Are you an improviser who has had your fill of zip-up hoodies and pairs of skinny jeans? If so, this year, we recommend that you ask Santa to bring you some books.

These four books are must-haves for any improviser who wants to get out of his or her own way, boost your creativity, and make it in the big, bad world of comedy. And if Santa doesn’t bring them, why not buy them for yourself?

  1. The Big Leap: Conquer your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level
    by Gay Hendricks (2010)As improvisers, we get failure. It's part of our job description. What we actually have a harder time with is success. What happens when we start getting good and we start getting more recognition and more opportunities? Some of us self-destruct, and the worst part is we don't even know why. How you could not love a book about how we sabotage our own success and the sneaky ways we do it? In The Big Leap, Hendricks not only helps identify the things that we do that get in our own way to becoming even more successful, but also he gives us practical ways to overcome them. If you are frustrated that your career is not where it’s supposed to be, this book is a must-have on your holiday wish list. Be aware this book is filled with tough love, and if you are not willing to look at yourself, I have three other books on the list that will be a little more gentle on you.

    $14.99

  1. Steal Like An Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative
    by Austin Kleon (2012)Boy, do I see this in my improv classes all the time: Students who are blocking their creativity because they want to come up with an original idea. The premise of this book is that everything has been done before, and that all sorts of artists from Pablo Picasso to David Bowie have stolen from other artists. How great is that? For me, learning that, and the nine practical things that follow, was inspiring. The real power of this book is in its simplicity. It takes the shame out of the notion that it’s wrong to steal from other artists and gives you permission to do so. Plus, it’s a quick read, it has pictures, and it’s only $10.95.
  1. How To Succeed in Business without Really Crying: Lessons from Life in Comedy
    by Carol Leifer (2014)If I ran an improv school, I would make this book required reading for anyone who wants a career in comedy. Carol Leifer is a successful stand-up and a four-time Emmy nominee for her writing on shows like “Seinfield,” “Modern Family,” “Saturday Night Live” and “The Larry Sanders Show.” She shares with us some great show biz stories from her career and the lessons she learned from them. You expect it be funny, which it is, but what I loved about it was that even with all her success, she is relatable. It reads like you are getting advice from a trusted friend. It’s human and practical. She is realistic and candid about the comedy world, and talks about the highs and the lows, the disappointments and the importance of failing. If Santa only brings you one book this year, I hope it’s this one.

    $19.95

  1. Improv Therapy: How to Get Out of Your Own Way to Become a Better Improviser
    by Jimmy CarraneLooking for a cheap gift idea for one of your improviser friends? Buy them a copy of my newest book, Improv Therapy. This book is honest and insightful look at things improvisers don't want to discuss: their feelings. You’ll find out what blocks you on stage, and get practical advice to overcome your issues so you can become the improviser you always dreamed of being. It’s available either as a digital download for the Kindle or as a PDF version (which you can print out and put in someone’s stocking).

    $3.99

Want to study with Jimmy Carrane? Don't miss his next Art of Slow Comedy class, starting Jan. 7. The Early Bird Special Ends Dec. 24. Sign up today!

In this episode, Jimmy talks Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, creators of the new show, “Broad City,” on Comedy Central, about starting out at UCB in New York, setting goals, investing their own money into their careers, and turning their web series into a hit show. Take a listen!

Since 2014 is drawing to a close, I thought it would be the perfect time to reflect back on the year that was. And when it comes to comedy, there were lots of changes on the landscape, both nationally and within our own little improv universe.

When you look back at all of the massive changes that comedy underwent this past year, it’s pretty exciting. It feels like there has been a big shift this year from the comedy of the past to a new, different kind of comedy era. For once, I’m really excited about the future.

And now, here it is. My top 12 changes  in comedy from 2014:

1. WE SAW BIG CHANGES IN LATE LIGHT TALK SHOWS
The late night landscape experienced an entire revolution, with Jimmy Fallon taking over for Jay Leno on The Tonight Show, iO alum Seth Meyers taking over for Jimmy, and Craig Ferguson exiting to make room for James Corden (we didn't see that coming?). And we’re all anticipating how Colbert will fill Letterman’s shoes, as he transitions from his blowhard, pompous character to an honest-to-goodness host. We think Colbert will pull it off and make the late night wars interesting again.

2. SNL ADDRESSED ITS DIVERSITY ISSUE
Back in 2013, Kenan Thompson told TV Guide that the lack of black women on SNL prevented the show from spoofing pop culture icons like Michelle Obama, Beyonce, Oprah, etc. -- but that neither he nor Jay Pharoh were going to play women anymore. In the end, the heat about SNL’s lack of black women got so intense that the show was forced to change. And here we are, a year later, with two black women and three black men in SNL’s cast – it's baby steps, but we like the direction they are going in.

3. WE LOST A WHOLE LOT OF COMEDY LEGENDS
It was a hard year for the comedy community. From improv genius Robin Williams to Second City alums like Joan Rivers, Mike Nichols, Sheldon Patinkin and Dick Schall, we lost many of the greats that put improv on the map. And then, of course, we had the controversy around Bill Cosby. In the words of Chris Rock, “We lost Robin, we lost Joan, and we kind of lost Cosby."

4. iO-CHICAGO MOVED TO A NEW LOCATION
Charna Halpern moved her improv theater to a new location --- one that’s more than twice as big as the old location. They added a really cool bar and two more theaters, including one run by the legendary TJ and Dave, called The Mission. My only regret: I was out of town for the star-studded opening.

5. UCB GOT ANOTHER COOLER, BIGGER SPACE
UCB opened a brand-spanking new facility on Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles, proving that improv and sketch may still have more room to grow. Or that the improv bubble will be bursting soon. Either way, they have come a very long way in a short period of time.

6. THE SECOND CITY TRAINING CENTER ANNOUNCED EXPANSIONS
Not to be outdone by Charna or UCB in LA, Second City also put its stake in the ground, launching a brand new Film, TV and Digital department to help improv students learn how to master comedy’s new medium – the web series. The comedy school also announced plans to add 25,000 square feet of classroom and theater space to its already university-sized training center some time next year.

7. COMEDY WEB SERIES STARTED TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY
No longer a place for cat videos or guys getting hit in the nuts, the web proved itself in 2014 to be a lucrative platform for comedians. Creators of web series stated to finally get the respect they deserved by getting their projects distributed, and getting paid to do them. In 2014, past Improv Nerd guests Broad City premiered their show on Comedy Central, and High Maintenance became Vimeo's first program on the Vimeo On Demand platform. Big things are on the horizon from the YouTube generation.

8. TRANSPARENT BROKE TV BARRIERS
Leave it to The Annoyance’s Jill Solloway to make her own experiences into an incredible work of art. In this critically acclaimed series on Amazon, Solloway takes a story from her own life about a parent making the transition from one gender to another and turns it into comedic gold. If all she did was push our understanding of the gender binary, that would be enough -- but this show is constantly going to areas where no other show has gone before.

9. MUSICAL IMPROV WENT TO BROADWAY
Improv Boston's musical genius Michael Decouteaux took musical improv to whole new level this year with Blank the Musical, which was co-produced by the UCB and had a successful run off Broadway last fall. Nobody has more passion for musical improv than Mike does, and it would not surprise me if he has something even bigger in the works for 2015.

10. THE INDY IMPROV SCENE CAUGHT ON
While the improv institutions were growing exponentially in scope and size, the independent improv moment also saw a huge resurgence. Independent teams and groups are filling a necessary void. Not only are more people striking out and creating their own spaces and performance venues, but also improv teachers like Miles Stroth, Dina Facklis, Bill Arnett and Kevin Mullaney have started their own, independent programs. It’s a trend we hope continues.

11. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY JUMPED THE SHARK
Entertainment Weekly used to be a publication that made you feel like an insider in the entertainment industry. It had great writing and great reporting, and it was something I used to look forward to getting every week in the mail. Well, all that changed as the old timers left the building and a bunch of dopey kids took over the reins. The last two issues have featured celebrity gift guides -- I mean, can you say “lame”?

12. IMPROV NERD REACHED A MILESTONE
Yes, I’m putting my own podcast on the list, but I don’t care. With more than 100 episodes and nearly 400,000 downloads, this podcast is being used as a master class for improvisers all over the world. Unfortunately, it still hasn’t done anything to help with my self-esteem.

Want to study with Jimmy Carrane? His next Art of Slow Comedy Class, Level 1, begins Jan. 7 and runs on Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. Or take his one-day workshop, the Two-Person Scene Tune-Up, on Saturday, Jan. 3. Register today!

Best known for creating the HBO sketch series Mr. Show, playing criminal lawyer Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad, and writing the famous “Matt Foley” sketch on SNL, Bob Odenkirk is a comedy legend. He took some time out from his busy tour schedule to chat with Jimmy about his many new projects, including his new book, “A Load of Hooey” and his new show Better Call Saul. They also talked about his reputation as a comedy mentor, working at Second City, and growing up with an angry, alcoholic father. Anyone who considers themselves a comedy nerd won’t want to miss this episode.

It doesn’t matter if you are an improv newbie or a seasoned veteran, when it comes to long form, the same rule applies – You have to have good scene work before using a fancy form. I have said it before and I will say it again, good scene work trumps form every time.

People want to jump into form before developing their scene work, which always turn out disastrous. Since it’s the holiday season and I am in a giving mood, I want to give you three simple long forms that I have been using in my improv classes and in front of audiences for years that always produce great scene work.

Here you go and good luck.

1.Car-Event (4 people)
Set up four chairs as if it's a car. The premise is four people who know each other are driving to an event, such as a funeral, wedding, rock concert, or college reunion. You will do three beats of this scene, which will be edited by the lights. Like in a Harold, the second beats will be a time dash from the previous scenes. (A time dash means a passage of time.)

For example, four adult children are going to the funeral of their 80-year-old father. Karen reveals a secret that their father did inappropriate things to her when she was younger. It is the first time the three other members have heard that secret. They are surprised. They emotionally react to the news. In this first beat, Carols tells her family she is going to bring it up at the funeral in her eulogy. The other kids go crazy. The get angry at her. It’s three against one. The first scene ends.

The second scene begins 20 minutes after the funeral, where Carol brought up the secret in her eulogy. The family is all quiet. Her older brother, Bob, is holding his eye in the back seat of the car. We organically find out what happened. Bob got punched by Uncle Jim as he was defending his sister, Carol. Bob reveals he had known about Karen’s abuse. We find out the other brother and black sheep, Stephen, hooked up with their old neighbor, "Hot Sue" Sullivan, at the funeral and was in the bathroom when the fight broke out.

The third scene is typically a time period farther away: a year, a month, a week later. It is shorter in length than the first two. It works best almost as a "black out.” It can be as something as simple as:

Carol: "I can't believe we are going to Uncle Jim's funeral."
Stephen: “At least you won't have to worry he'll punch you in the face, Bob.”
Lights.

I have also done it where the last scene goes as long as the first two and it's worked just as well. Experiment and see what works best for you.

Tips: Like any long form, it’s better when the characters know each other and everyone has a shared history. With group scenes, it’s important to "Yes and.." your ass off. Reveal a secret. Emotionally react. Sharing other people's point of view also helps a great deal. Sometimes the scenes will break down to three against one, but be aware that those alliance may shift. The other important thing is to focus on "the relationships through the event." If you are going to the Taylor Swift concert and someone is not into Taylor Swift, explore what that says about the character. Why did he or she agree to go?

John: “Ben, you are such a downer. You agreed to go and you don't really like her.”
Ben: “The only reason I am going is to get laid.”
John: “You are such a pig.”

2. Single Location Montage: (6-10 people)
This is a combination of Montage and Close Quarters. Agree on a location somewhere a group of people could all meet, such as a high school, office building, hotel, or shopping mall. If the suggestion is high school, every scene will take place in or around the high school. Take a couple of seconds to think of locations in and outside the high school, as well as relationships. This will give you variety. Most likely, you will do the obvious scenes like teacher and students in a classroom, parents and the principal in his office, coach and star basketball player in the locker room, two loser students in the smoking area. But see if you can push the locations and relationships to be a little more unique. For example, you could be parents in their Audi who just dropped their kid off and want to have sex, the dope dealer in the parking lot selling weed to the head of English department. You will edit with sweeps. Walk on only when a character is needed or specifically called out. It works better with no tag outs. It’s encouraged for character to come back in other scenes, but it's not a requirement.

Tips: In any long form, variety is key. We want to see different energies, relationships, locations and characters. In rehearsal/class, sometimes after getting the suggestion, I will side coach my students to figure out what kind of relationship they could have. What kind of location? Don’t go with the most obvious choice. When you feel you have enough options, you can start.

3. Time Dash Documentary (Up to 12 people total, two people at a time)
Two people sit in chairs facing the audience as if they are addressing a video camera. Think of When Harry Met Sally or a reality TV show. Like in the Car-Event, you will do this in three scenes and time dash it. Also it will be edited by the lights.

There are two characters are there for a reason. They could be a romantic couple, business partners, father and son, etc. They name each other. And they listen and build off the last thing that was said by building the history of the relationship a line at a time. A story line will develop. Example: In first scene, we find out Ron and Heather are a couple and they are trying to have a baby. They have been trying for three years. The second scene starts with Heather holding her stomach and we know she is now pregnant. We find out that they went to China to adopt a baby and their doctor called them when they were at the airport and told them they were pregnant. They are not sure now what they are going to do about the adoption. The third and final scene is quick, just like in the Car-Event. It is two years later and we find out they had twins and adapted Simon from China.

Tips: In class and rehearsal, start out in silence and read the tension from your partner. This is important because everything you need for your scene is in your partner’s eyes.

Try one of these long forms out and let me know how they go!

Jimmy Carrane's next Art of Slow Comedy Class begins Jan. 7! Get in on the ground floor of his three-level system. Sign up by Dec. 24 and pay only $249! Or, take Jimmy's One-Day Workshop on Saturday, Jan. 3 for $79!

Jack Newell is a writer/producer/actor/director. He is the head of the brand new TV, Film and Digital Department at The Second City Training Center in Chicago. He’s a comedy director who uses improvisation in his videos and his two feature length films: Close Quarters and Open Tables. He talks about directing using improvisation, how he gets his projects produced and how improv has taught him to roll with the punches on a film set. This episode is a must for any improviser who want to do their own film, TV and digital shorts.

Thanksgiving is a hard holiday. You can feel like this whole gratitude thing is being shoved down your throat. And what if you have nothing to be grateful for? Maybe you aren't as far as you would like to be in your career or you think people you started out with are passing you by. You may have hit a slump in improv or didn't make a team/group, or your team/group got broken up. You may feel like the worst one in the class you’re taking right now and you want to quit. How can you find something to be grateful for?

Then an idiot like myself comes along and says something stupid like "Why don't you make a list of all things you are grateful for in improv?" When you hear this, you go off the handle and call me all sorts of names. You are angry, and you stop reading this blog.

Often in my improv classes, I will say to the class after 20 minutes of some brilliant long form, “What did you guys do well?”

The question is usually met with silence, like I am asking them a trick question. The tension is broken when someone sheepishly answers my question with a question: "I thought our editing was pretty good?"

It lands flat, followed by some more uncomfortable silence.

When I ask the next question, "What do you think you need to work on?", they come alive. Their faces light up and their voices get strong. "We weren't listening to each other. We had too many walk-ons. I think we had too many of the same kind of scenes."

This is how we are wired. We gladly take in the negative and dismiss the positive. Like the two cannot exist at the same time. We are committed to not doing anything right, so we never feel grateful because as improvisers, we think we are pieces of shit.

I am no different. I wish I could say I was. I am working on this, and I want to get better today -- right now. Because not being able to look at the positive affects my improv as much as my life.

My favorite story of focusing on the negative was when I was doing one of my many solo shows, and the show had sold out. Instead of being excited that I had a packed house, my attention was focused on my older brother and my sister-in-law, who were not there yet. I did not see anybody else in the theater except the two empty seats that I had saved for them in the front row.

That is called ungratefulness. They ended up show up, but it didn’t matter. I was still angry for days. What the fuck? I could not find the gratitude in a sold out show? God help me.

You don't want to be that person. I don't want to be that person. Let's commit to each other just for today that we are not going to be those kind of people. I will go first. I am going to take no more than two minutes to write ten things I am grateful for. Here I go…

10 Things I Am Grateful For:

  1. I got to travel to a lot of great cities this year, where I taught and did Improv Nerd Live.
  2. I released my latest e-book, Improv Therapy, and it’s been well received.
  3. I had a great team of people working on Improv Nerd this season. A great team!
  4. Stage 773 is an awesome space for the show and they are extremely nice to us. Good People.
  5. I have improved as an improviser.
  6. I have improved as an interviewer.
  7. I get e-mails from people all over the world who listen to the Improv Nerd podcast and read this blog.
  8. My wife, Lauren, who keeps Improv Nerd going
  9. My assistant Chloe, who is amazing at social media and keeps me focused.
  10. My amazing improv students over the past year. You made teaching fun.

Ok, now it’s your turn. You may feel angry and want to scream at me, I don’t care. Just give it a try and see how you feel. I promise I will not ask you to do again until next Thanksgiving.

Hurry! Jimmy Carrane's Next Art of Slow Comedy class starts Jan. 7! Get in on the ground floor to take all three levels. Pay only $249 now until Dec. 24 ($279 after). Or, sign up for Jimmy's Two-Person Scene Tune Up Workshop on Jan. 3. Sign up today! 

Stephanie McCullough Vleck, a musical improv virtuoso, has been scoring improv shows since 1997, has been on the Second City faculty since 2002, and recently founded MCL (Musical Comedy Live) in Chicago. Listen as Stephanie talks about her mother's depression, her interactions with Wayne Brady, and helping Jimmy overcome his fear/judgement of musical improv. Plus, Jimmy sings in this episode!

In the world of improv, we all, including myself, struggle with showing up on time. Improvisers are not known for their punctuality or their professionalism. I can’t tell you how many times students have run into class late, or how many times I’ve barely made it to a theater before I was supposed to go on.

This is not a good way of showing respect for yourself or the other people you are working with.

There are a million reasons why we are late, but what we may not realize is that being late sends all sorts of passive aggressive messages that people can misinterpret. Anything from "My time is more important than your time," to "I really don't want to be here," or "I am scared," "I am angry," or my favorite, "Fuck you."

I am late for all those reasons and more. One key reason I am always late is that I am addicted to shame. It’s mood altering, and it’s one of my favorite ways of not owning my power. I use it to sabotage myself. Noting puts me in my head faster than showing up to a show late. I end up using up all my energy rushing to get there on time that I am spent by the time I get there. That means I barely have anything to give to my improv scenes. I don't do my best work, and I get angry at myself, which is what it is design to do, so I can continue to get high off the shame. Welcome to my world.

The sad part I am still doing it, especially with my own show: Improv Nerd Live.

This season we found a great new director in Sam Bowers. The guy is ball of positive energy and has great people skills. He makes everything work. He takes his job seriously, more than I do. As a director he made the call time 4:15 p.m. for a 5 p.m. taping.

For the first seven weeks of the show, I didn’t hit the 4:15 p.m. call time once, and instead waltzing in around 4:40 p.m. Consciously or subconsciously, I was undermining him, myself and the whole show.

Because I was walking in late. I thought I was the star and thought they should have everything under control. Instead I was saying “fuck you” to my own show, a team that I assembled. I was the problem.

I would put this in the self-sabotage category. Here is the thing I did not even realize until I pulled Sam aside a couple weeks ago and asked him if there was anything I could do to make his job easier.

Thank God he was not afraid of me. He said, "Yeah, show up on time." He was right.
It was not easy to take. As my friend, Dave, says, "It was like I was just hit by a two-by-four across my forehead."

I need to be on time to help make decisions. They needed some leadership. Me showing up late was not only a “fuck you” to the cast, it was also a “fuck you” to myself. I don't need anyone to take away my authority. I am doing a pretty good job of that myself.

I am grateful Sam was honest with me and that he helped me keep learning a lesson I felt I had already learned. This past week, I tried my best to be on time. I made it there by 4:20 p.m., which is pretty good for me. I realized that things always go better when I show on time or early, because I am less stressed out and much more relaxed. With three live shows left this season, I hope Sam doesn’t have to tell me again.

Want to study with Jimmy Carrane? His next (Fun)damentals level of the Art of Slow Comedy Class starts Jan. 7. This class is limited to 12 people, and it's only $249 if you register by Dec. 24. Sign up today!

Michael Delaney has been a member of the UCB since 1998, where he teaches improv and sketch writing. He’s been part of legendary teams like “The Swarm” and “Stepfathers.” We talked to him about why he thinks so many talented people have come out of the UCB, what the game of the scene means to him and how he has accepted living in pain. Take a listen!