YouTube Shorts Script Generator

Turn Ideas into High-Retention YouTube Shorts Scripts

Shorts move quickly. You do not have time for slow intros or vague promises. This prompt builder helps you brief AI so every Short opens strong, delivers one clear idea, and ends with a deliberate next step. It lives inside the AI Prompt Generator Hub, so your Shorts prompts can stay connected to your long-form scripts, descriptions, and broader content system.

For planning the bigger picture, you can combine this page with the YouTube Script Prompt Generator and the ChatGPT Prompt Generator so that long videos, Shorts, and supporting content all start from the same core ideas.

Generate Shorts Script Prompt

No login. Free to use. Works with any AI model.

Best for: YouTube Shorts and vertical content
Optimized for: Hook rate and retention
Works with: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini

Shorts Script Prompt Builder

Describe your idea, niche, and goal. Get a detailed Shorts script prompt you can paste into ChatGPT.

Shorts topic

Channel niche

Goal of this Short

Target length

Tone and style

Generated prompt

You are a YouTube Shorts scriptwriter who specializes in high-retention vertical videos.

Write a complete YouTube Shorts script based on the details below.

- Shorts topic: a simple productivity trick that saves people 1 hour per day
- Channel niche: productivity and creator workflows for YouTube and content
- Goal of this Short: Drive new viewers to the channel
- Target duration: 30 seconds
- Tone and voice: fast-paced, friendly, and conversational

Requirements:
- Hook viewers in the first 1–2 seconds with a bold statement, pattern interrupt, or surprising fact.
- Structure the script for vertical viewing with fast pacing and minimal fluff.
- Include explicit instructions for on-screen text and simple visual cues in brackets.
- Use short, punchy sentences that are easy to read as captions.
- End with a clear call to action aligned with the goal.

Output format:
- Script broken into beats with approximate timestamps (0–3s, 3–10s, etc.).
- On-screen text suggestions in brackets where useful.
- Spoken lines written as natural speech, not blog text.

Paste this into ChatGPT or your favorite AI tool to generate a YouTube Shorts script.

How to Use AI to Script YouTube Shorts

Shorts give you only a few seconds to earn attention. That means your prompts need to be much more specific about hooks, pacing, and visual cues than for a long-form script. Instead of asking AI to write a generic script, you brief it like a creative director.

This Shorts script generator is designed to capture the pieces that matter most: topic, niche, goal, duration, and tone. When you give AI that context, it can write scripts that feel designed for vertical viewing instead of repurposed from a blog post.

You can reuse the same structure across many Shorts themes, keeping your channel style consistent while experimenting with new ideas.

Best ChatGPT Prompts for YouTube Shorts Scripts

The strongest Shorts prompts specify the hook, the central idea, and the call to action. They tell AI to avoid rambling and to structure the script as beats instead of paragraphs.

Effective prompts often include:

A one-sentence summary of the Short's main idea.
The niche and viewer profile, such as busy creators or students.
The desired outcome: views, subscribers, clicks, or saves.
The target duration and pacing style.
Instructions to include on-screen text and visual suggestions.

When you combine these elements, AI can give you scripts that are much closer to publish-ready.

A Simple Structure for High-Retention Shorts

Most Shorts can follow a simple template that keeps viewers hooked without feeling repetitive.

Hook: Open with tension, curiosity, or a bold claim.
Setup: In a sentence or two, explain what you are about to show or reveal.
Delivery: Walk through the tip, transformation, or story in a tight sequence.
Payoff: Show the result or key realization quickly and clearly.
CTA: Ask viewers to watch a related long-form video, subscribe, or save the Short.

This page's prompt nudges AI to follow a beat-based structure so that flow becomes repeatable.

Example YouTube Shorts Script Prompts

Below are a few example prompts you could construct with this tool. Use them as patterns and replace the niche and topic with your own.

Free YouTube Shorts Script Prompt Template

Use this template to brief ChatGPT or any AI model to write Shorts scripts that are optimized for hooks and retention.

Copy-paste Shorts script template

You are a YouTube Shorts scriptwriter who specializes in high-retention vertical videos.

Write a complete YouTube Shorts script using these details:
- Topic: [what this Short is about in one sentence]
- Channel niche: [e.g. productivity, creator tips, tech explainers]
- Goal of this Short: [views, subscribers, link clicks, saves]
- Target duration: [15/30/45/60 seconds]
- Tone and style: [e.g. punchy, energetic, calm, playful]

Requirements:
- Hook viewers in the first 1–2 seconds with a bold or surprising opening.
- Structure the script as beats with approximate timestamps (0–3s, 3–10s, etc.).
- Include on-screen text suggestions in brackets where helpful.
- Use short, punchy sentences that read well as captions.
- End with a clear call to action tied to the goal.

Output:
- Beat-by-beat script with timestamps.
- Spoken lines formatted for natural speech, not long paragraphs.

Example YouTube Shorts Script Prompts

These examples show how different channels can brief AI to write Shorts that support their long-form content and offers.

Productivity channel

Write a YouTube Shorts script about one small change that makes editing videos twice as fast, for a productivity channel aimed at part-time creators who want to publish weekly without burning out.

Faceless finance channel

Create a 30-second script for a faceless finance Shorts channel explaining the difference between good and bad debt to beginners in their first job.

Educational coding channel

Generate a Shorts script that explains a tricky coding concept in 45 seconds, aimed at beginners learning to code after work and linking to a full YouTube tutorial in the description.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a YouTube Short be?

Many high-performing Shorts are between 20 and 40 seconds, but anything under 60 seconds can work if the pacing is tight and the idea is clear.

Can I reuse this prompt for TikTok and Reels?

Yes. The same script can often be reused across YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels with only minor changes to the CTA and formatting.

Should I write Shorts scripts before or after filming?

Many creators batch scripts first, then film several Shorts in one session. Others record loosely and use AI later to clean up the captions. This prompt works best for planning ahead.

Can AI write Shorts that still feel like me?

Yes, if you give it examples of your current scripts and ask it to match your tone. You can also ask for multiple drafts and edit the best one.

How many Shorts should I script at once?

A good rhythm is scripting 5–10 Shorts at a time, then filming and scheduling them in a separate block of time to reduce context switching.

Can this help with faceless Shorts?

Yes. Just mention that the channel is faceless and describe the type of visuals you will use so AI can align the script with that style.

Do I still need to test hooks manually?

AI can give you strong starting points, but you will still learn the most by testing different hooks, thumbnails, and ideas over time.

Should Shorts always promote long-form videos?

Not always. Some Shorts are best used for discovery and subscriber growth. You can decide case by case and ask AI to tailor the CTA accordingly.

Related Tools for YouTube Creators

Combine this Shorts script generator with other tools to build a complete vertical content system.

YouTube Video Idea Generator

Map out Shorts and long-form series from the same strategy.

Faceless YouTube Script Prompt

Turn faceless long-form ideas into scripts that pair with Shorts.

YouTube Script Prompt Generator

Write long-form scripts that deepen topics introduced in Shorts.

YouTube Thumbnail Prompt Generator

Design thumb styles that work across Shorts and long-form.

YouTube Tags Generator

Generate tags that connect Shorts to related videos on your channel.

YouTube Hashtag Generator

Build hashtag sets you can reuse across multiple Shorts.

Want More Advanced Prompts?

Get a free PDF with 50 high-retention YouTube script, title, and Shorts prompts you can use with ChatGPT or Claude. Use them alongside this Shorts script generator to plan weeks of content.