Improv(e): Using Improv to Find Your Voice, Style, and Self

by Jen Oleniczak Brown

How often do you think, "I'm just not that good of a speaker"? Do you ever blame your bad listening on being overworked or stressed out? Perhaps you wish you could think and respond faster, or that you should be more yourself, and you just don't know how?

Improv(e) provides you with ideas and activities that will immediately bring out your best speaking, listening, and social skills, all while helping you become your best, authentic, and unapologetic self.

Genres: Self Help

128 pages, Paperback

Published January 5, 2018

About the author

Jen Oleniczak Brown is the Founder of The Engaging Educator (EE), a women-owned and operated company dedicated to helping people find their unapologetic, authentic and best voice, communication style and self through improv-based education. Since 2012, EE has served over 50,000 students, working with such companies as Viacom, Food Network, The New York Times, Saks Fifth Avenue and CBS. EE is based out of NYC, LA, SF and Winston Salem, NC. Jen’s work can be found in publications like Bustle, Fast Company, Forbes and Moneyish, as well as her first self-published book Improv(e): Using Improv to Find Your Voice, Style and Self (Balboa Press, 2018) and the upcoming Think on Your Feet: Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Impromptu Communication Skills on the Job (McGraw Hill Education, November 2019) and Care and Keeping of Museum Professionals (April 2019).

Aside from her entrepreneurial endeavors, Jen has done three TEDx talks on the power of improv, including one TEDxWomen on uplifting and elevating women.

A firm believer in the idea that Yes, And can change the world – so firm it’s tattooed on her arm, Jen's personal mission is to empower as many women as possible to stop playing small and know their incredible supernova powers. She currently lives in Winston Salem, NC with her husband Alex, dog Drumstick, and about two-dozen houseplants. Follow Jen at jenbrown.co or The Engaging Educator at theengagingeducator.com

Reviews

[Thomas Scholtes · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Note - this was a GoodReads Giveaway winner

As I've been performing and teaching improv for a number of years, I was excited to get this book to see what new insights or techniques I may be able to discover and utilize. However, I've also never been one to read self-help books or anything non-fiction for that matter. So this book was and wasn't for me right from the get-go.

Most of the concepts and improv ideas contained are well-known, and all the techniques and improv games in the book I was familiar with. And that's a good thing - this book should be for beginners and people trying to better themselves through improv, not necessarily a book for getting BETTER at improv. But again, I still use all of these techniques, so they are good even for advanced performers. But the book itself I personally didn't get much out of.

I think the title says it all, and if you are looking to improv your communication, your listening, and just getting out of your head, definitely give this book a read, and then go take some improv classes!

[Misty Madonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives a unique perspective about using improv can make you better at conversations, public speaking, and other communications skills. She sold me on the benefits of joining an improv class and now, I gotta find one.

Everyone can benefit from reading this. From interviewing for jobs to networking at meet-ups, this book is very helpful in being better at speaking AND listening.

You learn the Alexander Roll and the importance of warming up before you have a public speaking event.

I can’t recommend it enough!