Right note, wrong time

Hi all! Progress on the blog has been a little slow. I planned a series of posts about making our Visions episode but just need to check on a few things there. In the meantime, here's a little thought on notes for you writers and creators out there:

Ever get a note that you reject or just can't figure out how to make work, only to find yourself implementing it four drafts later?

It happens more than I'd like to admit. Someone flags a problem - a beat that doesn’t land, a character turn that doesn’t feel earned, a moment they can’t quite grasp. So they come in with a suggestion or request. And it just doesn't resonate. You know there's an issue there, a genuine problem being identified, but you feel like it's not the right note. And the suggestion? Well, that's some other story entirely. Maybe it breaks all the good work you've done up to now. So you try to fix other things in the hope that, maybe, that note will fall away or you can tackle it in some other way.

Time passes. The draft evolves. And later, you or someone else has a little bit of a breakthrough and you make a new alteration that really elevates the story. And you suddenly remember, that note you set aside? You've now given them exactly what they asked for, maybe even in exactly the way they asked for it.

So were they right all along?

Yep. They sure were.

But also... maybe not quite.

Because here's the thing: a great note at the wrong stage can derail a story.

Storytelling is iterative. Layered. Messy. And not everything fits all at once. There are some changes a story just can’t absorb too early. Not because they’re bad, but because they depend on structures that aren’t in place yet. Emotional clarity? That comes after the scaffolding. Motivation fixes? Maybe those can’t land until the character actually has shape. Plot streamlining? Cut the wrong thing too early and you might just erase the heart of your movie.

It's frustrating. Imagine how frustrating it is for the people giving notes. They know they’re right. They want to help you. They want the story to get there faster. And eventually, it might... but just not always on their timeline.

If you’re on the receiving end of notes: don’t dismiss what doesn’t feel right. Give everything the consideration it deserves. Just don’t feel pressure to act on everything immediately. 'No' might really just be 'not quite yet.' Keep those notes in the back of your mind. Let them simmer. The story may catch up to them.

And if you’re giving notes - be kind and trust the process. Being right doesn’t mean being heard right away and I totally understand the possible frustration that comes with that (as someone who gives notes!). Some notes are just waiting for the right iteration to land.

I’ve learned to hold onto notes I’m not ready for. To let them float in the background while the rest of the work unfolds. And more often than not, if they’re good... I’ll get there.