Skip to main content

Writer John Green on Hollywood and teen whispering

By WTOP Staff

LEANNE ITALIE
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — When “The Fault in Our Stars” landed on bookshelves more than two years ago, John Green’s enthusiasm was nonexistent for a screen version of his story featuring teens with cancer.

“I had had some Hollywood experiences before that weren’t great and I felt like Hollywood would struggle to make a movie where the female romantic lead has nasal cannula tubes in her nose for the entire movie,” he said.

Well, hello 2014 and Monday night’s premiere of “TFIOS,” the movie. It’s the first of Green’s best-selling books to go Hollywood after he was won over by the script’s dedication to his characters in the clutches of adolescence. Oh, and it didn’t hurt that one of the producers was a huge Liverpool soccer club fan like Green.

Already a rock star among young readers, mostly of the teen girl variety, the Orlando, Florida-raised Green, the guy who looks straight out of central casting as Unassuming Writer, now walks red carpets, clowns on morning TV and banters with new BFF Nat Wolff and the movie’s other young stars, Shailene Woodley and newcomer Ansel Elgort.

In a plaid button-down shirt and conservative suit jacket, it was the bespectacled, 36-year-old Green — not the hunky, younger Wolff — who got the loudest screams Saturday from several hundred girls who showed up for a panel discussion about the movie during the publishing industry’s annual BookExpo America.

Green leapt off the stage of the stuffed conference hall to bear-hug a 16-year-old amputee, Robert Berger of Damerest, New Jersey. Berger, a high school sophomore with a prosthetic like “TFIOS” love interest Gus Waters, made his way to a microphone and referenced a bedroom scene when he offered: “I’d like to thank you, John, for answering a lifelong question of mine, which is, whether during sex, I keep my leg on or off.”

Green, a father of two, is ever respectful of Berger and his other “nerdfighters,” the community of fans worldwide that has led him to Hollywood’s door and greet each other with his tagline: “Don’t Forget to Be Awesome!” They even have a special thing they do with their arms, crossing at the chest and spreading their fingers in twos. You sort of have to be there.

The writer was vigilant as a presence on the movie’s set, sobbing when the filmmakers got it right and cheering on Woodley, Elgort and Wolff, who is slated to star in the next stop on Green’s big-screen journey for his “Paper Towns.”

So, can Green hold on to his mojo? His is the kind of authenticity among young people that led a headline writer at The New Yorker to dub him the “Teen Whisperer.” Green doesn’t love that term.

“I don’t whisper to teens very often. I think whispering to teens would be weird and creepy,” he joked Monday during an interview with The Associated Press. “I love talking to teenagers. I love making stuff for teenagers and making stuff with them.”

Green was an early YouTuber. He has a rapid-fire delivery in an ongoing series of videos he exchanges with his brother Hank, who lives in Montana. Their Vlogbrothers channel has attracted millions and showcases Green’s goofy side (like smearing his face with peanut butter) as he weighs in on everything from Hitler’s sex life to how to stamp out bullying.

The brothers also put up “CrashCourse” videos accompanied by cartoonish graphics to help older kids cram for school on the sciences and humanities. They’re now used by thousands of teachers.

But until now, Green’s off-the-page life, including his love of Twitter and other social media, has been exclusively small screen. Does the writer part of his brain now need to make peace with his developing big-screen brain?

“I hope that I’m not developing a Hollywood brain, to be honest with you. I love books. I love writing books. I love movies, too, but I am a book writer and if I’m lucky enough to be able to work with people who are great at making movies then I feel very fortunate, but I have no desire to become a movie person,” he said.

Green won the 2006 Printz Award for his debut novel, “Looking for Alaska,” and his fans have kept all four of his books high on best-seller lists since. This year, Green made Time magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people.

He was initially inspired to write “The Fault in Our Stars” through his work as a student chaplain at a children’s hospital and later through his friendship with Esther Earl, a Quincy, Massachusetts, teen he met at a “Harry Potter” event. She died of thyroid cancer in 2010 at age 16.

“Esther had a wonderful gift for imagining others and for imagining them very complexly,” Green said. “That was important to me in thinking about this story, but it was also important to me to come to the belief that a short life can still be a meaningful life, that a short life can still be a good and full life.”

___

Follow Leanne Italie on Twitter at http://twitter.com/litalie

___

Online:

http://johngreenbooks.com/

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote