Better than a Critique

Posted on February 10, 2003 in Writing

A new member of our group finally got his courage up and submitted a sheaf of poems. Like the first works of many intelligent people, he couched too much in elegant platitudes.

I started marking his sheets in my usual blue, red, and green inks, then stopped. I could circle and tell him all kinds of things, but it would not get across what he needed to do.

So, considering his interest in matters of life, death, and existence, I have decided to read and give him this for study.

My theory is that we learn much better by being shown what is good rather than being told what is wrong with what we do.