Retention Scripting Template

Story Structures

Rehooks List

• "That's when it hit me…"

• "And that's when I realized"

• "Here's where I messed up…"

• "I didn't realize it until…"

• "At first, I didn't get it…"

• "Looking back, it makes sense…"

• "I was so focused on X… I forgot about Y."

• "Okay wait, hold on…"

• "I told myself it didn't matter…"

• "You know that feeling when…"

• "I couldn't shake the thought that…"

• "No one talks about this, but…"

• "And that's when everything changed."

• "Until one day… everything changed."

• "Suddenly, it all made sense."

• "I was doing it wrong the whole time."

• "You see the problem right?"

• "After that, everything got easier."

• "That one shift changed everything."

• "Turns out, that was the missing piece."

• "So if you've been feeling the same way…"

• "And if you're still stuck, try this…"

• "But here's the part most people skip…"

Tension Loop

• "wait for it."

• "you'll see why in a second."

• "before i tell you [X], I have to explain [Y]."

Sentence Start List

1. "and"

2. "but"

3. "then"

4. "so"

5. "because"

6. "now"

7. "therefore"

8. "however"

9. "until"

10. "which"

Reminder: as you write, use a phrase from the Tension Loop list above to open a question early and hold off answering it, that's what keeps them watching through to the takeaway.

RELATABLE PAIN HOOK (1 sentence: dream result/pain point)

Hook Templates:

• "I don't know who needs to hear this, but..."

• I [dream]/[pain] [time]

• [time], I [dream] 'cause I [pain]

• today, I woke up and [dream]/[pain]

• I'm a [profile] who/and [dream]/[pain]

• one thing you need if you wanna [dream]

• I've always wondered if i could [challenge]

• [time] ago I promised the world I'd [dream]

• as soon as I started [dream] [time] ago, I [pain]

• is it possible to [dream] without [pain] in [time]?

• the reason why you [pain] isn't because of [dream]

• for the past [time] I've been [dream] 'cause I'm [pain]

• here's how to get [dream] in under [time] as a [profile]

• I figured out how to [dream] and I'm gonna prove it in [time]

Goal: Stop scroll + Strike emotion. Make viewer feel "wtf, this is me."

• First 1.5 seconds (15 words or less)

• Use a universal belief, fear, dream, pain, or shame thought. Try to use "you"

• Should sound natural, feel honest. emotionally hit, and be straight to the point

• 🔁 This is a natural place to plant your first tension loop — open something you won't resolve until the takeaway.

Does your final hook hit all 3 A's?

• Appealing → grabs attention fast

• Affective → makes them feel something

• Authentic → true to your story & your walk

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BACKSTORY / SETUP (2-4 short sentences about context/struggle)

Templates:

• "2 years ago, I was in college, posting random videos from my dorm."

• "I had 0 followers, no strategy, just posting random Among Us memes."

• "I told myself every day for 4 months straight that I'd start tomorrow."

Goal: Make story feel personal, real, and vulnerable. Creates the "literally me" connection.

• No sentence longer than 12 words (story progresses quicker, more early dopamine)

• Inject specific language (locations, age, exact numbers) "I used to..." → "2 years ago,"

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BREAKING POINT (1-2 sentences for epiphany)

Templates

• "But nothing ever changed."

• "It finally hit me: grinding harder wasn't the answer."

• "I wasn't lazy. I was burnt out."

Goal: Reveal the moment everything changed.

• Describe your transformation in one MOMENT, not a gradual process. "I started to realize" → "I saw this Reel that said..."

• Use contrast words: but, until, then I realized

• 🔁 Good spot for a second loop — tease that you found the fix without naming it yet.

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TAKEAWAY (2-3 sentences about main point/solution)

Templates:

• "The truth is, shame doesn't make you more disciplined. It just makes you hate the process."

• "Once I stopped trying to be perfect, I started making actual progress. I started hitting the gym every day consistently, instead of once a week."

• "Work doesn't feel hard anymore because I like who I am when I'm working."

Goal: Delivers the unexpected truth. Feels earned not preachy, after the story.
Inject self-deprecating joke to break the "guru" tone.

• 1 sentence of what resulted AFTER you applied this wisdom. (this is the "payoff")
  "Once I applied this wisdom, my business scaled from $10k to $100k a month."

• 🔁 Close out any loops you opened above here — this is the payoff, not before.

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SOFT CTA (Optional) (1 sentence)

Templates:

• "So comment 'monk mode' if this is where you're at."

• "And save this for a day you forget your why."

• "But I'm breaking this down deeper in my class this week."

• "Aight? I'll see yall tomorrow."

Purpose: Invite next step without sounding desperate or pitchy.

• Make the CTA build on the previous sentence, using "But, And, So"

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BONUS SCRIPTING RESOURCES:

Written

ChatGPT - dip

Script / Story

Talking Head

Long Form Scriptwriting

Video

▶ how to write valuable storytelling script that keeps viewers hooked