Writing Engaging Video Scripts

After decades of working with leaders at companies like Apple, Salesforce, and Cisco, we've identified 4 storytelling techniques that consistently work to deliver important messages in high-stakes settings: 1. Start with the unexpected Don’t begin your presentation with context. Instead, begin with the moment that makes people think, “Wait…what?” Instead of something like: “Here’s an update on our September campaign…” Try starting with the most interesting detail: “I broke our biggest marketing rule last month, and it worked.” Lead with the surprise. You can add context later. 2. Let people feel the tension After the surprise, don’t rewind to the beginning. Take your audience to the moment where things weren’t working. Flat numbers. Missed goals. Stalled progress. Instead of: “The campaign was underperforming, and our team went back to the drawing board.” Try:  "We were two weeks out from the end of the quarter. The campaign wasn’t producing results, and the team was out of ideas. That’s when I decided to take a risk...” You don’t need to explain the problem. You need to make people feel it. 3. Use real dialogue When your audience hears what was actually said, they stop listening to you and start visualizing the moment. This helps them connect emotionally with what you’re saying. Instead of: “The campaign manager said team morale was low and they were struggling to find a solution.” Try: “My campaign manager pulled me aside in the hallway and said, ‘We’ve tried everything. The team has been working overtime, and we don’t know what else to do.’” Dialogue brings listeners into the moment with you. It makes the story real. 4. Share the lesson Never assume people will infer the meaning you intended. End your story by answering: - What does this mean? - How should someone act differently now? Example: “Breaking our biggest marketing rule helped us turn this campaign around and hit our numbers. I strongly suggest we revisit our marketing guidelines. We could be leaving a ton of revenue on the table.” Without the lesson being clear, even a good story feels unfinished. These are the same techniques we teach to our clients at Duarte. Try them out during your next presentation and watch how people lean forward and tune in to your message. #ExecutivePresence #BusinessStorytelling #PresentationSkills

If your audience didn’t feel anything… you didn’t give a speech. You gave a TEDx audition. The best speakers don’t just inform or entertain. They move people emotionally. Case in point: that viral Thai ad “The Dog” by Kiatnakin Bank. No dialogue. No celebrities. Yet millions cried. Why? Because it tapped into something universal: human emotion. So… how do you do that as a speaker? After 15 years of speaking in 39 countries to half a million people, here's how I evoke emotions in my audience. 1. Choose the emotional entry point, not just the story. Every speech has two beginnings: - the first line you say - and the first feeling your audience registers Before you write anything, ask: “What’s the emotional state they’re in right now?” Are they burned out? Feeling stuck? Hopeful but scared? Then ask: “What emotion do I want them to leave with?” When those two emotions connect, where they are and where you want to take them, your speech becomes a journey, not a monologue. 2. Use emotional contrast, not just chronology. So instead of storytelling like “this happened, then this…” (boring!) Build it like a movie trailer. What creates suspense? Contrast. Here’s how I structure it now: Before the storm - Life was okay… or so I thought... The disruption - Something happened I didn’t see coming... The emotional cost - I didn’t just lose money/time/status, I lost sleep, confidence, myself... The turning moment - And then suddenly... (a moment of truth, a wise mentor, or a shift in perspective) changed everything The ripple effect - That shift led to action, small at first, but it created a wave of momentum, and the results started to follow (yay!) The transfer – And here’s what that means for you. This format works because it mirrors the emotions of transformation and that’s what people want to feel. 3. Give emotional language, not just a moral. Most speakers end with “So… never give up.” (boring!!) But audiences can’t act on vague encouragement. What they need is emotional vocabulary. Say: “If you’re in that same dark place… you don’t need motivation. You need clarity. And here’s how I found mine...” or “Maybe today you’re like how I was, smiling on the outside yet quietly panicking inside.” Insight lands when people feel seen. 4. Don't just end hope. Instill self-belief in them. Our job as speakers isn't to impress the room. Our job is to transfer belief and courage so they are empowered to make the necessary changes even after you have left the stage. Here's how I do it. I say: “You don’t need my story to be inspired. You need to see yourself in my story. And if a guy who used to panic before every speech can now speak globally… I promise, there’s more in you than you know.” Remember, your audience will likely forget what you say but they will never forget how you make them FEEL. This is how you get asked back again and again! #publicspeaking #getpaidtospeak

Most creators are writing scripts the hard way. I spent 6 months building an AI system for YouTube. Here’s what I learned: The Problem With Manual Script Writing: Brainstorm for hours. Write for days. Edit endlessly. Result? One script per week if you’re lucky. What I Discovered: After analyzing thousands of top videos, I built a 5-step system that changes everything: 1. Hook Architecture Most hooks lose viewers in 3 seconds. I trained AI on 10,000+ viral openings. Now it generates hooks with proven triggers. 2. Story Structure AI doesn’t understand narrative flow naturally. I built prompts that force proper architecture. Setup, conflict, resolution. Every time. 3. Value Density YouTube rewards quick value delivery. My system ensures every 30 seconds has a payoff. No filler. Pure value. 4. Engagement Triggers I reverse-engineered viral video comments. Built triggers into every script. Questions, challenges, controversial takes. Systematically placed. 5. Algorithm Optimization Each script gets optimized for YouTube. Keyword placement, retention hooks, CTA timing. Everything systematic. The Result: Scripts that took 8 hours now take 2. But here’s the key: they’re better, not just faster. Here’s the Truth: Most people think AI replaces creativity. Wrong. AI amplifies systematic thinking. The creators winning on YouTube have one thing in common: systems. Stop writing scripts. Start building script systems. __ Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Matt Gray for more. Want more tips on how to grow on YouTube? Join our community of 172,000+ subscribers today: https://lnkd.in/eWVxapTn

I interviewed Jenny Hoyos and learned a TON about YouTube Shorts. If you don't know Jenny, she averages 10 million views **per video** on Shorts. She's received more than 600 million total views! And she learned (in part) by studying ALL of the Shorts from MrBeast and Ryan Trahan. She literally scraped and analyzed the transcripts of THOUSANDS of Shorts. Here are a few takeaways: 1. Jenny aims to make her videos 34 seconds. The data told her that a Short needed to have 100% retention in order to go viral at 30 seconds or less – so to give herself a better shot, she went beyond 30 seconds (but only a little). 2. Jenny has the same formula for every Short. Her process breaks down as: • Hook • Foreshadowing • Narrative • Ending (with a twist) 3. Jenny scripts her Shorts at a fifth-grade level. After analyzing thousands of Shorts, she found the most successful Shorts used simple words and phrases that even young viewers could understand well. This conversation was a masterclass.

AI can write your story. But it can't feel it. And that's the difference between content that gets scrolled past and stories that stop people cold. I've spent years learning storytelling frameworks. Three-act structures. Hero's journeys. Story arcs. They're useful. I’m even writing a book about them. But here's what I'm realizing: frameworks give you the skeleton. Emotion gives you the soul. When you tell a story and show the right emotion at the right moment, something shifts. That's high EQ in action. That's what endears you to people and connects you to your audience immediately. So today, I'm sharing 3 ways to bring real emotion into your storytelling—and why it matters more than any framework ever will. Tip 1: Trust the emotion tugging at your heart in that moment. Frameworks can guide you. But they can't tell you what to feel. When you're crafting a story, pause. Ask yourself: what emotion am I actually feeling about this? Frustration? Joy? Fear? Regret? That's your north star. - Don't manufacture emotion because you think it'll land well. - Don't follow a formula if it feels hollow. - Do trust the raw feeling pulling at you—even if it's uncomfortable. Your audience will sense whether you're being real or performing. Every time. Tip 2: See your audience as human beings, not executives. We get so caught up in titles and LinkedIn profiles that we forget something basic. The person reading your story isn't a VP or a C-suite leader in that moment. They're a human being. With doubts. With hopes. With late nights and tough days. Talk to them like that. - Write like you're sitting across a table from them. - Use simple, conversational language. - Ask yourself: would I say this to a friend? When you strip away the corporate veneer, your stories land differently. They feel personal. They feel true. Tip 3: Live the story every single time you tell it. You might've told this story a hundred times. To you, it's old. But to your audience? It's brand new. So feel it again. Be happy at the joyful moments. Feel the weight of the hard parts. Make them believe you're reliving the worst—or best—night of your life right in front of them. - Don't phone it in because you're tired of the story. - Do bring fresh emotion to each telling. - Remember: your energy shapes their experience. If you're checked out, they'll check out too. ~ Emotion is what separates us from machines. It's what makes a story yours—and no one else's. Next time you sit down to write, forget the frameworks for a minute. Feel first. Write second. #storytelling #business #AI #life #work

To build emotional resonance, you need to connect with your audience on a personal level—and that starts with knowing them deeply. This goes beyond basic demographics like age, location, or income. Emotional connection happens when you understand their values, fears, and motivations. → Start by observing conversations in your niche. Look at social media comments, forums, or community spaces where your audience hangs out. → Pay attention to the language they use—what words and phrases pop up often? These conversations provide clues about their emotional triggers and concerns, which you can reflect in your messaging. → Conduct open-ended surveys that ask “why” questions rather than just “what” questions. For example, instead of asking which features they like, ask why those features matter to them. This reveals the emotions behind their preferences, helping you create messages that align with their deeper needs. → Lean into behavioral data. What content do they engage with the most? Which emails get opened and which links get clicked? Patterns in behavior tell a story—identify what topics capture their interest and shape future content around those insights. → Build personas that reflect real challenges and aspirations. Instead of general personas, create living profiles that evolve as you learn more about your audience. Use specific examples or anecdotes that help your team see the audience as individuals, not just statistics. → Most importantly, listen without assumptions. Don’t assume you know what your audience wants—stay curious, ask questions, and let their responses shape your strategy. When your audience feels understood, your content naturally becomes more engaging and emotionally resonant. Knowing your audience deeply means being present in their world. When you tap into their motivations and speak directly to their fears and aspirations, your message cuts through the noise and builds meaningful, lasting connections. #storytelling #marketing #customermarketing

Do you know the one rule I keep coming back to when we’re cracking a campaign line? Keep it simple. And keep it sexy. Not sexy in the trendy, over-glossed way. Sexy in the way that feels effortless. Sticky. Clear. The kind of line that makes you pause for half a second and think, ""Huh, that’s smart."" We were brainstorming the other day, and someone pitched a line that looked great on paper. Sharp language, well-crafted structure. But it didn’t land. It was complicated. And it didn’t make me curious. That’s usually my cue. Because if I have to work to understand a line, it’s already doing too much. The best lines don’t explain themselves. They just land. Like Diesel’s Be Stupid, Nykaa’s Pink Friday Sale and of course The Sorted Girl. All short. All punchy. And all instantly clear. You don’t need to decode what they’re trying to say; you just get it. And a part of you wants to know more. That’s what I mean by simple and sexy. These lines aren’t trying to be clever. They just are. Now compare that to something like NIIT: Future-ready talent for a digital world. It says a lot. But it doesn’t really say much. And that’s the problem with long, safe lines. They check the boxes, but they never stay with you. So whenever I’m stuck, I ask myself three things: Would I remember this if I wasn’t being paid to? Would I say this out loud to a friend? And would it make me pause, even just for a second? Because if the answer is no, then it’s probably not simple. And it’s definitely not sexy. #TheSortedGirl #BrandCommunication #BrandStrategist #BrandConsultant

People often ask me — "Divas, how do your 1-minute videos connect so deeply?" "Is there a script formula?" "Do you plan every word?" Yes… and no. Because for me, it’s not about what I say. It’s about what people feel. Here’s how I personally structure every 1-minute reel I post — and why it works: 1. I Start With a Line That Interrupts the Scroll I never say “Hi guys…” or “Today I’ll talk about…” Instead, I start with something that punches gently. Something true and undeniable. Like: “You’ve been breathing wrong your whole life while speaking.” “Mirror practice is the worst advice I ever got.” Because if I don’t grab their attention in 3 seconds, I’ve lost them. 2. I Use a Story That Feels Like You’ve Lived It Too I don’t talk at people. I talk with them — like I’m sitting on the floor with a friend. I might share: A stammering moment from school. A CEO who blanked out in a boardroom. A client who cried during voice coaching. Why? Because people share videos that feel like their own story. If someone watches and says, “This is me. This is exactly how I feel.” — they’ll tag, comment, forward, remember. 3. I Say One Thing That Lands Like a Truth Bomb Not a motivational quote. A felt realization. Like: “Your voice isn’t broken. It’s protecting you.” “You don’t need English. You need courage.” “You’re not afraid of speaking. You’re afraid of being seen.” That’s what creates that 3-second pause after watching — The good kind of silence. 4. I Always End With Permission, Not Pressure No "Like and share" callouts. Instead, I say: “Try this today, just once.” “If this helped, send it to someone who needs it.” It’s never about pushing content. It’s about pulling people into a conversation with themselves. That’s how I build 1-minute videos that go far. Because people don’t share perfection. They share truth.

“Shivani… I see sooo many creators write scripts so raw I instantly relate to them. Like, how do they even remember their feelings? How do they turn emotions into such powerful stories? Because when I sit to script… I just go blank. I know I felt something, but I can’t seem to go deep enough.” A client confessed this to me last week. She was fully Frustrated! And was feeling stuck… Not because she lacked ideas. Not because she couldn’t write. But because she couldn’t translate her lived experience into words! Maybe you’ve felt this too? Here’s what I told her (and what I’ll tell you): 👉 You don’t have a creativity problem. You have a recall problem. Let’s unpack it: 1: “But I remember the big stuff!” Sure. But do you remember the texture of it? Like, how your chest tightened before sending that first DM? Or the exact thought in your head when your reel flopped after 3 hours of editing? Most creators skip the microscope moments but that’s where the magic lives. It’s not about grand emotions. It’s about ordinary details people recognize as their own. 2: “I can’t access my feelings when I sit to script.” Of course not, scripting isn’t therapy. You won’t magically recall what scared you last Thursday. That’s why memory capture is your best friend. When something hits you: frustration, fear, tiny win, jot it instantly. A sticky note. A phone note. A voice memo that says: ➡️ “I almost cried when Zoom crashed mid-pitch.” ➡️ “Felt proud when a stranger DMed me ‘your post saved my day.’” Stack enough of these, and scripting stops being blank-page panic. It becomes weaving what you already caught into storylines. 3: “But my stories don’t sound as good as theirs.” That’s because you’re polishing too early. Raw stories aren’t written polished. They’re written messy first, shaped later. The creators you admire aren’t “better feelers.” They’re better record-keepers. They hoard tiny truths until they have gold to refine. Your job isn’t to out-feel them. It’s to out-capture them. Content doesn’t connect because it’s perfect. It connects because it’s precise. Not “I was nervous.” But “I stared at the blinking cursor and wondered if anyone even cared.” That’s the line that makes someone whisper, “This is so me.” That’s how your stories stop sounding like “content” and start sounding like confessions. And if you’re ready to master content writing that cuts deep, not shallow? DM me “Olive” and I’ll show you my Recall-to-Story Method.

I've worked on several manuscripts where the writer didn't quite trust the reader. A character frowns and slams a door and the next line explains that they are upset and the slamming was done in anger. Best believe if I frown and slam a door in the same breath, it is not because I am brimming with happiness and rainbows. And best believe your readers know that too. These manuscripts leave no room for interpretation, and isn't art about interpretation? When you name every emotion and translate every action, you're controlling the story to the point of dictatorship. Your readers feel like you're looking over their shoulder and pointing at every scene you believe is important for them to notice (which, in this case, is everything). When you do this, you tire your readers. How many ways can you write the word 'angry'? Readers don't need to be told everything. In fact, part of what makes a story engaging is the small act of discovery. That aha moment, and secret chuckle when they know something and give themselves a pat on the back because 'you're so smart!' So, when your editor removes those unnecessary words and you want to throw a fit, first calm down. Manage! You won't die. Try it and notice how silence does more of the sweet work than thorough explanations ever could.