How to make Reddit story videos
6 min read · Updated October 24, 2026
Reddit story videos — a post read out by a voice over Minecraft parkour or subway-runner gameplay, with the words popping up as they are said — are one of the most watched formats on Shorts and TikTok. Here is how to make them well.
Make a Reddit story video →What makes a Reddit story video work
The format works because the viewer gets a whole story in under a minute, and the moving background keeps their eyes busy while they listen. Three things decide whether people stay: a first line that makes them need the ending, a voice that sounds like a person telling it, and captions that land exactly on each word so they can follow with the sound off.
1. Pick a story that hooks in one line
Subreddits like AITA (Am I The Asshole), TIFU, relationship advice and petty revenge are popular for a reason: the title alone sets up a conflict. Look for posts where the title asks a question the viewer wants answered, and where the story has a twist or a verdict at the end.
Keep it short. A story that runs 45 to 90 seconds read aloud is the sweet spot for Shorts; longer ones can be split into parts, and a part 1 that ends on a cliffhanger pulls people to your profile for part 2.
- Rewrite Reddit shorthand ("AITA", "28F", "MIL") into words a listener understands.
- Cut the edits, updates and thank-you notes at the end unless they are the payoff.
- Only use posts you have the right to use, and never include anyone's real name.
2. Choose a voice and a pace
The voice is most of the experience. A warm, natural narrator keeps people listening; a flat robotic one makes them swipe. Read it slightly faster than normal speech — attention spans on Shorts are short — but not so fast it stops sounding human. A second voice for anything in quotes makes dialogue easy to follow.
3. Pick background footage
Gameplay that moves constantly and needs no attention works best: Minecraft parkour, subway-runner style games, driving and satisfying loops. The footage should run for the whole story, so loop it if it is shorter than the narration.
4. Add the post card and word-by-word captions
Showing the Reddit post card — username, title, upvotes — while the title is read tells the viewer immediately what kind of video this is. Then show the story as captions that appear exactly as each word is spoken, large and centred, with an outline so they read on any background.
Make one in a minute with Zlayo
- 1
Paste the story
Type it, paste it, or pull the script from a YouTube video. Zlayo can suggest rewrites for Reddit shorthand.
- 2
Pick a voice and footage
Fifteen built-in voices with a speed slider, a second voice for quotes, background gameplay — or your own voice from Voice Studio.
- 3
Get the finished video
The post card while the title is read, captions timed to every word, background music mixed quietly under the voice, ready to post upright.
5. Post it and keep going
Consistency matters more than any single video. Post daily if you can, test different story types and voices, and look at which videos keep people watching to the end. Stories with a clear verdict or twist tend to get comments, and comments push videos further.
Questions
Not with Zlayo: its Reddit story maker is on the paid plans, from $19 a month. You can make a free account to look around first.
Posts belong to the people who wrote them, and platforms have their own rules. Use stories you have permission to use or that you wrote, change identifying details, and follow each platform's guidelines.
45 to 90 seconds works well for Shorts and TikTok. Longer stories can be split into parts that end on a cliffhanger.
Yes. Clone your voice in Zlayo's Voice Studio from a 10 to 30 second recording, then pick it as the narrator.