We recently connected with Christin Neal and have shared our conversation below.

Christin, appreciate you joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Performing stand up comedy is a much more tedious task than it looks from the outside. It is more similar to my embroidery than one might think. It starts with an idea, but you have to write it every different way until you find the best combination. You have to perform it many different ways. It is good to have good friends in comedy who can help you hone and joke and give you critical feedback.

Looking back, it would have been nice to have gotten through the nerves and hesitation of trying new material and not worrying so much about how it worked in that moment. But I also know I couldn’t have rushed those feelings. It is an incredibly vulnerable thing and takes time.

The main obstacle I had to overcome, and still deal with, is myself. I can be overly critical of myself when a set doesn’t go well or if I feel I didn’t handle a set right. It is best to learn what you can from any set and then move on to the next.

Christin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I always loved art, but I never focused on one medium. Then I started creating and embroidering my own designs. I loved that I could make such personal designs. I loved the tediousness of making each stitch and before you know it you have put enough together to make a design. My favorite thing is to make custom designs for people. I may not always know the backstory of the design, but I know it means something to someone and that touches me.

As well as my embroidery business I am also a stand up comic. I love being creative in a completely different way. You also need the audience to be there with you, you want to bring them on your journey. I have performed stand up all over Atlanta and the southeast. I have produced, booked and hosted many comedy shows. I love knowing all the comics and their styles and putting a show together.

I have performed from private shows in Buckhead to dive bars and everything in between. From a Seder to a bridal shower. My comedy is derived from trying to raise a family and the annoying parts of being a woman.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

One of the exciting things about stand up comedy is your career can evolve in a lot of different ways. The standard path has always been to hit to road and tour and try your material as many places as possible. While that is still the best way to build your comedy set, it is not possible for everyone. I have two kids and I can’t be away. I started taking acting classes because so much is filmed in and around Atlanta these days. Casting agents could see you on stage and think you are right for a part. Making online content is another way to work on your skills from the comfort of your home. I am not sure where I want my comedy career to take me, but I am using every avenue available to try to grow it.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Life never goes in a straight line unfortunately. I didn’t know what I wanted to after I graduated college. I applied to graduate programs, but wasn’t accepted. I finally knew what I wanted when I got pregnant with my first kid. I wanted to be a stay at home mom like my own mother. I wanted to be there for her all the time the same way my mom was for me. I really do credit my mom for how I am now able to take risks because I felt so safe for so long. It seems counterintuitive, but I don’t think I would have started stand up at age 36 or roller derby at age 40 if all those years I didn’t feel secure.

But, one week after I delivered my premie baby my husband was let go from his job. The whole plan changed and I went back to work and he stayed home. Eventually he went back to work and I was able to leave a corporate job I had no love for to stay home with my babies. Once my kids were older, I was able to start my embroidery business and pursue stand up.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @christin.neal
• Other: TikTok @christinneal

Image Credits
Lola Scott @lolascottart Drew Cook @crewdook