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Short-Form Video Scripting

Write the words behind viral Reels, TikToks and Shorts — and get paid to do it.

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About this course

Learn to write short-form video scripts that hook viewers in the first second, hold them to the end, and end with a call-to-action that drives sales or follows. You'll master hooks, story structure, retention, CTAs, scripting around trends, and how to write for yourself or for paying clients. You finish able to deliver clean, ready-to-film scripts a creator or brand can shoot from their phone.

On short-form video, viewers don't decide to keep watching — they decide to leave. Your only job in second one is to pull that thumb back. Today you'll learn why the words you write matter more than the camera, and how scripting turns 400 views into 40,000.

What you'll learn

Course syllabus — 7 lessons

  1. Why short videos live or die in the first second12 min
  2. Hooks: the first line that stops the scroll14 min
  3. Structure: building the middle that keeps them watching13 min
  4. Calls-to-action: turning views into follows, sales and DMs12 min
  5. Scripting around trends, sounds and formats13 min
  6. Writing for clients: briefs, voice and getting paid13 min
  7. From draft to data: testing, rewriting and your script system13 min

Your project

Write 3 Short-Form Video Scripts for One Nigerian Brand

A single document or shared link containing a short brand brief plus three ready-to-film short-form scripts, each with a clearly marked hook and CTA, using three different hook types and three different formats.

Certificates on Skillnaija are earned, not issued for attendance: you submit this project, it is graded against a rubric, and passing issues a certificate anyone can verify.

Frequently asked questions

Is Short-Form Video Scripting free?

Yes. Short-Form Video Scripting is completely free on Skillnaija. You need a free account to open the lessons, and there is no charge for the course, the project, or the certificate.

How long does Short-Form Video Scripting take to complete?

5 weeks · ~4 hrs/week. There are 7 lessons, about 2 hours of material in total. You learn at your own pace and your progress is saved.

Do I need any experience to start Short-Form Video Scripting?

Beginner-friendly. You can start from scratch — no prior experience is assumed.

What will I learn in Short-Form Video Scripting?

You will build practical skills in Writing scroll-stopping hooks, Short-form script structure, Retention & pacing techniques, Calls-to-action that convert, Scripting around trends & sounds, Writing for clients (briefs & voice), Formatting ready-to-film scripts. Every lesson is written for a Nigerian context, with examples drawn from how the work is actually done and paid for here.

Do I get a certificate for Short-Form Video Scripting?

Yes, but it has to be earned. You complete the course project — Write 3 Short-Form Video Scripts for One Nigerian Brand and submit it for grading. Passing the project issues a verifiable certificate; finishing the lessons alone does not.

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It's free, it's self-paced, and it ends with something you can show an employer.

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