Improv Comedy Improved My Writing More Than Any Class or Book
The Powerful Benefits Even If You Don’t Pursue Comedy
I started taking improv classes on a lark in Austin Texas while I was writing my first book. I fell in love and never stopped.
After years of practice, moving to LA, and failing a few thousand times, I’ve had the great honor of performing at the Groundlings Theatre, where Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, and many others got their start.
The strange thing was that I noticed my non-comedy writing improving almost immediately.
What’s the deal?
Yes, And
The first and most fundamental rule of improv. Yes, and…
For the uninitiated, this is the idea that no matter what your scene partner says, you respond with “yes, and… (add information).” You don’t literally say “yes, and,” (mostly) but the idea is that you never deny a gift that your partner gives you.
You are in a dance on stage, constructing reality. It requires extreme presence of mind, empathy, and calm. If you are stuck in your own head, or trying to be funny, or worried about the audience, you won’t be there for your scene partner, and the scene will likely fail.
