John reen John Green is makingG a name for himself. He’s written three teen novels, and each one has received glowing reviews from the most respected review journals. How does he do it? Here, Mackin’s Lori Tracy chats with John about how he got started, why his books are so popular, and how his humor and incredible insight into the teenage mind have catapulted him to success. From worms to words a realistic career goal. When you’re eight, it’s perfectly acceptable to Lori: Okay, I have to ask. think you want to be an astronaut Did you really want to be an when you grow up. But at some earthworm scientist as a kid? point, you realize there are maybe John: Yes, I did. I like digging 74 astronauts in the world, and that my hands in the dirt. I’ve always it’s statistically improbable you’ll liked the idea of being good at be among them. I always thought science and math, but I’m not being a writer was analogous to good at them. All the earthworms being an astronaut; but in point of in my earthworm farm died. I can’t fact, it’s not — not at all. keep my plants alive. I have no You know from Compendium. talent with anything organic, but I It’s a publication with hundreds of thought it would be a fun job. books in it, and those are just the best of the best. All those books L: Were you an avid reader as are written by somebody. It turns a child? out that writing was a much more J: Yes. It’s a similar thing — I realistic career goal than I thought it always liked the idea of reading a was. For a long time, even when my lot. But, there were some books first novel was published, I never that I would read over and over. thought I would do this full-time “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen, “Huck for a living. I feel very fortunate Finn,” adventure novels. When now. At some point, presumably, I read a book I loved, I loved that will end, but you want to ride it for a long time, and it stuck that as long as you can. in my memory. I wasn’t one of those voracious readers who read When life is serious, hundreds of books a year. laugh more L: It took you four years to L: So when did the joy of write “Looking for Alaska” (2005), writing enter your life? and a little less for “Abundance J: I knew I wanted to be a of Katherines” (2006). How long writer by the time I was 12 or so, did it take to write your new book but I certainly never thought it was “Paper Towns?” 1 J: About two-and-a-half years L: What do you — still shorter, but still longer want a teen reader than it ought to be. They say to think or feel you’re supposed to publish a after reading “Paper book every year, but it’s a time- Towns?” consuming process for me. I can J: I want them write a draft in a few months, but to feel like the the revision process is not easy. choice between an Probably between the first draft of ordinary and an “Paper Towns” and the finished extraordinary life is a manuscript, about 80 percent was more difficult choice abandoned and rewritten — and than one would first that’s pretty par-for-the-course for think. Also, I want them to feel me. Three books in now, I have to J: Yeah, if you’ve ever been in like they’ve been taken on a crazy accept that’s my process. I might a roomful of children’s hospital ride, and that they know and care envy my colleagues who write a chaplains, you will rarely hear about these kids as well as they book every year they can be proud more swearing. I don’t think know and care about their friends. of, but that’s just not going to be there’s anything incompatible with One of the big arguments in me. “explicit language” and “family the novel is that there’s a limit to values” or “Christian values.” The L: “Looking for Alaska” seems the human imagination, or to what real questions at the core of the to be a dark book. “Abundance extent we’re able to imagine what human experience have absolutely of Katherines” seems to be a nothing to do with whether or not much lighter book. How did this Probably between the first in the course of your discussion influence “Paper Towns,” which you use the word “sh_ _.” seems to be a mix of both moods? draft of “Paper Towns” and Write where it hits you J: I’ve always really liked books the finished manuscript, that never stopped being funny, about 80 percent was L: Do you have any weird yet are very serious. I wanted to try abandoned and rewritten. habits/superstitions when you’re in to write a book like that — funny the midst of writing? all the way through, but also one J: I’m pretty superstitious about that acknowledged the seriousness it’s like to be other people or for keyboards actually. I use a different of the story. A serious story about other people to be with us. keyboard for each book. I’m not people who are engaged in difficult The story is only interesting if really superstitious about anything moments of their lives — I think you feel like you’re inside one or else. I’ve written on planes, trains that’s what life is like. more of the characters enough for and automobiles. I’ve written I worked at a children’s the mistakes to be there. in airports and bookstores and hospital, and some of the funniest restaurants, in coffee shops, in my things I ever heard I heard there. L: So … there’s a lot of basement, in my attic, in my office. But, it was not a funny place. swearing in your books. How do Sometimes I write with music on, I wanted to try to reflect that you go from being a chaplain, sometimes with music off. in “Alaska.” The first half does, someone who studied religion, I actually try to break my but the second half is pretty, okay, to writing books with lots of superstitions whenever possible, very dark. It was nice to be able to swearing? [NOTE: John worked because it’s irrational. For a long write a book that stayed serious but for six months as a chaplain in a time I believed, when I first started didn’t leave behind the humor. children’s hospital after college.] (continued) 2 scheduling and occurred to them before. The blogging. I spend newness and excitement of that about 20 hours really interests me. every week doing the video blogging. Writer. Blogger. It’s important and a Comedian? big part of my life, L: Do you ever, even though so I wouldn’t want you only have a few books under to lose that. your belt, look back on your first L: Why did book and think you should’ve you decide to write done anything differently? for a young-adult J: It’s only been three or four audience as opposed years, but I don’t think I would to middle school or change anything. I never say I wish adult? Is it because I could change this or that, because writing, that I couldn’t write your high school years are the most I feel I did the best I could do with well if I wasn’t smoking cigarettes vivid memories for you? those stories with those people at — which is a very dangerous thing that time and that place. Going to believe, of course! As it turns J: Well, I think that’s probably back to it now would not make a out, the exact opposite was true. I part of it, but I also think there better book. couldn’t write well if I did smoke are two main reasons I like writing cigarettes. for teens. First, I really like the L: You worked at Booklist years “Looking for Alaska” didn’t get audience. It’s really interesting ago and really enjoyed it. If you any good until I quit smoking. to be able to have a conversation found out tomorrow you couldn’t — which is what a good novel be a writer anymore, what would L: So you can just start writing ought to be — with people at this you do? wherever it hits you? moment, people who are forming J: Hmmm, something lucrative. J: Yes. I have to sit still for a No, I would become a professional minute and collect myself, and video blogger. I would just make I like to read whatever it is I’ve “Looking for Alaska” didn’t videos. I would work with that been writing. So I try to get in the get any good until I quit community. It’s similar in a voice and edit what I wrote last smoking. way because you get to have a time around just to make it sound collaborative conversation with better. people, like you do with writing. L: How many hours a week their values, when everything L: I’ve seen a few of your video would you say you’re writing? important is happening for the first clips on the Internet, and they’re time, and the stakes are so high.