To turn an article into a short-form video script, pick the one takeaway your audience needs, open with it as the hook, explain it in two or three spoken beats, and close with one ask. Rewrite written sentences as spoken ones, keep the source link so you can check the facts, and credit the publication in the video or caption.
Key takeaways
- One article, one takeaway, one video.
- Rewrite for the ear: short sentences, contractions, one idea per line.
- Keep the source next to the script and check every number.
- Credit the publication out loud, on screen, or in the caption.
How to turn an article into a script, step by step
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Find the takeaway
Read the article and ask what your audience should remember a day later. That’s your takeaway. Write it as one sentence.
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Pull the proof
Find the number, quote, or example that supports the takeaway, and note exactly where it came from. You’ll need it for the body and for checking facts.
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Turn the takeaway into a hook
State it as tension or payoff in about 8 to 12 words. “Posting more isn’t the fix” beats “A new article looked at posting frequency.”
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Rewrite for the ear
Spoken scripts use short sentences, contractions, and one idea per line. Replace parentheses and lists with signposts like “here’s the first one.”
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Close and credit
End with one ask, and credit the source: name the publication on screen or in the caption, or say it out loud.
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Add your take
Say whether you agree and why, or how it applies to your audience. That’s what makes it your video, not a read-aloud.
Rewriting for the ear
The biggest change from article to script is the sentence itself. These illustrative rewrites show the difference:
| Written for reading | Written for speaking |
|---|---|
| “Analysis indicates that engagement tends to decline once posting frequency exceeds a sustainable level.” | “Posting more isn’t the fix. Posting on a schedule you can keep is.” |
| Long paragraphs with several points | One idea per line |
| Headings and bullet lists | Signposts: “Here’s the first one.” |
| Parentheses and footnotes | Cut them, or move them to the caption |
How to do it in Melda OS
Send the article link to Emmy, the writing assistant, in Chat:
Write me a short script from this article: https://…
Emmy reads the page, writes a short brief with the angle, then the script, and saves both to one card with the source attached. If a page can’t be read, for example because it’s behind a login or paywall, paste the text into Chat instead.
To steer the script toward your audience, name the card:
Rewrite the C1043 script so it’s aimed at coaches who post once a week.
Mistakes to avoid
- Reading the article aloud. Viewers can tell, and it isn’t your voice.
- Stacking three takeaways. Make three videos instead.
- Dropping the source. Keep it with the script so you can check facts before you record.
- Quoting at length. Keep quotes short and attributed.
