Skip to main content

Signal Management

Systematic approaches to reviewing and acting on feedback signals.

Signal Workflow​

Signals flow through states as you work:

active → acknowledged → resolved → archived
      ↘ deferred
      ↘ ignored → archived

Active Signals​

Signals appear when analysis completes.

View Active​

# TUI
signals active

# GUI
Dashboard → Signals tab

Batch Review​

Review signals by type:

signals active --type character_arc_issue
signals active --type pacing_issue

Acknowledging​

"I've read and understand this signal."

signal ack sig_123

Acknowledging doesn't commit you to fixing anything—just shows you've seen it.

Resolving​

"I've fixed this in the screenplay."

signal resolve sig_123

After resolving, edit your screenplay to address the issue.

Deferring​

"I'll come back to this later."

signal defer sig_123

Signal stays in active backlog for next review.

Ignoring​

"This signal isn't valid for my story."

signal ignore sig_123

Signal is archived and won't appear again.

Archiving​

Remove resolved/ignored signals from backlog:

# Archive all resolved
signals archive resolved

# Archive all ignored
signals archive ignored

# Archive single signal
signal archive sig_123

Practical Workflows​

First Pass: Skim All​

  1. Run analysis
  2. View all active signals (don't act yet)
  3. Get a feel for what AI noticed

Second Pass: Act on Critical​

  1. Filter by severity (critical only)
  2. Acknowledge each
  3. Fix in screenplay
  4. Resolve when done

Final Pass: Polish​

  1. Run analysis again
  2. Address remaining signals
  3. Archive resolved

Using Signals for Refinement​

Signals are feedback, not requirements.

Good use:

  • AI says "Character X has no dialogue in Act 3"
  • You check: True, and it makes the story weaker
  • You fix: Add 2 lines for X in Act 3
  • Signal is valid

Questionable use:

  • AI says "Dialogue is too long in Scene 5"
  • You check: It's intentionally long (big confrontation)
  • You ignore: This signal doesn't apply

Tracking Progress​

Watch how signal count changes:

# Initial analysis
signals count --status active        # 42 total

# After Act 1 rewrite
signals count --status active        # 38 total (4 fixed)

# After Act 2 rewrite
signals count --status active        # 25 total (13 more fixed)

# Final pass
signals count --status active        # 0 total (all addressed)

This gives you concrete progress metrics.

Signal Types​

Character Signals​

  • Character has no dialogue
  • Arc is underdeveloped
  • Voice is inconsistent

Action: Adjust character presence, dialogue, consistency.

Scene Signals​

  • Scene is slow compared to average
  • Lacks conflict or tension
  • Too many characters

Action: Trim, add conflict, or refactor.

Story Signals​

  • Act structure unbalanced
  • Weak climax setup
  • Thematic inconsistency

Action: Reorder scenes, strengthen setup, refine theme.

Tips​

  1. Don't fix everything immediately — Read all signals first
  2. Trust your story instincts — Ignore signals that don't fit
  3. Use signals as guidance — Not commands
  4. Re-analyze after major edits — New signals often appear
  5. Archive regularly — Keep active backlog manageable

Next Steps​