FAQ
Q. So this is the frequently asked questions section of your site.
A. That’s not a question, but yes. To be fair, I’ve also included many infrequently asked questions in the name of completeness. The FAQ is divided into the categories below so as to keep it shorter than a novel.
Q. You have not answered my question.
A. You seem to have a very limited understanding of what a question is. But okay, if you have a question that is not answered in the FAQ, please leave that question in the comments of the appropriate section (or, if you cannot decide upon a section, you can leave it in the comments of this post), and I will try to answer it. Thanks!
Questions about Looking for Alaska
Questions about An Abundance of Katherines
Questions about Paper Towns
Questions about Will Grayson, Will Grayson
Questions about Other Writing and/or Radio Stuff
Questions about YouTube and/or Vlogging
Questions about Where I Get My Ideas, Inspiration, and General Writing Stuff
Philosophical Questions
Questions about My Books Being Turned into Movies
Writing and Publishing Advice
Biographical Questions for Your School Project, Which I Am Really Flattered You Chose to Do about Me
{ 177 comments… read them below or add one }
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Hi, I’m having an extreme dilemma. I have wanted to be an author for a very long time, I can’t even remember when I started writing just for fun. I know that writing is not always a stable career, and until a while ago I was okay with that. I also love animals, and was planning to try (the key word here being try) to be a veterinarian… Well, that would involve being good at math and science and soforth; of which I am neither. I can’t bring myself to get interested enough to apply myself completely which is very important in a job.. I like the security that being a veterinarian offers, however, I LOVE to write! So I guess what I’m asking is this: Is writing a worthwhile career in the financial aspect? Do you think that my inability to focus on the sciences required for a vet is a reason to be worried I won’t be able to become good at that occupation? Sorry for the length of this.. entry? I tend to babble haha.
Hi Lauren, being a creative writing professor at a college would be the safest bet financially. A doctorate in CW doesn’t pay as much as a doctorate in medicine, but it’s still a secure career and will give you plenty of time to write and you’ll be able to inspire and help others reach their writing goals as well.
I wanna read Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns now!!! Tomorrow i’ll buy those books after work..can’t wait to read it!! Yay!!!
Where can you buy them?! o-o I want to read them too but I don’t live in the US.
Danika, try googling “The Book Depository”! It’s a UK site that ships worldwide for free. That’s where I got my copies! :)
I’m doing my book project on An Abundance of Katherines, which I absolutely loved by the way! I need to write a short biography about the author and I could get most of what I needed from your bio, but there are a few questions that I still need to answer, and the page “Biographical Questions for Your School Project, Which I Am Really Flattered You Chose to Do about Me” either doesn’t exist, or the link isn’t working. You might want to fix this in the future, but I’ll be able to get the rest of what I need from various other sources. I’m going to see you when you come to NC, and I’m super excited! Thanks for being a super awesome author and a hilarious youtuber! DFTBA! :)
I’m in the exact same situation! I agree, a link for “Biographical Questions for Your School Project, Which I Am Really Flattered” would be awesome indeed!
I need this link. I’m writing a speech about the impact my favorite author has had on the world. :)
Yes the link would help me so much, I mean there are plenty of unanswered questions in that area. PLEASE put the link soon.
Ah yes! I would very much appreciate this link, as I am sure every Nerdfighter would. I mean every one of us has written about John for school at least once, right?
I’m doing a project about you also. A “Biographical Questions for Your School Project, Which I Am Really Flattered” section would be really helpful.
I’m doign a book report on The Fault In Our Stars. This link would be really helpful. It’d be great if it can be fixed.
Nerdfighters I need help!!! I want to read a John green book but I can’t read books with sex in it. Is there ANY John green books with NO sex in it? I appreciate if you help me.
DFTBA :)
if it helps ik that TFiOS does and Looking For Alaska. not sure if paper towns or an abundance of katherines does..
By “does” you mean “does have sex in it,” right?
The Fault in Our Stars – Yes.
Paper Towns – No.
An Abundances of Katherines – Yes, but not with the main characters.
Looking for Alaska – Yes. With the main character.
So Paper Towns is the safest option. :)
Paper Towns doesn’t have like explicit sex scenes, but there is one part where they see people about to and I think there are references.
Try this: http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/paper-towns
Hey John, can you answer questions about TFiOS please. Also I would like to include that I am 14 and the thought of you narrating the fault in our stars is pretty scary… With that part… NO SPOILERS! and especially that the narrater is a 16 (or 17 or 18 can’t remember) female. ahh i babble but can you please tell me if… Any of your characters are based upon you or people you know in TFiOS.. shanks,
Trace
Ps. Ive been subscribed for 3 years… hahaha which isn’t much considering that someone from nerdfighteria is gonna post “I’ve been subbed for 4587483 years” ahhh wutevs and you are now my favorite author.. sorry my favorite youtube personality is hank yea.. he beat you on that part.. I NEED TO STOP ELIPSISING SO MUCH wow i ramble probably cause I’m procrastinating my homework. hahaha i hope you read this that would be sooo cool!
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Okay so I forgot to ask one more thing. So I love to write and I have all of these ideas(some great some not so great), but I have trouble with the introduction to the story. How do you start a story and make it sound interesting?
I would start by just going with your gut. Don’t write the beginning, write what you feel. Write what your characters tell you is on their minds. When you feel the story through your fingers, flow through the thoughts, emotions, scenes, you will know how you should introduce it. You can always go back and write a beginning, or, maybe even decide that your middle would make the perfect beginning.
I’m sorry. I am not the amazing John Green. But I couldn’t resist the chance to answer that question.
I was just wondering, why hasn’t The Faul in Our Stars been added to the list of books written on the left hand side of the screen? I would love to refer people to your site to read about what the book is about and maybe also be curious to look at Looking for Alaska, as well as your other works.
JOHN JOHN JOHN JOHN! *ahem* Sorry.
Mr. Green,
As I recall nerdfighters at some point being given the task of designing a cover of one of your books (it was a while ago details are fuzzy) and since there are all of these Imperial Affliction covers floating about interweblinks would publishers ever permit your book to be titled something that it wasn’t. So like an Imperial Affliction cover goes on your next book which was not infact written by a (to put it kindly) jerk going by Peter Van Houten but is infact titles something like “All morons hate when you call them morons” or “Seeking, a little wistfully…” or you know whatever it is your writting about. Just a question otherwise ninja nerdfighters maybe planning your kidnapping to force you to write the imperial affliction if they are not given something to quench their thirst for it.
I would like to apologize for my horrendous grammar. But now it is POP QUIZ TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Above in the two book titles that are made up which to books do they quote. Sorry if the second is to hard.
Hi John Green. I admire you and your work immensely and have established a routine of reading each of your novels multiple times (which does not include “Looking For Alaska” because I’ve read that a significantly greater amount of times than the others, and honestly, any other book that has ever existed) and they possess such a significance in my life that oftentimes I joke that “Looking For Alaska” my bible (and with all due respect and no offense, that is a scary thought if taken literally). Although I have many questions for you, one that constantly imposes its way to the pinnacle of the spectrum of questions that racks my brain, is: what are some of your favorite books/quotes/poems/authors/and other literary substances? I would be more than interested to check them out. Thank you for being so awesome (among other things) and I hope you continue to write novels because I will continue to read them.
Hi John,
I know you won’t reply. But it feels great knowing that you will read this, as promised on your site.
1. I’m a high school English teacher, and kids will plop their tired selves down in the desks in front of me in 15 minutes. No time for drafts, revisions, etc. This is from the gut.
2. Finished The Fault in our Stars last night. Mind you, I have two boys, ages 2 and 5. I have NOT read a novel since my eldest was born, as you can well imagine. I read the review of aformentioned last week in USA Today. Promptly went to B+N and bought it. I could not put it down. I have fallen madly in love with Hazel Grace (my prediction for top girl baby name in…2014?) and Gus. Which leads me to…
3. HOW COULD YOU SELL THE RIGHTS FOR A MOVIE???? I am beyond disgusted. I dare to call you Van Houten, to be honest. You, of all people, know that we readers love them just as they loved those characters who came alive in An Imperial Affliction. I do not want some actor/actress to become Hazel and Gus. No. They live in my heart and no where else.
Yes, I know I can choose to skip the movie. But unless I move to a cave (which sounds delightful but not realistic), I won’t be able to avoid the press, the posters, the commercials.
They could’ve become Holdens…forever alive in hearts and minds…
I am sad. Almost as sad as I was reading the last third of the book. But my gratitude to you for creating the most incredible book EVER overshadows my disgust.
Owen Meany has been usurped as my all-time favorite character by your delightful pair of star-crossed lovers. I will think of them daily until Hollywood shoves their interpretation down my throat.
Sincerely,
Why is the link to “Biographical Questions for Your School Project, Which I Am Really Flattered You Chose to Do about Me” apparently nonexistent? It would have helped me with my school project, which I am indeed doing about you. :)
Aside from that, congratulations on your wonderful new book, The Fault in Our Stars. As every-one else here has said, it was wonderful and fascinating, and made me both want to kill my-self and live every moment to the fullest. I hope you have many more ideas for your intellectually and emotionally alluring creations. Best wishes!
You don’t even need to remember to be awesome, you are made of awesome.
Hi John!
I just got my pre-ordered copy of TFiOS but it wasn’t signed. What should I do? (I realize I’ve posted this question in about 8 other places but I’m just trying to make sure it gets seen by you)
Thanks and best wishes,
Eira
John, I’d love to know behind your Great Perhaps.
Wait wait wait wait WAIT!! Help!! How come “Biographical Questions for Your School Project, Which I Am Really Flattered You Chose to Do about Me” isnt a link????!!!! Please help. I need help writing my paper and you, Mr. Green, are surely the best person to help me with this.
please come to new zealand it is the most un visited place by my favourite authors thus i have nothing to do
Aw, I really need the questions for your school project part….
Im also writing about him for a school assignment! what are you doing your project on exactly?
I am also writing a report over Mr. Green and need a few more academic sources to quote….
Hi John
You came to our bookstore last summer (you probably don’t remember, it’s on the market place in Bruges) and we just got ‘The Fault in our Stars’ in Dutch today.. So I wanted to congratulate you, it seems you’ve written another amazing book. (Now I just have to find the time to read it.)
Are you coming to Belgium again soon?
Feel free to drop in anytime!!
Ellen
I chose to do my term paper on you and Looking For Alaska but the link for biographical questions doesnt work D:
Dear John,
You are my own personal Van Houten. Fortunately you’re a heck of a lot nicer than THE Van Houten, so maybe you can answer these questions…
What happens to Hazel?
What happens to Isaac?
John, you’ve written your own An Imperial Affliction!!! It can’t just stop. I need to see beyond the horizon for this one.
I’ve just embarrassed myself by bursting into tears in the lunch room of my office over your book as I read the last 30 pages or so. Please do me the courtesy of telling me my tears were not in vain.
Sincerely,
Ren
A Fan.
is there another meaning to why it is called “The Fault In Our Stars”? besides the shakespere’s quote? I’m really bad at these things …
or maybe it’s because i don’t understand the quote..
HELP PLEASE!
my thoughts are stars i can’t fathom into constellations,
Anna
My thought (and this is just me! I’m sure it’s different for everyone) was that the stars were really just human beings in general, and the fault in our stars was basically the same as the fault in ourselves.
What are some of your favorite books that you would recommend for a young adult?
Hi John.
I was wondering, what is your background- in terms of ethnicity? I’m hoping to use one of your books for a final project in my English Honours class, but that would only be possible if I can prove you are either of British decent or a decendent of someone who lived in America during its Colonial period. The project is about pitching why a book is important and worth reading and I think it would be a shame to choose any book not written by my favourite author. And if I was able to base my project off of one of your books, I’d know I’d give it at least a thousand percent. I’m kind of unironically enthusiastic about your books. And by kind of, I mean I’m a total nerd about them.
If anyone know, please reply?
Thank you, immensely.
Mr. Green,
One of my students is reading an excerpt from one of your books for a prose competition. The rules of the contest state that we must have documentation of the author’s date of birth. Would you mind providing me with that information?
Thank you very much!
Sincerely,
Katie Atkins
Dear Mr. Green,
I am writing a research paper over you, but I am having trouble finding 10 academic sources to quote. Could you please help me to get more sites?
why does the biography questions link not work? I actaully am writting a report on you.. HELP!
-Carr.
So, a question about the FAQ itself, and then my original question:
The section that deals with your flattering Biography questions that I really would like to ask for my American author’s project: Is that a thing, or are you on the fence about actually putting a link to it? :> Maybe it’s my computer, but I cannot click on that string of text and expect it to get me anywhere.
Original question that may or may not be frequently asked: Are there multiple (if any) authors our there that you took direct inspiration from? If so, would any of them be easily recognizable?
Your work is strikingly similar to another writer’s… I can’t put my finger on who. :<
Hi. I am trying to get an updated schedule of appearances from your website. I only see thru January on my screen. My daughter, who is 14, is so bummed to have missed John at USC this past week. We live really close. So, what I am trying to to say, is we don’t want to miss seeing him in LA when he is in town again. thank you so much.
Hey Mr. Green, I’ve read all of your books and absolutely love them. I was just curious to know what has influenced your writing?
please please please make the link for Biographical Questions for Your School Project, Which I Am Really Flattered You Chose to Do about Me work. i need this. but if you can’t get it by like this Thursday, oh well. i’d still like to learn about you.
Would you be kind enough to sign some books that I bought by you? I bought them in Barnes and Noble, but soon after I found signed copies at Walmart for a few dollars off. I was so disappointed because I had looked online for almost a week for signed copies. Anyways, is there any where I can send my books for you to sign them, if possible? Please and thank you.
Hey John/Nerdfighteria,
I think you should write An Imperial Affliction so that I can write my Advanced Higher English dissertation on it and The Fault In Our Stars… Or, could anyone maybe give me an idea of books I can compare with any one of John’s novels – I would really love to write my dissertation on a book I really love!
Thanks in advance!
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