Someone wrote to me, immediately after our zoom meeting: Thanks for the skills session today, it was great!
I replied:
Thank you for saying so, that’s nice to hear.
I am reminded of the semester I took with theatre majors taking Creative Movement. We presented our movement studies both solo and in pairs.
In class, after we presented, then our teacher would give her long critique. Her first words were always, “That was good.” Because then we could relax and listen to the rest of her feedback.
I try to remember this in my own life, such as when I am publicly doing manuscript copyedits in our Monday critique group. I don’t start blue penciling someone’s lines until I have made an overall judgment, saying, “Good.”
People just don’t know; they need to hear they did well. As you and I do.
… …
… …
Sean Crawford
In a Canadian city of creative people
April, 2024
Footnote: This is, of course, from an e-letter that has been blue penciled for my blog.
