YouTube Shorts reward retention curves, not just hooks — a great opener with a flat middle still gets buried, because the algorithm watches for the second-loop reframe at 8 seconds, the payoff at 25, and whether the viewer makes it to the end card at all. These prompts force a designed retention curve at named timestamps, not a vague “make it engaging” instruction, plus a sub-CTA that’s actually earned by the time you ask. Pair with TikTok hook prompts for the opening 3 seconds specifically.
Best for
- Faceless channels
- Personal-brand creators
- Educational shorts
- Channel-trailer shorts
- Repurposed long-form
1. 30-second educational short
Write a 30-second YouTube Short script on "{topic}" for audience {persona}. Output: 3-second hook, 18 seconds of payoff (3 micro-points), 9-second close with sub-CTA. Include on-screen text cues at each 3-sec mark.2. 60-second tutorial short
Write a 60-second Shorts tutorial on "{task}". Output: 4-sec hook, 4 micro-steps (each ~12 sec), 4-sec recap with sub-CTA. Each step needs an action verb + visual cue. End with "now subscribe for {next thing}".3. Retention-curve script
Write a 45-second Shorts script designed for a retention curve. Output: hook (0-3s), reframe (8s), payoff 1 (15s), tension (25s), payoff 2 (35s), close (42s). Mark each timestamp with what happens visually.4. Faceless-channel narration
Write a 40-second Shorts script for a faceless channel on {niche}. Output: voiceover script + 8 visual b-roll cues + on-screen text every 5 seconds. Voice tone: {tone}.5. Channel-trailer short
Write a 40-second channel-trailer Shorts script. Channel is about {topic} for {audience}. Output: who-this-is-for hook (3s), what-you-get (15s), why-me (10s), sub-CTA + 1 playlist link (12s).6. Long-form → Shorts repurpose
Below is a 10-minute long-form video transcript. Extract 3 short-form scripts (≤60s each). Each must stand alone — no "as I mentioned in part 2". Mark which moments in the long-form become which short.
{paste transcript}7. Listicle short
Write a 50-second "{N} {things} for {audience}" Shorts script. Each item ≤8 seconds, with a clear transition cue ("number 3..."). End with a tease for #{N+1} that lives on the long-form video.8. Reaction / reply short
I want to reply to {comment / video / claim}. Write a 35-second Shorts script. Output: quote the claim, my actual position in 1 sentence, evidence in 20 seconds, sub-CTA tied to a deeper long-form video.9. Mini-explainer of a complex topic
Explain {complex concept} in a 45-second Shorts script for a {beginner audience}. Use one analogy carried through the whole video. End with "if this clicked, my long-form goes deeper". Mark visual cues.10. “Watch the full video” tease
I want this Short to drive views to my long-form on {topic}. Write a 30-second script that delivers a real micro-payoff (1 useful thing) and earns the click for the long-form by promising 3 more.11. Hook + on-screen text generator
For Shorts script on "{topic}", generate the first 3 seconds: spoken hook + first frame on-screen text + visual cue at sec 0. Give 6 variants.12. Retention-drop diagnoser
Below is my Shorts script and retention chart (paste timestamps + % retained). Diagnose where the curve drops and propose script edits that hold retention longer. Output: timestamp, current line, proposed line, why.
{paste}Common mistakes
- Hook 4+ seconds long — drop-off hits before the payoff curve starts
- No second-loop reframe around the 8-second mark — viewer disengages mid-payoff
- Sub-CTA before the viewer has gotten any value yet — “subscribe!” lands wrong
- Short that needs context from a long-form to make sense — every Short must stand alone
- Same script template across very different topics — pacing should match topic energy
- End-card baked into final 2 seconds with no visual change — viewers swipe before the CTA loads