Video essays are a research-heavy, long-form medium where the quality of the final video is largely determined at the script stage. Unlike other YouTube formats, production cannot save a weak argument or unclear structure.
This is why video essays require a different writing approach. Think of a video essay script as the blueprint that your house is built on. If the blueprint is off, then the house will collapse.
With all of this in mind, here’s a specific, tailored guide about how to write a video essay.
1.Figure out your topic.
Before you can start writing, you need to decide what you’re writing about. Ask yourself:
- What topic I writing about?
- Why do I want to write about it?
- Is it a good fit for my audience?
These three questions will guide your initial exploration and help you pin down the core of your script. You can use the answers to these questions as your “north star” while writing, which will help your script be more intentional, and help you save time in the long run.
It’s alright if your topic is broad at this stage of the process, but it can’t stay broad forever. Video essays are essays, after all. Audiences expect a level of academic sensibility, fairness, and most importantly of all, an argument.
2.Develop an Argument.
You have a topic and now you need to find your argument. Video essays always argue a point or a perspective, even if it may not seem like it outright.
You may already know what you want to argue, which is great, but most arguments will naturally arise from digging into preliminary research.
Approach this without preconceptions or conclusions about your topic, because you may come out of it reinforcing your own confirmation bias instead of building a credible argument.
Once you find the angle you want to argue, you’re ready to properly get into the thick of it.
3. Research.
The research you’ve done up to this point may be sufficient, but it’s always a good idea to research what you’re arguing (not just the topic you’re arguing about) by using a process of:
- Looking for research to back up your argument,
- Finding a connected source,
- Creating a conclusion.
For example, you could be arguing that contemporary pop is becoming more individualistic and driven by personal brand. You’ve probably done some research into pop music trends, but you may find a surprising number of sources about how personal brand affects artist popularity.
A really strong source that directly relates to your argument can be difficult to find, but it can also become the backbone of your script and the foundation of your argument.
This is just one example. No matter your topic, try to have fun with your research. Nothing is set in stone, and you can indulge your special interests.
However, you also need to know when to stop. A lot of creators get stuck in research spirals that burn their time and make their scriptwriting process unsustainable.
The best way to avoid this is to accept that research will be an ongoing process. Limit yourself to a certain number of sources or topics for this initial research session. You can always research more if you need a specific source later on.
4. Plan.
Up until now, we’ve been treating this script like an essay, not a video. This is the step where that changes and where the real work comes in.
You may have already been planning your script at the research stage, and chances are you have a good idea of what your ideas look like and how you want to organise them. The complicated part is turning all that research and all those ideas into a clear, concise argument.
A plan is crucial for this type of work. It lets you get a bird’s-eye view of your argument’s progression, and it highlights any holes in your research.
The main thing to keep in mind is that this is the stage start synthesizing a compelling argument from the ideas and sources you’ve picked up along the way.
How you go about this exactly depends a lot on you and how you work.
If you like the sound of a structured plan, then you may be a “structural” writer, aka someone who plans everything out before they start drafting (I also fall into this category!).
You could also be an “exploratory” writer, meaning someone who writes without a structure and figures it out as they go.
It’s all dependent on you and your process, but you have to be aware of which way you are currently working and see if that way is helping you reach your goals.
5.Write
It is perhaps ironic that the “fastest” part of the video essay scriptwriting process is the actual writing (assuming you’ve set yourself up for success in the previous steps!).
If you’re a structural writer, this should be more about defining flow and enhancing retention. If you’re an exploratory writer, then this will probably be the bulk of your work.
Either way, as with most writing advice, focus on writing the first draft. You can always edit later.
6. Edit & Polish.
Once you’ve written a first pass of the script, leave it for a bit. Then come back to it fresh, and edit or even rewrite.
There is no rule on the exact number of drafts you need, but the main advice is that you should split up your writing process into separate phases. You can’t be editing and writing at the same time.
At this stage you may have incredible points, but if they’re too dense and confusing, then your audience may struggle to understand it.
The best rule of thumb with video essays is to keep things clear and concise. The value in your script comes from your information and analysis, so don’t be scared to include that, but be aware that it has to be entertaining and understandable.
What that means will be different for every creator and every channel, so listen to your creative instincts and to your audience’s feedback.
7. Final Thoughts & Examples.
Once you have the script done, then you’re ready for production! Take a moment to be grateful for all the work you’ve just done, and be excited about all the time you’ve just saved your future self.
Video essays reward intentional thinking. They are built on argument design, research discipline, and structural clarity far more than stylistic flair (but there’s also space for that too!).
If you want to see some examples of this type of scriptwriting process at work, you can do so here.