Currently Seeking: In picture books, seeking whimsical and fun adventure stories that allow for the setting and the world around the characters to play just as important of a role
- Women's
- Romantic suspense
- Suspense/thriller
- Historical
- Romance
- Legal and family issues
Currently Seeking: What moves Crystal above all else is simple, open, and honest writing true to an author's wild imagination or lived experience. Anything that brings equal measures of humor, introspection, or feelings of second-hand embarrassment appeals to her. She loves both sweet meandering stories as well as more fraught and thrilling narratives in both YA and adult fiction. Perspectives that make her question the way that she or others move in the world, as well as her assumptions/opinions of societies and systems (à la Black Mirror), are also welcome in her inbox.
Crystal is especially partial to narratives centering Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+, and neurodivergent persons that include joyful, romantic, or lighthearted elements (#ownvoices that aren’t solely issue driven). Crystal is also looking for middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction that explores interpersonal relationships amongst traditional/chosen family members and friends using either realistic or fantastical elements (especially from a first or second-gen immigrant perspective). Fun sleight of hand/heist/spy narratives like the Gallagher Girls series and darker stories along the lines of Coraline are also very welcome.
Ayla Zuraw-Friedland of the David Black Agency
Currently Seeking: In nonfiction, Roose is looking for:
- Women's issues
- Christian living issues
- Devotionals
- Race & culture
- Memoirs
- Narrative nonfiction
In YA fiction, seeking warm romances that capture the magic of teenage summer nights, road trips, and summer camps
Currently Seeking: Margaret is actively looking for attention-grabbing voices especially #ownvoices narratives, literary fiction with teeth, historical fiction with a dash of magical realism, fresh literary and commercial suspense, spooky contemporary and fantasy YA, narratives with a deep sense of place and history, quirky and heartwarming family stories, and rom-coms full of charm and whimsy.
These 7 steps guide you through the process of writing a video script, from initial brief to the final glorious result (which is a detailed blueprint to take you step-by-step through video production).
- Say something unique, not what everyone else says
- Use simple, everyday language over unnecessarily complicated words
- Cut the flab, fluff and superfluous information
- Never repeat yourself unless it's for dramatic effect
- Be prepared to make sacrifices (what's really most important to communicate?)
For help turning your messages into elegant and workable story ideas, plus some video examples, check out our 4 steps to transforming complex ideas into simple video marketing.
Try to get outside of your own head. Remember: your video script needs to appeal to your target audience, not you, your boss or your stakeholders. [Tweet this]
Round-Up: Tell the Right Story
When it comes to script writing, less is always more. Say what you need to say and keep it as short and succinct as possible. We generally try to keep videos to between 2-3 minutes.
(This isn't to say every video you make will be super-short. A good training video can easily be 30 minutes long. But none of that time should be wasted, and every part of the script should be concise, precise and necessary to the video as a whole.)
And don't forget to download our Video Script Template to kick-start the writing process for your next video project today.
This can be a hard process if you're not used to it. An experienced video agency (hello!) will help to write your script, and offer support and advice throughout this entire scripting process.
Sluglines or scene headings tell the reader where the action is happening. And action lines tell us what the actors are doing.
Writing a screenplay is hard enough, don’t waste time in Word, formatting it yourself.
The process of screenwriting is the constant reminder that you are writing for the screen.
W riting a screenplay can be daunting, and there is a ton to consider. However, before you even think about what goes into the document, what is script writing anyway?
Script writing is a very different beast than writing in any other format. Knowing what it entails is critical if you want to have any semblance of a career in the field. So let’s dive into the fundamentals.
Why script writing format?
Well, no one can see his thoughts, so that's not an effective form of communication when writing for the screen. Externalizing the internal is critical to telling a story visually.
This formatting tells the reader where the characters are, or even where you’re taking your audience---a major component of learning to write for a visual medium. See the graphic below to get a better idea.
Also, knowing how to format your screenplay makes it easy to read and therefore easier to sell. Formatting helps agents, managers, and studio readers visualize your movie.
Notice too, how the characters' names are indented clearly identifying who is speaking when.
Sluglines or scene headings tell the reader where the action is happening. And action lines tell us what the actors are doing.
Writing a screenplay is hard enough, don’t waste time in Word, formatting it yourself.
The process of screenwriting is the constant reminder that you are writing for the screen.
W riting a screenplay can be daunting, and there is a ton to consider. However, before you even think about what goes into the document, what is script writing anyway?
Script writing is a very different beast than writing in any other format. Knowing what it entails is critical if you want to have any semblance of a career in the field. So let’s dive into the fundamentals.
Why script writing format?
Well, no one can see his thoughts, so that's not an effective form of communication when writing for the screen. Externalizing the internal is critical to telling a story visually.
This formatting tells the reader where the characters are, or even where you’re taking your audience---a major component of learning to write for a visual medium. See the graphic below to get a better idea.
Also, knowing how to format your screenplay makes it easy to read and therefore easier to sell. Formatting helps agents, managers, and studio readers visualize your movie.
Notice too, how the characters' names are indented clearly identifying who is speaking when.
(Note: If you’re producing an explainer video or product spotlight, follow our guide for writing explainer video scripts, which takes a slightly different approach.)
To help you distill your story, here’s a simple exercise: Write the core story using just five sentences. This forces you to create the “story” skeleton, which you can flesh out later.
A great brand video starts with a great video script, whether you’re making a commercial or explainer video. Voiceover, music, visuals—these devices enhance your story, but that story needs to be on paper first. Your creative team can only do so much to enhance your vision, so it’s important to give them a strong foundation.
Certainly, well-executed humor can prop up your brand message. Other times, however, it may work against the strength of your products or services or erode your credibility.
Step 1: Outline Your Goals
To save you stress, we’ve broken the video script process down into simple steps. Each builds on the next, so you set yourself up for success from the very beginning. We hope you find this guide helpful (and we’d love for you to share your final product with us, too!). Ready to dive in? Let’s go.
Example: Our video for Microsoft/Internet Explorer takes a dramatic approach to announcing the return of the video game Hover.
Once you have the first draft of your video script, grab your hatchet.