I've read a lot of creator scripts building this prompt library, and the pattern is always the same: the hook is written last, as an afterthought, after the writer already knows what the video is about.

That's backwards. Viewers don't know what the video is about yet — they're deciding whether to care in the first 2-3 seconds, cold.

A few patterns that consistently outperform:

• Contradiction hooks: state something viewers believe, then immediately contradict it. "Everyone tells you to post daily. That's why you're not growing."

• Specificity over hype: "I made $4,213 last month from one Short" beats "How I make money online" every time. Vague = skippable.

• Open loops: promise a payoff at a specific point ("stick around for the part at 0:45 that changed everything") — but only if you actually deliver it, or retention craters after.

• Cut the intro: if your first line is your name or channel name, you already lost 20% of viewers. Save it for after the hook.

The long-form vs. short-form hook structure is different too — long-form can build tension over 15-20 seconds, short-form needs the payoff signal in the first 2.

Built a whole system around this (hook prompts, outline builders, niche packs for finance/business/lifestyle/tech) because I got tired of staring at a blank page before every upload. Happy to share specifics if anyone wants to compare notes on what's working in their niche.