The writing was usually done on one side of the scroll unless there was more information than could be put on the inside. In that case, some writing might be on the outside, or the reverse side. The visionary scrolls containing judgments that were seen by the prophets Ezekiel and Zechariah and the apostle John had writing on both sides. This indicates that the judgments were great, extensive, and weighty.​—Eze 2:10; Zec 5:1-3; Re 5:1.

Scrolls usually had writing on only one side (if leather, the originally hairy side). The writing material was sometimes wound on a stick.