Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Claire Berger. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Claire thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?

The idea my latest book, “How Much Is Enough? Getting More By Living With Less” came to me as I swam laps in at my neighborhood YMCA in March 2021 when pandemic safety protocols were still in place. Swimmers were only allowed to swim for thirty minutes, then required to hop out and give another swimmer their lane. Once the rules were lifted, swimmers could swim as long as they wanted, but I remained content to continue to swim for thirty minutes. When I started to question if thirty minutes was indeed enough exercise.

I reflected on all the different aspects of my life where I questioned ‘how much is enough?’ I began to discuss the concept of ‘enough’ with others and realized this is a question everyone asks themselves multiple times a day about an array of topics without even realizing the self-judgement that accompanies it. I started to question whether this is a positive, constructive inner dialogue or negative, shaming self-talk. This became the thesis for my unique mash up or memoir and self help genres.

I came up with twenty two chapter topics and wrote them one at a time with the expectation that my future readers could just open my book at any chapter they chose and just start reading. I wrote almost every day for two years until I had completed my first draft.

The hybrid publishing industry was very intriguing to me and I found a great team of professionals at Dart Frog Books. Their editors, designers, project managers, proofreaders and social media strategists were incredibly helpful. I couldn’t have successfully published such a beautiful, high quality book without their guidance and expertise.

Since my June, 2024 book release I have been touring the country non-stop to promote my book. Once I had my itinerary set, I began imagining offbeat ideas for book events. Sure, I love a good bookstore, the obvious choice for book readings and signings, but I challenged myself to conjure up untapped and unexpected venues.

As my imagination began straying from the norm, I decided to partner up with my longtime friend, comedian Wendy Hammers to craft entertaining, conversational events. We’ve both been doing one form of comedy writing or another for over 40 years and are charter members of each other’s fan clubs, I cannot say enough about the importance of collaboration when it comes to brainstorming book event ideas. Wendy and I combined our various contacts and wacky ideas to come up with a book event schedule that defies conventional wisdom.

In July, I began the “Enough” book events at the wildly popular Zibby’s Bookshop, located on Montana, the trendiest street in Santa Monica, CA. Zibby’s nurtures a highly intelligent customer base thanks to their charming store, popular book club, publishing imprint, and podcast empire.

.Our next stop jettisoned us into a bastion of beauty—a beachfront salon called Amico in Manhattan Beach. We spotlighted the Beauty and Friendship chapters. Anyone can get a cut and color, but what other salon also hosts an author reading?

One of my most provocative chapters asks readers to contemplate “How much is enough sex?” Reading the Sex chapter in the right setting is crucial. And while we can’t control the audience demographic at any public event, the community hub known as The Village Well in Culver City was a good fit. Authors, poets, screenwriting students, and musical acts (including the dad-rock band Low Coast Yams) perform in this multifaceted neighborhood outpost,

My background as a writer includes contributing to an Italian cookbook and writing for two Culinary immersion programs, both based in Italy. So my personal passion and professional focus on food joined together at La Puglia, a popular west side LA restaurant that lovingly prepares their southern Italian nonna’s recipes. I did readings from both the Food and Travel chapters. The owners agreed to prepare a special prix fixe “Enough” book tour menu after the event for those who care to stay after the book event to dine with us. It was such a fun dinner party with lovely people and no clean-up necessary!
I really wanted to find a way to support Art Division, one of my favorite nonprofits in Los Angeles known as an “incubator of creativity.” They nurture the talent, education, and careers of young, underserved artists with impressive classes, workshops, mentoring, and travel opportunities. Wendy and I are excited to teach a creative writing class to Art Division students in advance of our book event, where I will spotlight the Life and Work chapters.

I also brought my book event to a popular health food shop called Muun Chi in Redondo Beach, where the owner prepares and serves 100% organic, hand-made, plant-based foods created from up cycled food products. I read from the Health and Exercise chapters and enjoyed a lively discourse with their customers.

My ongoing efforts to promote my book has brought me to senior citizen residences, a back yard clothing swap party and even my 50th high school reunion celebration. Straying from normal, predictable book promotion has provided one of my greatest professional adventures. I am grateful for the opportunity to inspire conversations while promoting my book.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

For over four decades, I’ve been earning a living as a comedian, improv actor, and writer. I began my career in Chicago with The Second City and in local comedy clubs. I found big laughs and steady work in Los Angeles, earning acclaim as a warm-up comedian on over 65 of your favorite sitcoms, including Seinfeld, Friends, Murphy Brown, and Mad About You. Additionally, I was the first comedian HGTV hired to host a series (Fantasy Open House).

I always find humor in unlikely places, including Italian kitchens, where I served as resident writer, ambassador and cookbook contributor for two popular culinary immersion programs, Tuscan Women Cook and Italian Culinary Adventures.

I wrote “How Much Is Enough? Getting More By Living With Less” as an interactive memoir, to give voice to the ever present conversation we’re all having in our heads. How Much Is Enough… Exercise? Religion? Health? Shoes? Family? Food? I tackle an array of topics in twenty-two chapters that can be adapted into an entertaining, interactive keynote that engages audiences in every age and stage of life.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Since 2020, we’ve had more than enough time for self-reflection. Time spent in Covid lockdown—alone or in an anxious, intermittently neurotic bubble of family members—certainly gave me pause to do an emotional inventory of sorts. When so much day-to-day normalcy is stripped from my life, what is left to embrace and appreciate? How much is enough time spent worrying about our world’s overall health? How many calls to my adult children are enough to be supportive without being clingy? And can I finally stop shaving my legs?

I experienced a dramatic shift in my life that gave me pause to reevaluate my own sense of enough.
Mid-pandemic, I decided to reinvent my life. I left everything familiar— my home, my steady income, and many people I loved, including my adult son, Sam—and I moved from keto-obsessed Los Angeles to bagel-loving Brooklyn with my daughter, Jenna; my son-in-law, Patrick; my granddaughter, Natalie; and their French bulldog, Bridget. It was a bold move.

One of the first things I did was to join my neighborhood YMCA. It has a beautiful pool, and I looked forward to the chance to enjoy regular exercise. I mustered up the courage to make new friends in my extremely alluring swim cap and goggles in the socially challenging, pandemic environment. I paid my membership and learned the rules of the pool. It was March, 2021 and pandemic protocols were still in place. The number of people in the pool at one time and the length of time anyone could swim were strictly monitored. Each person was assigned a lane and had exactly thirty minutes to swim. When my time was up, I would climb out of the pool and give the next swimmer a chance to dive in. with a feeling of accomplishment, confident that I had completed a solid workout, both mentally and physically.

Once the Covid numbers began to drop, the Y removed the time limit. Now I could swim longer than thirty minutes if I wanted to, but I had become accustomed to my thirty-minute swim, so I kept doing that. Before the time limit was dropped, I’d felt triumphant after every thirty-minute swim, so why was I now judging myself for swimming for only thirty minutes? Day after day, I asked myself that same question: How much swimming is enough? Sure, I would burn more calories if I swam more, but could I also be satisfied with just being a thirty-minute swimmer? No one would mistake me for Olympic gold medal swimmer Katie Ledecky, but I was fine with that.

Thus began my idea for the topic of my new book, “How Much Is Enough?” How does the concept of enough extend to dry land and other aspects of our lives? This book grew not only from my personal trials and tribulations, rabbit-hole research, and obsessive social media scrolling but also from conversations with many others who have attempted to redefine the concept of enough in their own lives.

Thought-provoking questions and “deeper dive” prompts are included in each chapter of this book. How does the concept of enough change as we age? Aside from material possessions, what does money buy? Was there a point in your childhood when you didn’t feel you had enough? These and many more questions offer an opportunity for contemplation and conversation.

The moniker interactive memoir seems fitting. In this book I share some very personal stories about people, places, and things that have come and gone in my life. I am telling you these truths in the hopes of inspiring readers to do the same.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I can’t imagine a life without creativity. For me, writing has been my constant source of personal reflection and professional fulfillment. Launching my career as an improv actor at The Second City honed my curiosity and base of knowledge. To learn a little about a lot of things was my springboard into my career as a writer. Becoming a stand-up and comedy writer gave me a unique marketing angle, especially as a woman in a field that was predominately male.

When I decided to start my family, I was able to pivot with great success into the field of warm-up comedy, working on the best sitcoms while being able to stay home and raise my children. This is, hands-down the most rewarding aspect of my creative profession.

Looking back at my forty plus year career as a comedian, freelance writer and author, I am filled with pride and a deep sense of accomplishment. My goal was never to become rich or famous. To remain curious and creative has been more than enough for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.claireberger.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4claireb/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2034107663612081
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claireberger/