[Bryn-gwlad] Upcoming Demo - Pirates of the Caribbean. Pleaseread, I need input.

[Marlin Stout]

Mary Temple wrote:

>This is only a problem if you can't be bothered to ask them what they're 
>interested in. Part of getting them to stay is finding the thing that makes them want to stay, and that means asking them questions instead of lecturing them.
>
Oh, I must beg to differ. While you make a very good point about the 
value of listening, one which a number within our ranks should take to 
heart, you seem to have missed mine somewhat. Perhaps I wasn't clear 
enough? That could well be it. Probably is, in fact.

It is quite possible to overwhelm a newcomer with information about any 
subject, even one he or she is interested in. Let's say, for example, 
that a fellow shows up, and is very interested in heavy fighting. I'm 
sure Gideon, Lionel, Gaston, Ysfael... hell even I could swamp the poor 
laddie with detail upon detail of the fine technical points of fighting. 
And leave him with his head spinning and the impression that it's way to 
hard for him to ever get good enough at to have any fun with it. I'm 
sure we could find someone in Bryn Gwlad who could produce the same 
effect with almost any subject.

It is vitally important to listen, so we can know what a newcomer wants 
to know. It's even more important to know when /not/ to tell him 
anything, when to leave him alone for a while, to watch and digest and 
figure out that he really can fit in here.

/That's/ what I mean by not leading them by the hand; ultimately they 
have to decide they want to do this. It's too much work to feel dragged 
into it.

Charles
Hospitaler
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