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<div><span class="gmail_quote">On 10/30/06, <b class="gmail_sendername">Cisco Cividanes</b> <<a href="mailto:engtrktwo@earthlink.net">engtrktwo@earthlink.net</a>> wrote:</span>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid"><br><br>However, I would like to say something that I feel needs saying.<br><br>If anyone takes offense to this, I'll apologies now. But I feel that this is true, and have seen examples where it has really been a problem.
<br>There are bad bards out there, ...<br> <br>Ivo Blackhawk<br>Bard of Wiesenfeuer<br>_______________________________________________</blockquote>
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<div> Bad bards are one of those things that we all know exist but seldom talk about. And I've certinly seen a few circles killed by a few really bad performers who had no idea how bad they were. And to be honest I'm sure I've been guilty of a few excruciating performances in my time.
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<div> Nobody wants to be the bad guy and tell them how bad they are. I don't. </div>
<div> I think that many of us also know bards who started out awful and got better. That pretty much describes me. I was fortunate in having an experienced bard who took an interest and mentored me. That changed my life. I can't imagine who I would be today if that hadn't happened. Which is why I try to mentor new bards myself.
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<div> The trick, if you have the people skills to pull it off, is to offer to help them in a way that doesn't make them feel bad or scare them off. It's not easy. If someone just can't sing, and keeps proving it, offer to teach them a poem. Then help them polish the performance. In addition to getting them to do something other than sing you are also establishing a relationship. As the relationship develops you may then be able to bring up the singing without driving them off. It's tricky, but it can work.
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<div> Sometimes the problem is stage fright. They are so nervous that they can hardly get the words out. Help them find ways to relax or to use their fear. Then help them find their strengths. </div>
<div> The thing is you have to establish that mentoring relationship first before you can help them repair or avoid their weaknesses. </div>
<div> Of course there are some people who are terrible and will never be anything but terrible. They are just ablivious to any criticism or attempts to help. There's not much you can do with them. You either put up with it or run them off, and I've never had the heart to run them off.
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<div>Robert </div>
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<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">-- <br>"If you haven't found something strange during the day, it hasn't been much of a day." John A. Wheeler
<br><br><a href="mailto:Fitzmorgan@gmail.com">Fitzmorgan@gmail.com</a><br>Yahoo IM: robert_fitzmorgan </blockquote></div>