---
title: 'How I Actually Write Viral Scripts'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=cX8c3R2LFd4'
video_id: 'cX8c3R2LFd4'
date: 2026-08-05
duration_sec: 1050
---

# How I Actually Write Viral Scripts

> Source: [How I Actually Write Viral Scripts](https://youtube.com/watch?v=cX8c3R2LFd4)

## Summary

In this video, the creator shares his personal process for writing viral video scripts, emphasizing the importance of building a foundation before writing, understanding the audience, and using storytelling frameworks like the Hero's Journey. He also discusses the value of research, structure, and iterative feedback, while cautioning against over-optimizing for retention at the expense of authenticity.

### Key Points

- **The Hook and Framework** [00:02] — The creator jokingly claims to have a secret five-step framework for viral videos, but then reveals he doesn't have one. He used ChatGPT to analyze viral scripts, but ultimately decides to share his real process without manipulation techniques.
- **Foundation Before Writing** [01:05] — The biggest mistake is opening a blank page and scripting without a foundation. Start with a solid idea, then define the goal of the video and the viewer's goal. Aligning these goals is crucial to avoid a fake feel.
- **Surface vs. Deeper Problem** [02:22] — Every good script has a surface problem and a deeper emotional problem. The deeper problem is what makes a video stand out subconsciously. For example, a video about editing might have perfectionism as the deeper issue.
- **Thumbnail and Packaging** [03:16] — Never write a script without a thumbnail draft. The script must deliver on the promise made by the thumbnail. Packaging also includes domain names; using a .store domain can increase trust and visibility.
- **Audience Avatars** [04:59] — Create one or two audience avatars to know who you're writing for. For example, a YouTuber with less than 1k subscribers wanting to improve scripts, or an intermediate creator looking for new techniques. This helps set the complexity level.
- **Research and Gap Finding** [05:51] — Spend hours researching the topic, even if you think you know it. Watch videos, read sources, ask AI, and note what they explain and what they don't. The gap is your opportunity to shine.
- **Structuring the Script** [06:29] — Take your notes and sequence them logically. Clearly define where the viewer is at the start and where they will be at the end. This transformation is the goal.
- **Hero's Journey Framework** [07:11] — Use the Hero's Journey to structure the story: status quo, call to adventure, wise man, departure, trials, approach, crisis, treasure, result, return, new life, resolution. This adds conflict and stakes, making the video a journey.
- **Connecting Stories (Universe Building)** [09:38] — For advanced creators, connect all video stories into a grand narrative, like Marvel movies. This creates a loyal audience and a sense of progression.
- **Using AI for Feedback** [11:01] — Instead of asking AI to write the script, ask it to roast your outline. Ask what you missed, what's boring, what to add or remove. This helps improve the plan without losing your voice.
- **Writing the First Draft** [11:28] — Set a timer and type without worrying about grammar or structure. Get thoughts out. Expand on each outline point. The goal is to have something to work with.
- **Gradual Complexity** [11:58] — Start with simple concepts and gradually increase complexity. Don't dive into advanced topics at the beginning. This helps retain viewers who are new to the topic.
- **Show, Don't Tell (Interactive)** [12:43] — Instead of telling viewers about a concept, ask them to figure it out. This makes the video interactive and increases engagement. For example, asking viewers to guess the deeper problem.
- **Editing Notes** [13:42] — Add notes for editing, like music cues or specific footage. This makes the editing process easier and ensures the script's vision is realized.
- **Revising with 'But' and 'Therefore'** [14:08] — When revising, change linear writing ('this happens, then this') to 'this happens, but this, therefore this.' This makes the script more dynamic and interesting, as used by South Park writers.
- **Rhythm and Sentence Length** [15:01] — Vary sentence lengths to avoid monotony. Beginners often use the same length, creating a boring script. This technique is simple but effective.
- **AI Feedback and Authenticity** [15:38] — After writing, get feedback from AI or a friend. However, the creator rejects AI's retention-optimized version because it lacks soul and manipulates viewers. He chooses authenticity over metrics.

### Conclusion

The creator emphasizes that while technical optimization and retention are important, the soul of the script and authenticity matter more. He chooses to provide value and connect with viewers on a deeper level, even if it means slightly lower retention.

## Transcript

seven years of experience writing viral video  script, getting millions of views. And today,   I'll reveal my secret five-step framework that  guarantees viral dude. What is this? What? It's  
the hook. 95% retention. Keep going. You're about  to tell them about the framework. I I don't have   a framework. Yeah, don't worry. That's why  I put the most viral scripting videos into   chat GBT. This is literally what works. Just  keep reading. Hey, do you want the views or  
not? I think I want All right. To use my brain.  Hey, that took me like 30 seconds to generate. Okay, let's try that again.  This time, no secret formulas,  
no manipulation techniques, just  how I actually write my scripts.
The biggest mistake to make while scripting a  video is just opening a blank page and scripting.   all over the place. At least that's what usually  happens for me. So before you write a single word,  
you got to build a foundation. Starting with  obviously you got to have a solid idea to begin   with. It's a completely separate video topic, so  I'm not going to dive deep into that here. Just   other YouTubers, Reddit posts, or just have a  spark while you're on the toilet. I'm going to  
use this video that you're watching as an example  to show you the entire process. So, yeah, it's   going to be a weird script. Let's go. Most people  skip it and wonder why the video feels off. So,  
what does that mean? Well, why do the viewers  click on your video and why are you making it?   For this tutorial, your goal is to well, learn how  to write a viral script. And my goal is to write   a viral script while teaching you how to write a  viral script. That's pretty aligned, right? But  
let's take a random guru video. Your goal is to  learn how to make money. But the guru's goal, sell   you their overpriced course. They don't match.  That's why what they say feels fake. You can sense   viewer, no matter how many fancy storytelling  techniques you use, the script's going to feel  
weird. Now, the secret sauce for my scripts.  Every good script has a surface problem and   a deeper problem. It's what takes a script from  a regular video to your video. In my case, sure,  
I'm breaking down how I write scripts. That's the  surface. But what's the deeper problem here? Well,   let's not give spoilers for now, but remember  this deeper problem concept for the end of the   video. Let's see if you can figure it out before  I say it. But if you've watched my videos before,  
you might have seen the pattern. This video  is about making viral shorts. But the deeper   problem is about having patience. This one  about editing cool videos. Deeper problem,   perfectionism. And this is about me trying to  have a shorts channel. The deeper problem is  
having determination. It may seem unnoticeable for  a regular viewer, but subconsciously these are the   things that make your video stand out among other  videos. So think about this for your next video.   Find the emotional struggle underneath the  technical problem and write it down as well. Never  
write the script without a thumbnail. I mean,  come on. It's common knowledge at this point. Make   a simple draft in Can or generate something with  AI. Just know what's the viewer's first impression   while clicking your video. Because if your script  doesn't deliver on that promise, I mean, come on,  
dude. It's old. It's old. And packaging isn't  only about thumbnails. It's about every first   impression, like your domain name. Let's say  you've got a killer product, made a great website,   and then tell people to check out your store, and  you drop a link that looks like this. Whether you  
sell on Shopify, Squarespace, or anywhere, you  usually get a weird random link like these. I   mean, some of these look like my YouTube password.  Wait, that's my password screams unprofessional.   But if you replace that mess with your name.store,  now we're talking. Is a domain name just like.com,  
but it's built specifically for creators who  sell something online. It's clean, intuitive,   and it literally screams trust. Dot store for  your store. I mean, come on. It just makes sense.   I recently found out some small creators like Mr.  Beast, I show Speed, Dude Perfect, another Isaac,  
and many more people are already using store  as their domain. And now I have one, too. Thank   you. Thank you. You can get my presets and guides  from Isaacverse.store right now. It's memorable,  
and it tells you exactly what you're getting,  and it's not just a fancy name. store domains   are proven to drive two times the visibility.  Why? Because when people see the link, they   they want they want to add to card, they buy. So,  if you're a creator selling merch, courses, art,  
preset, or literally anything, your Dottore domain  is waiting for you at the link in the description.   Huge thanks to Dotto for sponsoring this video.  Now, who are we actually writing this script for?  
It's not needed for every single video, but  it's good to have a document where you write   down one or two audience avatars who would watch  your channel. If you haven't heard this before,   it's pretty simple. Open a blank document and  write down as much detail as you can about  
your potential viewer. For my case, it can be a  YouTuber with less than a thousand subscribers who   wants to write better scripts for his video.  Knows the basics about writing technique,   retention, and YouTube algorithm. Maybe struggling  to get his first viral video. The second avatar,  
someone more intermediate, wants to learn  something new to apply in his next video,   knows more than average about scripting,  retention, analytics, and stuff. That's probably   the main audience I'm writing for. Another  small group, and maybe a guy who just likes  
watching fancy edits and laughs at my terrible  jokes. So, which one are you? Every channel has   its own avatars. You can write with more details,  but I think this is enough for a starting point.   Just know who you're writing for and what's the  complexity level you can go without losing them.  
Now, the next big step is to sit down for a few  hours and do some research about the topic. I   know what you're thinking. I already know this  stuff. That's why I'm making the video. Yeah,   I thought that, too. But here's the thing.  Even if you think you already know enough,  
there's always more to learn. And it's a great  moment to improve yourself anyways. So, watch   a few videos on YouTube, read if there are any  sources you found online, ask AI some questions,   take note, write down what they explained, and  more importantly, what they haven't explained.  
That gap, that's your opportunity to shine. At  the end of this part, you have to have a bunch of   random notes all around the place. They may not  make sense yet, but it doesn't matter for now.
You know the knowledge at this point, but you need  a clear structure to follow while writing. What   comes after what? How do the pieces fit together?  So, take a look at your notes, write down all the   points you want to explain, and try to sequence  them in a logical direction. A tiny tweak I do  
here is to clearly state where Isaac is at the  start of the video and where he will be at the   end. You can do that for yourself, the explainer,  or for the viewer's point of view. For example,   in my editing tutorial, the start was Isaac  wanting to make a perfect editing tutorial. At  
the end, he realizes it's about the process, not  perfection. See, a clear transformation. That's   what we're aiming for. Now, we've got the start  and end points. We've got the main problem and   a deeper problem. Here comes the interesting  part. Taking them all and writing a story to  
capture it. And how do we write a story? Well, I  made a whole video about it, but here's the idea.   There's a simple framework that's been used since  forever. Harry Potter, How to Train Your Dragon,   Iron Man, King Arthur Gomesh, that's like 4,000  years ago. Hero's Journey. That's the name. The  
story starts here. Then the hero gets a call to  an adventure. Then comes a wise man to help. The   journey start. A lot of things happen in between.  A big crisis approaches. Gets a new Let me show   you how it actually works in a YouTube video. Have  you watched my editing tutorial? Cool. Because if  
you haven't, I'm about to spoil the entire plot.  though. What kind of psycho watches a tutorial for   the story anyways? Well, when you say it like  that, what kind of psycho writes a story for a   tutorial? So, here it goes. Status quo. That's  where everything starts. Isaac has a successful  
channel. Nothing's bad, but something's off. Call  to adventure. Something happens to kick off the   story. It can be a problem, an opportunity,  a threat, or just a curiosity. You know,   the where's the editing tutorial comment  assistance? That's where the wise old man  
comes in. Steven departure. That's where the hero  starts the journey. The actual tutorial begins.   Trials. That's the main part of the YouTube video.  All the points you want to mention, the mistakes,   some wins, and maybe some losses. Maps, breakdown,  the whole thing. Approach. Remember the deeper  
problem. That's where it appears. In the tutorial,  the perfectionism creeps in. Crisis. Everything   goes sideways. This is the lowest point of the  story. 60 days pass and Isaac is still editing   the same video. In good stories, though, this is  also where the identity change happens. You got  
to show you don't know everything. Don't be  afraid to be vulnerable. But no matter what,   you got to find a solution to the problem. To find  the treasure, it's the reward. What did you learn   from that crisis moment? Isaac realizes  the escape from perfectionism is to say,  
"It's good enough." Result. Hitting publish  moment. Return. The positive comments roll in.   New life. He's not the same person anymore. The  mindset is changed. Resolution. This is where all  
the plot lines open up. And then status quo again.  And the cycle continues with the next video. See,   it works insanely well for a YouTube video, but  most people still don't use it. So, the video has   no conflict, no stakes, and no change at the end.  Without that, it would be just an editing tutorial  
with some useful tips. But once you add the  story, it becomes a journey. And most importantly,   the viewer sees themselves in you. That's how  you build a loyal audience. But it's not always   that simple. For reference, the hero's journey  map of this video looks something like this.  
I'll show the details once we actually finish  the journey, but it's quite messy. And finally,   there's one more layer. Okay, this one may  be overkill for 90% of channels out there,  
but I'm explaining my entire process, and this  is a big part of it. So, here it goes. Writing   many stories for your videos is cool, but if  you blindly use the hero's journey, that's just   a repeating cycle with no ending. It works, but  wouldn't it be more epic if we connect all those  
stories to one another? Use them as pillars of  a grand story that unfolds with each video. You   see where I'm going with this? So, every video is  connected. The story scenes, the big charts, even   the reason I'm teaching you this, it's all leading  somewhere. Dude, you're leaking the grand story.  
They aren't supposed to know about the prison yet.  What? No, I'm just You You're alive. Relax, man.   They don't know what that means. Sorry, man. Can't  take any risks. What's that? Well, I can't really  
reveal the grand story of my videos since it's not  finished yet and I don't want to give spoilers,   but you can understand this concept by looking at  the Marvel movies from Iron Man 1 in 2008. They   made standalone stories and combined them all in  a grand story that peaked with Endgame in 2019.
Damn, the memories. What a time it was to  be human. Just give me a moment. Anyways,
once the plan is ready, I send it to my best  friend and ask for his opinion. Oh, I don't have   a friend, but chat GPT works. Now, you might ask  it to write the script for you based on your plan.  
And that's how you throw all your work in the  garbage because it just writes a generic script   no matter how much context you give it. So, what I  use it instead is ask it to roast my outline. What   did I miss? Is it too boring? What can I add? What  can I remove? What about changing the plot twist?  
After a few back and forths, you're finally ready  to actually write the script. Open a blank page,   take your outline, set a timer, and just type.  Don't worry about the grammar, wording, structure,   or anything. Just get the thoughts out of your  head onto the page. Expand on each point in your  
outline. The goal here is to have something to  work with instead of staring at a blank page.   Here are some small tactics I use while writing.  Well, it's kind of common sense, but I see so many   people make this mistake. They start breaking down  really advanced concepts right at the beginning.  
Of course, it makes you sound smart, but most  viewers don't really understand all that and   just leave the video. It's like going from zero to  100 right away. So, start by giving some context   for people who are not familiar with what you're  talking about. Then explain simple concepts and  
gradually increase the complexity. Remember the  start of this video, we were just talking about   the packaging, topic, research, simple stuff, and  we slowly increased to stuff like hero's journey   and universe building. Now, YouTube advice says  to only explain simple concepts and avoid complex  
topics to maximize retention. Yeah, that's indeed  good for retention, but it's not how I want to   cook. I want to give as much value as possible  to those who want to learn more. I guess it's   a fair trade to get slightly lower retention in  return. You probably heard the rule, show don't  
tell. Well, everyone knows that. I'm talking about  something else. And it improves the retention way   more if done right. Do you remember what I said  while explaining the deeper problem concept? Sure.   I'm breaking down how I write scripts, but what's  the deeper problem here? Well, let's not give  
spoilers for now, but remember this deeper problem  concept for the end of the video. Let's see if you   can figure it out before I say it. See what I  did there? Instead of telling you this is the   deeper problem, I asked you to figure it out by  yourself. It makes the video not just me talking,  
you listening, but more like a conversation,  an interactive thing, and makes you pay more   attention. It's like two different teachers. One  just explains the lecture from start to finish,   but the other doesn't reveal everything up front.  He gives you hints, asks you questions, makes you  
think, and figure out the answer by yourself. And  we all know how good it feels when you actually   figure out the answer, right? It's the same  principle here. Lastly, not for the actual script,   but it makes your life way easier to add some  notes for editing. things like add Sigma grind set  
music, show a footage of Captain America lifting  Molner or Isaac sending it to his best friend via   WhatsApp and match cut to chat GPT. Yeah, even  that was scripted. Keep writing until you've   explained all your bullet points, implemented the  hero's journey, and solved the deeper problem that  
you've set up. Once you finished the first draft,  read what you wrote, change up the order, add some   extra points, remove some unnecessary stuff, and  tweak the sentences to make them flow better. How  
do you do that? Glad you asked. Naturally, when  you write, you write the points like, "Okay,   this happens, right? And then this happens." But  it's too linear, too predictable, boring. Instead,  
you should write like, "This happens, but this  happens, therefore this happens." It's way more   interesting to listen to. At least the writers of  South Park say so. And these guys made 28 seasons,   so I think they know what they're talking about.  If you paid attention, you may have caught some  
points where I used that writing. You know the  knowledge at this point, but you need a clear   structure to follow while writing. So, take a  look at your notes. Writing many stories for   your videos is cool, but if you blindly use the  hero's journey, that's just a repeating cycle with  
no ending. It works, but wouldn't it be more epic  if we connect all those stories to one another?   Of course, it makes you sound smart, but most  viewers don't really understand all that and just   leave the video. So, start by giving some context  for people who are not familiar. Makes everything  
more dynamic. Another really weird tactic to  make your script more interesting is rhythm.   Most beginners write with the same sentence length  over and over again. It creates a monotone script,   it less boring. I actually learned this technique  while researching for this video, but realized  
I've already been doing it subconsciously in my  script. So, it's a nice tactic, but I don't think   there's any need to overthink it. Just make sure  not all your sentences are the same length, and   you're good to go. And lastly, send it to an AI  and ask for feedback or a friend if you have one.
So, what do you think? Well, I mean, it's  something something. Look, it's not terrible,   but it's too complex. Hero's journey universe  building. You got to think about retention,  
dude. People will click off. All right, I can  refine it more. Actually, here. I ran it through   the retention optimizer AI. It removed those  weird parts that dropped your retention rate,   added some small payoffs throughout,  and changed the ending to a rage bait.  
Really? Yep. Works every time. It'll get  at least 30% more watch time. That's the   goal right now. What do you think? It  It's better technically, and that's all  
that matters. Just delete your version, use  this one, and the video goes viral. We win.
Do it. Do it. No. What? It may have better retention,  better everything, but it doesn't have a soul,   man. I won't manipulate people to  keep that chart high. And I won't  
delete actually useful parts just  because they hurt retention. Sorry,   man. I'm doing it my way. Why do you always  choose the long route? Maybe you're not the   right Isaac either. What? Nothing. But the  universe building part was badass, actually.