Free tool
Free YouTube Shorts Script Generator
Type a topic and pick a length. You get a Shorts script split into scenes of about five seconds each, built on hook, open loop, escalation, twist and payoff, plus a list of facts to verify before you publish.
How the script is built
Every script follows the same five beats. They come from how the best explainer Shorts hold attention: open a question fast, make the viewer wait for the answer, and make each line more surprising than the one before.
The lines are joined by tension, not lists. Each scene follows from the one before through "but", "so" or "which means", never "and then". That is what makes a script sound like one story instead of a stack of fact cards.
The hook decides whether anyone hears the rest. If the first line of your draft is weak, run the topic through the Shorts hook generator and swap in a stronger opener.
| Beat | Where it sits | Its job |
|---|---|---|
| Hook | Line 1, under 3 seconds | A specific claim or question. No greeting, no "In this video". |
| Open loop | Lines 2 to 3 | Tease the most surprising part without revealing it. |
| Escalation | The middle | Each line more surprising or higher-stakes than the last. |
| Twist | The last third | Reframe what the viewer thought they knew. |
| Payoff and loop | The last 1 to 2 lines | Answer the hook, close the loop, and flow back into line 1. |
How long should a YouTube Shorts script be?
Shorts can now run up to three minutes, but most explainer Shorts land between 30 and 60 seconds, which is what the tool writes. Plan by scenes: one line of narration is about five seconds on screen.
For word counts, assume a calm narration pace of about 150 words a minute. That is a planning number, not a rule. A brisk narrator fits more words; a dramatic one fits fewer.
| Length | Scenes (lines) | About this many words | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 seconds | 6 | 75 | One surprising fact with a single twist. |
| 45 seconds | 9 | 110 | A question with a short chain of cause and effect. |
| 60 seconds | 12 | 150 | A small story with an open loop and a real twist. |
Example: a 45-second script, line by line
Here is the kind of script the tool writes, edited and checked by hand. The topic was "why wombat poop is cube-shaped", and the facts come from Physics World's report on the Georgia Tech study.
- Line 1, hook: a claim that sounds impossible, in nine words.
- Line 2, open loop: kills the obvious guess and promises a stranger answer.
- Lines 3 to 7, escalation: each line narrows where and how the cube forms. Note the "So", "But" and "And" hand-offs.
- Line 8, payoff: why the shape may help, stated as a "may", because that is what the research says.
- Line 9, loop ending: the last words run straight into line 1, so a rewatch sounds like one sentence.
Why wombat poop is cube-shaped
- CUBESWombats are the only animals known to poop cubes.
- People used to guess they had a square bottom. The real answer is stranger, and it hides at the very end of the gut.
- So in 2018, a team at Georgia Tech did the obvious thing. They looked inside.
- They studied two wombats that had been hit by cars in Tasmania.
- LAST 8%For most of the trip through the gut, the poop is a normal blob. It only gets corners in the last half meter.
- But why there? When the team inflated that last section, its wall did not stretch evenly.
- STIFF VS STRETCHYSome strips stretched about three times as much as others. The stretchy strips seem to form the corners, and the stiff ones the flat sides.
- And the shape may be useful. Wombats leave droppings on rocks and logs, and a cube does not roll away.
- So it is not a square bottom. It is a gut with stiff and stretchy stripes, which is exactly why
Edit the draft before you record
The generator gives you a structured first draft. These five passes turn it into a script you can stand behind.
- Check every item on the facts list. The tool does not browse the web, so nothing in the script is fact-checked. Find a reliable source for each claim, and see how to fact-check an AI script for a quick method.
- Keep claims no stronger than the source. Ranges stay ranges, "usually" stays "usually", and "suggests" never becomes "proved".
- Read it aloud in one breath. Rewrite any line that sounds like a separate fact card, or swap an "and then" for "but" or "so".
- Cut banned phrases. "Did you know", "let's dive in", "stay tuned", "mind-blowing" and "in today's video" all cost you seconds.
- Test the loop. Say the last line and then the first. If they don't join up, rewrite the last line, not the hook.
Turn the script into a finished Short
A script still needs pictures, a voice and captions. StickTale does that part. It starts from your question, does its own research, writes a retention-planned script with the same beats as above, then draws one consistent stick-figure character in every scene, narrates the script in one take, adds captions and exports a 1080p MP4. The app is in private beta with a waitlist, and it is paid only: Starter is $19 a month for 15 minutes of video and Creator is $49 a month for 45 minutes (full pricing). To see the whole workflow, read how to make a stickman explainer video.
Questions
How long should a YouTube Shorts script be?
For most explainer Shorts, 30 to 60 seconds: about 75 words for 30 seconds, 110 for 45 and 150 for 60, at a calm pace of around 150 words a minute. Shorts can be up to three minutes, but only go longer if every line still adds something new.
How many words is a 60-second Shorts script?
About 150 words at a calm narration pace, split into roughly 12 lines of about five seconds each. A fast narrator might fit 170; a slow, dramatic one closer to 130. Time yourself reading it once and adjust.
How do you write a script for YouTube Shorts?
Start with a hook under three seconds, tease the most surprising part early, escalate with each line, add a twist in the last third, and end by answering the hook with a line that loops back to the start. Join scenes with "but" and "so", not "and then".
Is the script generator free?
Yes, it is free with no signup. A fair-use limit per person per hour and per day keeps it available for everyone. It works best in English and answers in the language you type the topic in.
Does the generator check its facts?
No. It does not browse the web, so it can be wrong. That is why every script comes with a list of facts to verify. Check each one against a reliable source and soften any line that claims more than the source does.
What is a loop ending on a Short?
A last line that flows straight into the first, so a viewer who rewatches hears one continuous sentence. In the wombat example, the script ends "which is exactly why" and the first line is "Wombats are the only animals known to poop cubes."
Updated October 23, 2026
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