Guides / Writing
How long should a YouTube script be? Words per minute, explained
Short answer: most people speak about 150 words a minute on camera. So a 5 minute video needs a script of about 750 words, and a 10 minute video about 1,500.
Below is a quick chart, how to find your own speed, and why the right length is usually shorter than you think.
Words per minute chart
The same numbers as a list:
- YouTube Short (under 60 seconds): about 100 to 150 words
- 1 minute: about 150 words
- 3 minutes: about 450 words
- 5 minutes: about 750 words
- 8 minutes: about 1,200 words
- 10 minutes: about 1,500 words
- 15 minutes: about 2,250 words
B-roll with no talking, demos and pauses add time on top of this, so a script for a tutorial with lots of screen time can be shorter for the same video length.
Find your own speed
- Take any paragraph of your script, around 150 words.
- Read it out loud the way you would on camera, with a timer.
- Divide the words by the minutes. 150 words in 1 minute 10 seconds is about 130 words a minute.
- Use your number instead of 150 from now on.
Fast talkers are often at 170 or more, calm explainers closer to 120. Neither is wrong, but your script length should match.
See the length while you write
In Cuely, the script editor shows the word count, the video length at 150 words a minute and the number of sections right under your title. It only counts the lines you will say, not section names or shot notes, and it updates as you type.
Should your video be longer?
Make the video as long as the promise needs, and no longer. A tight 6 minute video usually holds people better than a padded 10 minute one. If you are cutting to hit a length, cut setup and repeats first. If you are adding, add examples, not more introduction.
Questions
How many words is a 10 minute YouTube video?
About 1,500 words at 150 words a minute. Check your own speed: it can be anywhere from 120 to 170.
Do I need a full script or just bullet points?
A full script helps most with the hook and the ending, where every word matters. Some creators script those two parts in full and talk through the middle from notes.