Introduction by Jen to the new FlatImprov podcast. We're starting with the intersection of neurodivergence and improv.

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Hello, Substack, it's Jen.

I didn't think I'd be using this site, but here I am, because I saw that they had a podcast feature, and I thought that is a lot easier than potentially type in words out, which I do a lot of in other places and not something I wanted to do here.

So I'm going to try this out and see how well it functions basically.

And if it functions well, maybe I'll use it for more.

So my intent is to speak about Improv, of course, because this will be going out with my Improv newsletter at flatimprov.com.

So it makes sense that it's about Improv.

But I've been thinking for a while, you know, what can I talk about a lot?

I love to monologue, I love to talk, and this seems like a way to do it more.

Great.

But what the hell am I going to talk about?

Well, I was thinking about talking.

I was thinking about talking for one, but I was also thinking about talking about neurodivergence and improv.

I have a neurodivergent brain, it's the way I'm wired, and it affects my improv a lot.

As a student, it affects the way that I approach teaching.

Not that I've done a lot of it, but it has affected that as well.

How can it not?

It's the way I'm wired.

And of course, it also affects scene work a lot.

And this thing, neurodivergence, is obviously something that can be a challenge.

You can take advantage of it.

And I want to talk about those various topics.

So I've made a list.

I like to do lists.

And some of the things that I anticipate talking about is how I create characters.

I create them in a highly visual way that uses something called hyperfantasia.

I use it in other parts of improv scenes.

I'm trying to manipulate it.

So I'm going to talk about that a little bit.

I'm going to talk about, you know, how I don't create characters as well, because a lot of the common ways that it's instructed, presumably, of course, those people use those ways, doesn't work for me.

So I also want to talk about things that don't work for me.

And what do I do instead?

I want to talk about auditory processing.

That, of course, affects the way that you learn improv, especially.

It affects the way that you hear notes, how you ask questions, how you're instructed.

I want to talk about alexithymia.

That's a big one for a lot of us who have that, because it affects how you do emotions in scenes.

And it affects how you're taught to do emotions and scenes as well.

And that's something I actually learned that I had through Improv, because I was blurted out the way I did a thing.

And I was like, well, that was weird.

I just kind of learnt how I did it when I blurted it out on the spot.

And later on, I came across the idea of that.

Again, it was a word I knew, and I never really thought I had it until Improv kind of highlighted, oh, by the way, you do have that thing after all.

I'm going to talk about grounded voice of reason as well, because that, I think, is maybe the first thing where I really hit my neurodivergent brain the most and the hardest.

And I don't even know if I have good workarounds yet, but I want to talk about grounded being grounded and being yourself in a scene when you've masked your entire life.

So, these are some of the things that I thought that I would talk about, and I'm sure that I will ramble and go off talk pick and on tangents a lot.

But that's, that's my idea now.

And if you're actually listening to this, all three of you, what do you think?

What do you want to hear about?

Is this even something that seems remotely interesting to you?

Let me know.

I would like to talk, as you probably know, if you actually know me.

All right.

Bye.