How I Write Scripts

So, I've been asked to elaborate a bit further on how I go about writing scripts, and I figured this would be a good place to do it! Script writing is my least favorite part of the video making process. It takes up the most time for me, and it's really tedious. I'd start doing shows where I don't need a script, but unfortunately I'm horribly unfunny if I'm just improvising. The actual process is pretty simple. It's the second step in creating a video (for me, at least), right after I play the game. Once I've played through the game and recorded all of the game footage, I start watching that footage back and begin writing. That's why my videos seem more like scripted lets plays, because instead of hopping around to talk about graphics, sound, etc., it's all just in order of how I experienced it. Usually I just write the first thing that comes to mind, then go back and smooth it over once I've finished the first draft. If you're wanting help on writing jokes... I'm afraid I can't help you, there. There's no method to that madness, I pretty much just write down the first thought that comes to mind. Formatting is incredibly simple. I write in Courier New, because that font is easy to read when it comes time for voice over, and I can get a good idea of how long the video will be since I've written a lot of scripts in that font. I put on-screen footage in bold, so that once I've set up the camera, I can quickly scroll through and see what I need to film. I also highlight jokes (no matter how bad they may be), so I can make sure that my ratio of informing/entertaining is good. I like to have a nice balance of actually talking about the game, and making fun of it. If there's not enough highlighting going on, I'll add some jokes. If there's too much, I'll cut a few. I make editing notes [in brackets], so I know not to read those parts aloud, but I can remember what I was thinking when I wrote that line. Once I've got something I'm happy with, I'll read the script aloud. This is an important step for me, because it helps me realize what sounds good and what doesn't. The delivery I heard in my head might not work in reality, and it's a good way to make sure my sentences actually, well, make sense. Once I've done that, I move on to recording! This is only one way to do it, though, there's no "right" way to do any part of the creative process. I get messages from people saying they're stuck on a script, or they're not sure how to start. If you're looking to do something funny and the jokes just aren't coming, watch a funny movie or TV show to get you in the mood! If you don't know how to start a script... well, just start writing! Write anything down, and if you're not happy with it, you can find a way to revise it. I revise my scripts multiple times. It's way easier to revise something you've already written than to just write something amazing right off the bat. The more you write, the easier it will be to tell what works and what doesn't. There's no rule book to tell you how to do something, but you develop a gut feeling... a spidey-sense of what works well and what doesn't. But something like that doesn't happen right off the bat (for most people, at least), so you have to actually spend time improving your skills. To all those out there trying to get in the video making game, I wish you the best with your scripts! It may not become a more fun process, but with practice it can be more... bearable. I guess.