To make a Storytime video, it’s as simple as sharing a memorable experience. But it must be based on a factual story from your past.
But before you turn on the camera to make a Storytime, you’ll need to structure the story. So, write out your story, including the introduction and lead-in, the juicy portion, and the ending.
Many YouTubers make the tale overly dramatic to keep viewers interested, although some stories are so wild that they don’t need to be dramatized. But there’s no need to do this. You can tell an honest story and make it entertaining just by the way you structure it.
What Are Storytime YouTube Videos?
Simply put, the main goal of storytime videos is to tell the viewer an engaging, and —hopefully— entertaining story. You can call a storytime video successful if it elicits a reaction from the audience. Shock, second-hand embarrassment, empathy, excitement, which one will heavily depend on the video.
The term ‘storytime’ may give the impression that this type of video is for children, but these videos have evolved into many different forms over the years. Most YouTubers have at least one or two of these in their library. In its simplest format, the storyteller turns their camera on and proceeds to tell the audience a story worth remembering.
How Do You Make a Good Storytime Video?
So, you have a story that you think is worth sharing with the world? Here’s what you need to know if you want to make a good storytime video.
- Get the story straight in your head. We’ll get to writing a script later, but if don’t want to use one, at least memorize the key events so that you don’t scramble when the camera’s already rolling.
- Try to look presentable. Clear any clutter visible in the frame, apply light makeup, or wear nice clothes, whatever you feel most comfortable in. Your story will come across clearer if you’re confident and not feeling self-conscious while you recount it.
- Make sure that lighting is not too dark or too bright. Figure out the right amount of shade to complement your features.
- Start filming. If the story requires a bit of background info or context to understand, address them briefly. Don’t be afraid to be expressive and throw in details that would make the story more entertaining.
- Review the footage. You can always retake some segments if you’re not happy with them!
How Do You Write a Storytime Script?
The subject of writing a good script is too deep and out of the scope of this article. But the general idea is to keep the best part for the end. You don’t want to start by letting them know the end of the story! You want to keep your viewers engaged, and the best way is to develop your story step by step up to the big finale.
Here are some guidelines to help you out:
- Use a double space to separate each line. This will give your words room to breathe and be easier to read while recording.
- Highlight the parts you want to give extra attention or emphasis. These are key moments in the story that will impact the viewer.
- Don’t use deep words or vocabulary. Your story will be more relatable if people don’t have to whip out their thesaurus while watching.
- Paint a clear picture for your audience. Don’t be afraid to add details that will enhance the story and make the viewers feel like they’re there with you.
Storytime Ideas for YouTube
1. Horrible date
Do you have a date of disaster or inconvenience? If so, many want to hear about it! People are often interested in these types of videos because of their variety and uniqueness!
2. Embarrassing childhood Anecdotes
Everyone had an embarrassing moment during their childhood. Maybe that time when your grandma gifted you that ugly sweater and made you wear it for the family picture, or when you realized you were lactose intolerant.
3. Leaving Your Parents’ House
Leaving home is an important period in everyone’s life. If you moved out of the house, you probably learned a lot and can share your experience.
4. Getting to Meet a Celebrity
Meeting a celebrity is an opportunity that few people have in their lives. With that in mind, your story of meeting a celebrity may be what people want to hear.
5. Living with a Crazy Person
Many had the misfortune to live with a psychopath. On the other hand, such trials often create fantastic stories. So, if you’ve ever encountered this problem before, you can share some of your impressions on YouTube.
6. That Time You Got Into a Lot of Trouble at School.
Is there a student at school who has never had a problem? Probably not. Given this, it is possible that you have a good story about getting into trouble at school.
7. Getting Rid of an Ex
It’s hard to break up with someone. On the other hand, parting with a former person can be an interesting or instructive story. Stories don’t have to be funny; they can also help people not make the same mistakes in their lives.
8. Best/Worst Year of Your Life?
Was there a certain year in your life that seemed the best or the worst? If so, let everyone know! What factors contributed to the success or failure of that particular year? Were there any special events?
9. Spring Break Adventures
Most American children have had an unforgettable spring break. Let’s face it, things can get a little out of hand. Even if there is nothing unusual in your meeting, taking photos and sharing them with others can be fun.
10. Traveling Alone
Traveling with others is one thing, but what about traveling alone? This opens the door to many interesting stories and adventures. There are some interesting anecdotes and facts that you can share if you have ever done this.
11. Uber’s Strangest Rides
It is not uncommon for people to have strange experiences when using Uber. All you need to do to create a great story is to have a crazy or inexperienced driver. Don’t be afraid to make a video about your experience!
12. Embarrassing Party
Parties are fun. But they can turn into something different real quick, especially in college. Did you ever have a party that ended abruptly because something interesting happened? That would be a great story!
13. Tales of Best Friends
It’s great to have a best friend. This is not only because you understand each other well or share similar interests, but also because you often encounter situations where you can tell fantastic stories. However, it can sometimes end up really bad.
14. Getting Swindled
Deception can be painful, but it can also lead to interesting stories that interest or teach people. At the very least, your misfortune will make others laugh or prevent them from making the same mistake!
15. Being Catfished
Is there anything more annoying (and sometimes unpleasant) than getting catfished? Surprisingly, in these times, many people may find themselves in this situation.
16. Meeting an Online Friend
Many people today find friends through social networks or online communities. This can be an interesting story to tell your YouTube audience if you met a friend online and then got to meet them in real life. Were they just as you imagined? What surprised you from that encounter?
17. College Experience
If you ask someone about their experience of college, they can tell you one or two stories. Probably in the same boat. Did you go outside at night Maybe you slept through the night to find out what the test was scheduled for next week? Maybe you quit college because you realized that wasn’t what you wanted? Let’s talk about it!
18. Your First Trip Abroad
The first trip abroad is a fascinating experience, but it can also be disappointing. What did you face during your first trip abroad? Would you do it differently now?
19. The First Job
The first job is rarely a perfect work experience, but it gives us invaluable lessons and sometimes leads to interesting events.
20. Fake friend
Isn’t it true that fake friends are the worst? You don’t want anyone to deal with a fake friend. If so, why not share your experience so that others do not suffer?
21. Pregnancy
Tell your readers a fun and interesting story about your own or someone else’s pregnancy.
22. Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day can be one of your favorite or most-hated days of the year. Did you have a horrible date? Or did you have the date of a lifetime? Share it!
23. Time Spent in a Hospital
Many people have fallen ill or been injured in the past. If this has happened to you, tell your hospitalization or treatment story. Were you scared? How did you survive it?
24. Getting Ripped Off
Robbery is not a joke. I hope many people do not have to deal with this. But if you’ve been fooled before, you have a story you can tell YouTube viewers.
25. That Time You Got Arrested
Few people have been arrested. And thus, many people wonder what is it like. Think about telling the story of your arrest and presenting it in an interesting and instructive way.
26. Getting Hacked
The Internet has brought many wonderful things to the world. But one of the disadvantages of the Internet is that anyone can be hacked. If you’ve been hacked before, many people may find it helpful to listen to your story.
27. How You Met Your Partner
Meeting someone important can be one of the most important events in your life. With that in mind, it makes sense to share the story of how you met your partner.
28. Leaving a Job
The first experience of leaving a job can be scary. Why did you leave? Did you scold your boss when you left or were they nice about it? What did you do after your release?
29. A Teacher Confrontation
Let’s just say some teachers are not the best. It is not uncommon for students to disagree with their teachers. If you ever got the courage to confront said person, how did it go?
30. The Best Gift
Do you have a gift that you received and loved? Maybe it’s what you’ve always wanted, or maybe it was given to you by someone special? Making a video about it can be a lot of fun.
31. Playing Sports and Embarrassing Yourself
Many sports are more difficult than they seem. As a result, there are often unfavorable moments when you try to do a new sport. Why not share your worst sports experience with others? Many people might recognize themselves in your story.
32. Catastrophe on the Holidays
Holidays can be wonderful! But they can be stressful, and stress can often lead to disaster. Perhaps your last Christmas or Thanksgiving was a disaster; Why not turn your misery into a source of entertainment for others?
How Do You Animate a Storytime Video?
Animated storytime YouTube videos are more difficult to make but unique and fun to watch. The most convenient way to animate videos is to use animation software you can download to your computer. There, you can draw and create your scenes and characters.
To do this, you’ll need a drawing tablet compatible with your computer. The ones specifically for animation are a bit pricier though.
Alternatively, you can use websites that allow you to drag and drop ready-made assets into a scene that will tell your story, like VidToon.
From there, you can edit the narration and or voice acting onto the animation, but don’t neglect the power of audio! Sound effects and background music can take your video to the next level.
What Kind of Software Do You Need to Animate it?
Ideally, you need an app where you can have a lot of creative freedom. The program should allow you to create your own drawings and animate them in a smooth and fluid way. Some even allow you to create storyboards for your project, a useful tool that will allow you to visualize and plan out your video more effectively. There are plenty of good options that professional animators and newbies alike find useful.
- Adobe Animate is great for beginners.
- Pencil 2D shines with hand-drawn animation. and it’s open-source!
- Toon Boom Harmony is utilized by industry giants.
Do You Need to Be Good at Drawing to Animate a Storytime Video?
No, you only need to know the basics of both drawing and animation to animate a storytime that isn’t too ambitious. What is considered good or not is very subjective. But if you don’t feel confident in your drawing skills some options allow you to use templates!
Conclusion
Now you have a long list of YouTube story videos! Some of these tips can be used multiple times. So, if you have a lot of news about the same event, don’t be afraid to update your subscribers.
Will has been a full-time content creator since 2014. He’s an audio, video, and tech hobbyist dedicated to reviewing products and giving you the best tips he knows to grow your audience.