The Three-Stage Method
The Three-Stage Method as described by Mary Webb is designed to protect you as a writer and as a human being while giving you the very best constructive criticism that other writers in the group can provide. Both the writer and the listeners should keep the focus on the writing at hand.
STAGE ONE
The writer: The writer should present their work at a leisurely pace so the audience can hear them clearly and get the most enjoyment of your reading.
The listeners: In Stage One, the listeners may make ONLY positive statements about what was read. If no positive comments come to your mind, feel free to remain quiet. As you learn to listen actively, try to imagine what the writer is trying to convey. This will help your mind open up and you may appreciate new ways of writing or new insights. Avoid launching into reminiscences from your own life or from other writings.
Language, including tone, pacing, dialog and more can be discussed during this stage. When a writer hears another person repeat a sentence or image or line that he or she particularly liked, those words are implanted deeply in the writer’s mind. This helps the writer develop a distinctive voice and style of their own.
STAGE TWO
The writer: In this stage the writer has the unique opportunity to ask for specific advice about the work that they read. The writer should take responsibility to think up some questions in advance to ask the group. You may ask anything you have wondered about. E.g. Is the ending satisfying? Does the plot work? How is the sequencing? Are the transitions smooth? Is the dialogue clear? Etc.
Please don’t miss this opportunity for input from the group.
The listeners: Your job in Stage Two is to reply to the specific questions from the writer. Different listeners may well give different answers. Give your response succinctly and perhaps your reason for it, but try to avoid arguing about a prior response. This should not devolve into a debate. The writer can jot down the various responses for later consideration.
STAGE THREE
The listeners: Stage Three is where the listeners offer unsolicited suggestions to the writer. These comments must be made carefully to protect the writer, who read something that was meaningful to them, perhaps even frightening for them to reveal. They are vulnerable.
There is no permission to be petty, vindictive or in any way mean-spirited. If you are saying things in a way that you would not like them to be said about your work, then you are out of line.
Learn to phrase things carefully, with respect for the writer. Don’t skip this stage just because it takes time to learn to do it well. Issues you might want to raise include plot, fraught transitions, dialogue, the balance between scene and summary, and falling out of point of view (POV).
Please refrain from using the following words or phrases in discussions that reference anyone’s work: “cliched,” “trite,” “hackneyed,” “ stereotypic” or“politically correct/incorrect.” Do not ask the writer whether something they read “really happened.” It is irrelevant and is not your business. If the writer wishes to share that the work is autobiographical, that is their option.
Nobody should launch a general discussion during Stage-Three comments. Nor should listeners argue over differing opinions. Our goal is to help each other by offering constructive criticisms with focus on the specific writing in question. The writer should resolve any issues after later reflection.
The writer: Do not respond to anyone’s Stage Three comment. Do not argue about it. Simply make a note of the suggestions for your later consideration. Immediate responses tend to be defensive, and you may miss what could turn out to be a valuable insight. Embrace the possibility!
Rossmoor Writers Group 