Hooks

YouTube Hook Generator — Kallaway Framework

Generate high-retention YouTube hooks using the full Kallaway desire-based system. Every hook is scored against the Four Commandments and delivered as a Three Hook Alignment (visual + spoken + text).

When This Skill Activates

Activate when the user wants to:

• Write a hook for a video they're planning
• Generate opening lines or intro scripts
• Improve an existing hook
• Get multiple hook options to test

Example triggers:

• "Write hooks for my RAG video"
• "Hook ideas for 'How I Automated 90% of Social Media'"
• "Help me nail the intro for this video"
• /hooks or /hooks <video concept>

Input

The user provides one or more of:

• Video concept/topic — what the video is about
• Idea brief — output from /ideation
• Outline — output from /outlines
• Key talking points — the most interesting facts/reveals

If the user only provides a topic, ask ONE question: "What's the most surprising thing in this video that your audience probably doesn't know?" That answer becomes the hook's core material.

The Kallaway Framework

Phase 1 — Identify the Desire

Map to one of the Four Horsemen:

• Money — making it, saving it, growing it
• Time — saving it, not wasting it, getting hours back
• Health — reducing stress, avoiding burnout, mental clarity
• Status — looking smart, being ahead, impressing peers

Apply One Standard Deviation: Don't target the core desire directly — that triggers the BS detector. Package it one step away using a proxy desire.

Phase 2 — Generate Hooks Using Five Desire-Based Variations

Generate at least one hook in EACH variation:

1. About Me (looking backward) "I just [accomplished X] using [Y]"

• Example: "I just automated 90% of my social media workflow using Claude Code — and it took me a weekend."

2. If I (looking forward) "If I wanted to [achieve X], I would [Y]"

• Example: "If I were starting a YouTube channel in 2026, this is the exact AI workflow I'd set up on day one."

3. To You (viewer as character) "If you're trying to [X], use [Y]"

• Example: "If you're spending more than 30 minutes on social media content per video, you're doing it wrong."

4. Can You (viewer as question) "Is it possible to [X] under [Y]?"

• Example: "Is it possible to go from one YouTube video to 10 pieces of content — automatically?"

5. He/She Just Did (third party proof) "[Z] just accomplished [X] under [Y]"

• Example: "A creator with 500 subscribers just used Claude Code to build a content pipeline that rivals teams of five."

Phase 3 — Apply Hook Formats

For the strongest 2-3 desire-based hooks, rewrite through the best-fitting formats:

1. Secret Reveal — tease unknown insights or future implications
2. Case Study — how a subject achieved a result unexpectedly
3. Comparison — instantly compare two versions to show optimal state
4. Question — directly implant curiosity
5. Education — introduce a step-by-step process
6. List — ordered set of items
7. Contrarian — bold take against the grain
8. Personal Experience — first-person story framing
9. Problem — agitate a pain point, then set up solution

Pick the 2-3 formats that match the content. Don't force all nine.

Phase 4 — Score with Six Hook Power Words

For each hook, check it contains:

1. Subject — who the video is about (I, we, you, [brand])
2. Action — the verb (built, automated, replaced, discovered)
3. Objective — the end result/outcome
4. Contrast — comparing states (before vs. after, 0 to X, manual vs. automated)
5. Proof (optional) — qualifies the perspective ("again", "after testing 50 tools")
6. Time (optional) — adds urgency ("in one weekend", "in under 5 minutes")

Phase 5 — Three Hook Alignment

For the top 3 hooks, generate the full alignment:

Visual Hook — What is shown on screen in the first 1-3 seconds?

• Triggers "bottoms-up processing" (subconscious visual response ~200ms)
• Colors, motion, unexpected imagery
• Example: Screen recording of Claude Code running 5 skills in rapid succession

Spoken Hook — What is said in the first 5-15 seconds?

• The hook line, written at a fifth-grade reading level
• 1-3 sentences maximum
• Must open a curiosity loop the video closes

Text Hook — What text overlay appears?

• The title or shortened version
• Complements (doesn't duplicate) the spoken hook
• Creates a curiosity gap WITH the spoken hook

All three must point at the same idea simultaneously.

Phase 6 — Four Commandments Checklist

Score each top hook (pass/fail):

1. Alignment — Do visual, spoken, and text hooks match? ✓/✗
2. Speed to Value — Zero delay, zero fluff before the hook lands? ✓/✗
3. Clarity — Viewer knows exactly what the video is about in one sentence? ✓/✗
4. Curiosity — Opens a question in the viewer's mind? ✓/✗

Must pass ALL FOUR to recommend. If one fails, note the fix.

Output Format

## Desire Mapping
- **Core Desire:** [Horseman]
- **Proxy Desire:** [One standard deviation]

## Top Hooks

### Hook 1 — [Format] + [Variation]
**Spoken:** "[The hook line]"
**Visual:** [What's on screen]
**Text overlay:** "[The text]"
**Power Words:** Subject ✓ Action ✓ Objective ✓ Contrast ✓ Time ✓ (5/6)
**Commandments:** Alignment ✓ Speed ✓ Clarity ✓ Curiosity ✓ (4/4)

### Hook 2 — ...
### Hook 3 — ...

## All Five Variations (for reference)
1. About Me: "..."
2. If I: "..."
3. To You: "..."
4. Can You: "..."
5. He/She Just Did: "..."

## Recommendation
[Which hook to use and why — direct and opinionated]

Key Principles

• The hook is the most important 15 seconds. More time here than on 5 minutes of body content.
• Fifth-grade reading level. Short sentences. Common words. Complex language kills hooks.
• Curiosity without clickbait. The hook must promise something the video delivers. your audience bounces permanently on oversell.
• Contrarian hooks need authority. "X is wrong" only works with immediate credibility (research, data, personal proof).
• Negative framing pulls harder. "You're wasting 5 hours a week" outperforms "Save 5 hours a week." Loss aversion is real.
• One hook per video. Don't cram multiple angles into the opening. Pick one. Commit.