community of scriptwriting nerds to level up faster.
(Link in bio!)
8
7
81
youtube twitter is so easy - you just post pictures of green up arrows and mr beast's head.
case in point, this tweet won't get 200 likes because it contains neither
12
0
79
I'm starting a scriptwriting agency 🤷♂️
I'm not starting a scriptwriting agency.
I'm simply compiling a list of YouTube scriptwriters.
And YouTubers who need scripts written.
But I'm NOT starting a scriptwriting agency.
18
2
123
21
2
78
There's a vital step when making any YouTube video that most people think is simple.
Yet creators I work with frequently get it wrong.
If you're making this mistake, your audience will not watch your videos to the end.
I’m gonna give you a 4-point checklist to make sure this
5
7
75
There's a rule I follow when writing a YouTube hook:
If in doubt, keep it simple.
But, sometimes, seeing how the biggest and best creators construct their videos can level you up even faster.
That's why I'm stealing this 6-step framework from Ryan Trahan's latest video 👇
5
6
78
Ok well this is sick.
@NotionHQ
's new analytics feature confirms people are actually using The Retention Hub every day 😭😭😭
8
3
73
Creators think “outsourcing scriptwriting” looks like this:
- I give title.
- I get script.
In reality, good writers will:
- Review your brief
- Ask questions about it*
- Consider its shortcomings
- Suggest alternative directions*
- Research lots
- Plan structure
- Check-in on
6
8
76
There's a rule I always follow when writing a YouTube hook:
"If in doubt, keep it simple."
But the best YouTubers always use a little extra *sauce* to keep us hooked.
So let's talk about Ryan Trahan's hook formula (so you can steal it) 👇
6
11
97
I’ve written scripts for these creators 👇
Now, I’m putting together a playbook of everything I’ve learned about writing a compelling YouTube video.
I’m so, so hyped for this!
But, I don’t want to give it out to just anyone…
3
7
72
YouTube "strategists" are getting roasted.
And, to be candid, I’m getting more self-conscious about what I tweet.
I’ve never billed myself as a strategist, but this makes me want to pivot HARD away from anything resembling one.
Time to push the “scriptwriter” thing more? Hmm.
29
0
72
1 year since I started writing for
@AliAbdaal
.
3 months since I went freelance.
$150 made from free products.
450 downloads of my script template.
1000 Twitter followers (crossed today)
18,000 TikTok followers with my best pal Ollie.
Excited for another year in this industry 🙌
7
1
72
I suspect 90% of YouTubers want to slow their videos down.
But they’re scared that our attention spans won’t allow it.
17
1
72
I used to find writing scripts really hard.
Even after 2 years, the feeling just wouldn't go away.
I kept feeling overwhelmed and I couldn’t figure out why…
But, having spent the last four months systemizing my writing process…
I realised something critical 🧵:
7
7
66
I swear YouTube Shorts were barely affected by title changes in the past.
Now I’m seeing huge spikes the moment I change some titles.
Have I gotten better at my job or is this a known change to the algorithm?
22
1
62
You won’t know whether your script sounds good until you read it out loud.
When you do, you’ll spot a ton of problems with:
- Awkward phrasing
- Repetition
- Clarity
This should become a non-negotiable part of your scriptwriting process.
11
2
61
Thanks for 6000 followers! 🥳
And, to all my real-life friends, I'm sorry my tweets have gone a bit weird since 2022.
9
0
60
Introducing my (not so) secret YouTube scriptwriting weapon:
Highlighting.
Identify the purpose of each sentence by assigning it a colour, and you’ll quickly notice what needs to change.
- Payoffs too spaced out.
- Lack of progression.
- Poor pacing variation.
(etc!)
8
5
60
I discovered 3 retention-killing problems in YOUR YouTube videos this week.
Try and avoid these in your next video 🧵:
1
3
60
100k views on my conversation with
@jayclouse
!
Honoured to have my face among his Creator Economy Rogue's Gallery 🤩
And excited to see real momentum behind the whole scriptwriting "thing" at the moment.
Thanks for having me, Jay :)
8
1
57
The "shape" of your retention graph literally tells you how to fix your next video.
But only if you know how to "read" it.
I've studied 50+ retention graphs across 30+ niches.
Here are 5 common retention graph shapes, what they mean, and how to fix them 🧵:
6
8
57
I was one of
@AliAbdaal
's full-time scriptwriters for a year.
Now I’m freelance, working with creators from 35k - 500k subs.
But what’s it really like behind-the-scenes in these huge YouTube businesses?
Some reflections from 1+ years of writing scripts for large creators 🧵:
5
6
58
Curiosity gaps are what keep people watching your videos.
But most YouTubers don't use them correctly.
If that's you, you’re constantly at risk of viewers clicking away to watch something else.
So let’s talk about how to set up a curiosity gap that doesn’t make people leave...
7
8
56
Think of your next video as a series of “mini-payoffs”.
As you resolve each point of curiosity, you need to set up the next one.
Tension, release, setup, tension, release, setup...
Let your audience know what they’re gonna find out next and why they should care.
4
3
55
I used to think working for a 3m subscriber YouTuber was the endgame.
But I learned 90% of what I know after going solo.
To gain a more holistic, nuanced understanding of YouTube…
…there is no substitute for working across different niches.
7
2
55
Serious about outsourcing scriptwriting for your YouTube channel?
Let's talk :) 👇
14
4
53
Yes, your video needs to deliver on the promise of the title.
But if it “reveals the answer” or “shows the explosion” right away, your audience has no reason to stay.
Equally, if it forces them to wait 15 minutes for any sort of payoff, they’ll get bored and leave.
6
4
54
Before I wrote for
@AliAbdaal
I worked in a call centre.
Before I worked in a call centre I sold antiques.
Before I sold antiques I promoted smoothies.
Before I promoted smoothies I worked in a pub.
There really is no 'standard route' into this biz.
Back yourself 👍
4
4
53
...(cont.)
To avoid this, try kicking off with:
- An interesting metaphor
- Something visually engaging
- A direct question aimed at the audience
They still need to believe you're going to deliver on the promise of the title, but you can do it in a more interesting way.
2
1
52
Want to make people watch your videos for longer?
In the last 3 months, I've studied 40+ retention curves from 30+ niches.
Here are 5 common myths about audience retention, debunked 🧵:
4
4
52
I finally buckled.
Bought myself a PS5, but ordered it to my parents' house and asked them to lock it in their loft.
They're on strict orders not to let me in.
It's a treat for my future self, who just successfully launched the course he's been making for 6 months 🥲
11
0
50
I made the choice to go off-grid for basically the last 2 months.
Reduced client work, stopped 1-1s, stopped script reviews, stopped tweeting.
I even stopped writing my newsletter, right when it was growing the fastest it ever has.
The result was this:
My scriptwriting course
14
0
47
Which YouTubers only need their first name mentioned for everyone to know exactly who you're talking about?
I'll start:
- Ryan
- Michelle
- Hayden
- Jimmy
- Jenny
- Aprilynne
- Marques
- Ed
- Ali
- Cleo
- Paddy
this is fun
26
1
49
Proofreading YouTube scripts is hard.
But it gets easier once you start using this sneaky time-saver...
This tactic will:
- Improve the final script.
- Stop you wasting time.
Put simply, you need to proofread scripts with 2 different 'hats' on 🧵:
2
4
47
Taking two weeks in Bulgaria to rest/ski.
First time switching off in months (kinda - can't fully escape email hahah)
But to anyone who's waiting for a reply on here - I hugely appreciate your patience and I will come back to you.
I just need a minute 😅
8
0
49
One of the main “retention edits” I do for every script is to improve clarity.
Clarity is a major factor in whether or not someone will commit the next 15 minutes of their life to your video.
If your audience feels confused, they'll leave.
7
3
48
If you're a writer, creators need you for:
1/ Newsletters
2/ Video Scripts
3/ Articles
4/ Tweet Threads
5/ Blog Posts
6/ Research
PLUS repurposing these from one format to another.
If you're an online writer in 2022, the opportunities are endless.
4
4
43
AMA - scriptwriting advice, getting hired by multi-million sub creators, my new agency... anything!
Will make a video Q&A and post it here :)
(RT and I'll prioritize your Q!)
18
6
48
My scriptwriting course is now 15,000 words long.
That's 1.5x longer than my dissertation (which took 10 months to write).
And I've been working on this course for just 2 months lol.
Goes to show how fast progress happens when you actually give a wotsit ✍️😴
7
2
47
Becoming a YouTube scriptwriter is not as simple as porting your writing skills from college.
In fact, it requires the destruction of half the writing principles you’ve spent two decades being taught.
You'll need to unlearn defunct skills as much as learning new ones.
9
1
48
If the audience has to wait 15 minutes for *any* release of tension, they’ll be bored/irritated.
That’s why your videos need more than one payoff at the end.
A 15 minute video might have 3-4.
But how do you create multiple payoffs from an idea that feels like it only has one?
4
4
46
I comb through every “finished” script with the following in mind:
1. Progression
2. Payoffs
3. Repetition
4. Clarity
Do these one at a time to avoid task-switching.
I promise - the final product will be so much stronger.
3
4
47
Boost YouTube retention using this storytelling technique:
1/ Put the most exciting thing at the END.
2/ Foreshadow it from the START.
You want to give your audience something incredible to stick around for.
There are two ways to execute this👇
2
5
47
I might be inviting trouble by posting this...
But my course is being pirated in 96 different places 😂
I'm honestly just flattered that enough people give a sh*t.
But, truly, if you want the course and are living somewhere with a devalued currency (etc), just drop me an
18
1
46
🧠 Education → Target, Transformation, Stakes
1 - This is my target audience.
2 - This is their desired transformation.
3 - Here’s what’s at stake.
💥 Entertainment → Character, Concept, Stakes
1 - These are the characters.
2 - This is the concept.
3 - Here’s what’s at stake.
3
6
46
I promise you…
Systemising how you write will make scripting YouTube videos less stressful, more efficient, and will result in a better piece of content.
8
0
45
The hardest skill to master as a solopreneur:
Holding your nerve.
I put 70% of my “bankable” services on hiatus for two months (to get a big project across the line).
And my financial anxiety went through the roof!
But… I’ll return to this tweet when the results are in 🤞
5
0
44
In 2021, I was applying to work as a scriptwriter for Ali Abdaal.
The process lasted 2 months.
I'd never worked for a YouTuber before, and I was convinced I wouldn't get it.
Last week, I uncovered a pretty shocking diary entry I wrote during that period...
5
1
45
Not sure if it's because I'm reading the Pathless Path rn...
But I honestly think my dream YouTube channel would be:
- buying a tiny plot of woodland
- tidying it up
- building and growing things
- documenting it
I've just enquired about a small plot near my house 😂
10
0
45
Met the lovely producer of a 1m+ channel last Friday.
We're chatting away, when his Apple watch goes off.
He apologises, checks the notification...
It's my newsletter arriving in his inbox 😍
TL;DR - keep putting stuff out there. You never know who's watching ✌️
4
0
42
Sure, make your protagonist’s goal seem near-impossible.
But the stakes need to be interesting too.
What happens if they fail?
What will they gain/lose?
Time? Money? Status?
On a deeper, human level, why do we want them to succeed?
Likely failure x low stakes = no tension.
3
1
44
I reviewed 5 of YOUR YouTube retention graphs to figure out why people clicked away.
Here's a summary of my findings 🧵:
3
4
44
When scripting a video, I ask YouTubers to:
1. Break the script down into segments.
2. Identify the payoff for each segment.
3. Ensure each payoff is set up properly.
I understand that WFW scripting isn’t for everyone.
But you do need to think about the structure.
6
1
43
Send me your retention graphs for review!
I've written scripts for Ali Abdaal (3.6m), Noah Kagen (500k), Film Booth (250k) and Creator Wizard (36k).
Let me review your video to figure out why people clicked away.
DM me your graph 📈 (+ RT this and I'll prioritise your video)
4
8
41
YouTube strategists - I need your help!
I get asked a LOT about what to do when:
- An early channel video blows up.
- But it got served to the WRONG audience
- Ergo, new uploads get served to the wrong audience - demolishing retention, CTR, views, etc.
Remember, we're dealing
10
3
43
I want to end the year with some massive “thank you”s.
If you get the chance… WORK WITH THE PEOPLE IN THIS THREAD.
My upcoming course is the biggest project I’ve ever worked on, and it would not have been possible without them🧵:
7
3
43
If your audience has to wait 15 minutes for *any* release of tension, they’ll be bored / irritated.
Ergo, your videos need more than one payoff right at the end.
A 15 minute video might have 3-4.
But how do you create multiple payoffs from an idea that feels like it has one?
4
2
43
Yes, it’s easy to lose viewers during the hook.
But losing them BETWEEN topics is just as problematic.
That moment between segments is when their attention is most likely to wander.
So don’t dilly-dally.
Set up the next segment ASAP (and make it obvious why it matters).
4
1
43
For 5 months, my newsletter made $0.
In the last 3 weeks, it contributed $3000 to my business.
All because of 1 simple change...
I consolidated the info from each issue into a single database, then charged $45 for access.
Proof: people will pay to make their lives 20% easier.
5
0
43
Yes, it’s easy to lose viewers during the hook.
But losing them BETWEEN topics is just as problematic.
That moment between segments is when their attention is most likely to wander.
So don’t dilly-dally.
Set up the next segment ASAP (and make it obvious why it matters).
6
2
42
$8,024.56 from course sales in the last 30 days.
But now, I'm doing something that would have terrified me 3 months ago.
Investing all of it (and more) back into my email funnels.
Sole focus this year is upgrading the things I've already built (instead of trying to build MORE)
11
0
42
2 - Gave the Game Away
In an “X ways to…” video I worked on, retention suffered during one segment WAY MORE than others.
Why?
We’d summed up the entire point of that segment in the FIRST SENTENCE.
Don't talk for 2min about something your audience understood in 5s.
2
0
41