Screenwriting Notes: How to Utilize Feedback Without Losing Your Voice

When receiving screenplay notes on a completed draft of your personal project, it helps to take the advice with a grain of salt. The smartest approach is to absorb all the feedback, then decide what’s worth keeping, what to discard, and what will truly strengthen your story.

Screenplay notes are guidelines and suggestions, not a ‘must apply’ hard and fast rule. You’re the writer. Your voice, style and delivery should shine through in each of your screenplays. This is how you assert your signature storytelling style. 

If you watch enough films and read screenplays you will notice known writers/directors have a distinct signature style. Celine Song is known for her subtle quiet character pieces where the confrontation between characters is gentle, not over-the-top dramatic. Quentin Tarantino is known for his punchy, but often long-winded character dialogue, and his ability to build a scene to a climax. 

I learnt this fact about screenplay notes firsthand after attending a screenwriting retreat in May this year. After receiving notes on my draft of To Hold the Moon by my writing group, which was composed entirely of American screenplay writers, I made it my mission to address almost all of their notes. 

I’ll admit it was hard to let go and make such drastic changes, especially since many of the notes pushed me to pick up the pace. I liked the slow burn I had unfolding on the page. But I told myself I had to trust the process. After all, I could always return to the earlier version if this new draft felt too extreme. 

One of the biggest changes was delaying the introduction of Alissa, who develops into the love interest of the protagonist, Summer. Instead of appearing early on, she doesn’t show up until page forty. That decision compressed their romance, making it feel more fleeting, and it also altered the way Summer interacts with her on-again, off-again partner Lucinda both before and after Alissa enters the story.

The end result of taking on most of these screenplay notes is that my fresh draft has a clearer story, the characters' relationship feel more believable, the stakes are somewhat higher and the screentime for Summer and Lucinda are evenly balanced. 

However, my screenplay now reads very differently in tone and pacing. Honestly, when reading it over, my new screenplay draft feels less like my voice, less European in aesthetic, less arthouse, and more mainstream Hollywood. 

It reads like a cutesy rom-com, when in reality I set out to make a thoughtful emotional drama. The screenplay does not seem like something I would have written if you compare it to my other narrative work. Nor is it a film genre I am interested in from a writing perspective, to be honest.

This is why it’s so important to remember: you don’t need to act on every piece of feedback you receive. Not every suggestion or story idea from someone else will serve your screenplay. And that’s okay. Some feedback will be useful. Some won’t. Your job is knowing the difference.

Every reader will have an opinion and they are not always right. Receiving notes can feel like an art critic telling you, the artist, how they would have painted the canvas differently had it been their hand making the brush strokes.

A perfect example is The Black List, a paid script evaluation service in Hollywood where different readers often give the very same screenplay vastly different scores. It’s a reminder that notes are subjective, even in the industry.

Keep in mind, though: if the same issue in your writing is pointed out by multiple readers, there’s probably something there. In that case, address it without hesitation. That’s a rule I always stick to.

And when receiving screenplay notes, remember it’s okay to take your time before deciding what to do with the feedback. Let the comments sink in. Step away from the script, then come back with fresh eyes.

Use index cards if it helps, map out possible new scenarios, ask your characters questions about their wants and desires, or make a single list of the changes you want to try. Then, move into the next draft with confidence, focusing only on the adjustments that genuinely strengthen your story and bring the screenplay closer to industry standard.

Learning to process notes this way not only improves your current draft, it also builds your skillset as a screenwriter. You’ll form habits that carry over to every project, whether it’s a personal screenplay or a commissioned script.

The world needs your story, and screenplay notes can help you tell it by offering a fresh perspective. They can also sharpen your skills, bringing your work closer to industry standard, whether it’s your first script or your twentieth. So don’t be afraid of notes. Embrace them, learn from them, and write your best work while still being selective and trusting your artistic vision.

Written by Sarah Jayne