How to use it
- Paste your script Or type it. The word count and time update as you go.
- Pick your pace Slow, normal or fast, or time yourself reading it aloud.
- See where to cut Choose a length; words past it fade out.
“Time yourself” is the most accurate option: press it, read your script out loud the way you would on camera, then press Done. The timer works out your own words per minute and uses it from then on.
How many words fit in a short?
At a normal pace (about 150 words a minute in English, about 120 in Arabic), roughly this many words fit in each length:
| Length | English | Arabic |
|---|---|---|
| 15 seconds | 37 words | 30 words |
| 30 seconds | 75 words | 60 words |
| 60 seconds | 150 words | 120 words |
| 90 seconds | 225 words | 180 words |
| 3 minutes | 450 words | 360 words |
These are averages, not rules. About 150 words a minute is the figure usually given for English conversation, and podcast hosts often talk a little faster. A study of Arabic speakers measured about 115 to 120 words a minute in conversation: Arabic fits more into each word, so it’s said at fewer words a minute.
Writing a script for a short
- Open with your strongest line, not a greeting
- One idea per short
- Short sentences you can say in one breath
- Cut every word that doesn’t change the meaning
- End on the payoff, not a summary
Most good shorts land between 20 and 60 seconds, though YouTube allows up to 3 minutes. If your script runs long, it’s often two shorts. More in how long a YouTube Short can be.
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Many creators don’t script shorts at all. They cut them from long videos, where they were already talking naturally, and the best lines are already there.
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