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November 23, 2011
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CALENDAR
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Friday, 01-27-2012 at 05:00pm
Due to my new job writing for MTV's Teen Wolf, the B&N; Teen Writing Workshop will take a haitus for fall 2011 and resume in 2012!
The B&N; Teen Writing Workshop meets on the last Friday of the month to address a specific writing skill (e.g. "dialogue," "the anti-hero") through discussion and writing prompts.
The next event hosted by me is Friday, January 27th at 5:00pm in Glendale, CA.
This is a FREE event open to middle- and high-school students. Barnes & Noble will provide refreshments. Student work will be featured on the online journal Give Us Money.
210 Americana Way (2nd floor event area), Glendale, CA 91210 [site link] [google map]
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Pictures
My pictures are located on my Flickr account. I add new pictures frequently. They're not all of me. I use my Flickr account to upload pictures for my blog entries.
One reader suggested that I link pictures of Stuyvesant High School since I went there. Good idea.
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| I recorded music from age 13 to age 22. I played bass and some guitar (although I could never play chords). I occasionally sang. |
In Teen Angst? Naaah..., I started a band called Wormwhole (as detailed in the essay "Are We Alternative Now?"). In the book, I said that first five people who contacted me about the band would be allowed to buy a copy of our demo.
To my surprise many people have emailed me asking for the Wormwhole demo, but sadly, for years, the single tape I recorded with my friend Ike was lost.
But then, a few years after the book was published, I was trying to make a mix tape on my stereo. I popped in an old tape to see if it was something I could tape over, and there was all this weird religious chanting. Then, out of the blue, literally sent by God, was the Wormwhole tape!
I don't know how it got into the middle of the tape of religious chanting, but I did a tape-to-mp3 conversion, and now, for free and forever, Wormwhole's two songs are here on this website. Above you're got "Pants In The Mail." "Lumber" is below.
In 2010 I made a video for "Pants in the Mail" that's on YouTube.
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Showing 1 - 2 of 20 (Complete Archive of Music I've Recorded)
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videos
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| As of 2011, new videos are posted on my YouTube channel. |
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"Sonogram" Reading at KGB Bar #4
Audio only.
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"Sonogram" Reading at KGB Bar #5
Audio only.
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"Sonogram" Reading at KGB Bar #6
Audio only.
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"Sonogram" Reading at KGB Bar #7
Audio only.
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"Sonogram" Reading at KGB Bar #8
Audio only.
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"Sonogram" Reading at KGB Bar #9
Audio only. The final part of the reading.
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Requiem for Ned's Car
Filmed by Brent Camponi.
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with Marty Beckerman at Barnes & Noble Greenwich Village, NY NY
I did a reading in April 2006 with Marty Beckerman focused on our contributions to the Not Like I'm Jealous or Anything.
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"esc tht" -- The Inimitable Tyler's Finger Skateboarding Video
This video was made by Tyler Corbett, aka The Inimitable Tyler:
"alright ned i know its been a long time but i finnaly got a camra thats mine with editing soft wear so in less then an hour we throught these piece of work together its called esc tht video... its the first for a serious of snowboarding skateboaridng and anything else we think is cool this is all from dylan hes one guy whos a bit over wieght and cant skate or snow board that well and were like lets make this dylans so the first one is what hes best at and its pretty crazy its a tech deck video but the tricks are sick"
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Final Barbes Show
This is the introduction I gave for the final Reading Series at Barbes, which I curated from May 2004 to May 2005. |
HOW TO FIND ME ON SOCIAL NETWORKS
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Things I am on:
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Things I am not on:
- Twitter: no account; I will start an account if I get to 5000 friends on Facebook
- Tumblr: no account
- Myspace: yes account, but it is disabled/I don't check it
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As part of my involvement with the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, I take questions about the skill and business of writing in the "Ask Ned" feature:
Click through for instructions on how to ask your own!
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Submitted by readers through the contact page.
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Ashley
says: Hello Mr. Vizzini,
I just wanted to send a short email to say that your movie was amazing. It was one of the best I have seen and truly enjoyed it. It had a huge impact on me. Have a great day.
Sincerely,
Ashley Lillge
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Naomi
of PA
says: Dear Mr. Vizzini,
I just wanted to say thanks, for writing such amazing books. My favourite book is "It's Kind of a Funny Story." It just spoke to me. I was reminded of myself by Craig, I suffer from depression (I'm on 200mg of Zoloft), I've tried pot, I've called the suicide help line, and I am a recovering anorexic. It never occured to me though, that one may seek help from a hospital. I guess I would be too afraid to go. I am not very close with my parents, and I live with my mother. She thinks the zoloft is a bad idea and is not supportive of me at all. Reading your "It's Kind of a Funny Story" made me feel better and understand that there will be people out there who really care. So, Thank you, very much. Also, I used to live in Manhatten. Ha. Honestly, you have become one of my favourite authors, which is saying a lot because I am a bookworm.
Thanks again.
Much love,
Naomi
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Ashley
of FL
says: Thank you so much for writing It's Kind of a Funny Story. It opened up my heart and mind that the feelings I had towards death and myself weren't as abstract as I'd thought. And while nobody (my parents, my friends, etc) would listen to me about these feelings, I turned to your book and it made me feel that there would eventually be a time where things would be better.
Thank you so much(:
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Lorenzo
of US province or territory not listed
says: Dear Ned Vizzini, I have recently read your book It’s Kind of a Funny Story, and it was the funniest thing I have ever read. Many of the things the main character went through, I have been through too. For example whenever I get mad
at my parents I punch holes in the wall. Just like the main character Craig Gilner I have always thought about my future and how I want to be successful when I grow up. This book has shown me that I am not the only person that thinks these ideas.
My favorite part of this book is when Craig and his best friend Aaron hold a party I like this part because it was Craig’s first experience at a party. I have related to this book which is probably why I loved reading it so much. The most meaningful moment was when Craig was on top of the Brooklyn Bridge, because this was when Craig had discovered himself. I look forward to discovering myself in the future. I also really liked the part when Craig and his family were talking at the dinner table about his problems and how Craig was secretly planning to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge. I think that Craig really didn’t want to kill himself, because if he did he would have just jumped instead of calling the suicide hotline.
I really loved this book it reminded me of myself and that when I’m pressured in life it is always good to let go instead of holding in all of the pressure. In my life I sometimes crack from the pressure but it is a lot better than holding all the pressure in. If we hold in all the pressure it makes us crazy and depressed and eventually we start to contemplate suicide. Professional got to Craig and caused him to be depressed. Craig got what he wanted but it was too much for him.
The pressures of life dealt there toll on Craig and he ended up in Six North.
This is exactly what happened to Craig, the pressures of Pre professional got to Craig and caused him to be depressed. I think that Six North was the best thing that ever happened to Craig. Six North allowed Craig thinking time. Craig never did have time to think in his life he just had to perform under great pressure.
Craig went at it and found out that he hated his life and that art really made him happier than anything else in his life. I easily relate to Craig in my life there is great pressure, well in anyone’s life there is great pressure and sometimes we need a time out to rethink are strategy or approach to life. This is exactly what Craig did he got a time out, he got a chance to rethink his life and change it. Craig took this once in a life time chance and used it to his advantage. Although I don’t have a six north in my life I do have a support system that I can talk to if I am sad.
Life is full of opportunity it is how we use that opportunity that changes are life for the better. Craig took this opportunity and decided to go to art school instead of pre Professional. That one decision got rid of all of Craig’s problems and sent him on a better life forward. In my life I have had to make big decisions that had very big consequences but in the end those consequences made my life better. This book is the best I have read so far in my life. It really went into depth about depression and how it feels to be depressed.
I think that you should write a second book about Craig. This second book should be about Craig’s life in art school and his relationship with Noelle. This book should show that Craig has gotten the life skill of being able to cope with life and not wanting to kill himself. And also there should be a part where Craig and Noelle go back and volunteer at six north, and Craig can draw everyone a brain map. Thank you for writing such an enjoyable book.
Sincerely,
Lorenzo Pittera
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Amy
of Whitby Ontario, Canada
says: Hi Ned,
I attended your presentation today at the Ontario Shores lecture theatre and I wanted to let you know just how engaging and thought provoking you were.
You provided some great tips for my students on how to cope with stress as well as broke down some of the barriers and stigma associated with mental illness. I think your message of “it’s okay to ask for help” was well received by the audience. The students who attended were talking about it all afternoon and plenty plan to see the film. I plan to discuss your ideas further with my class and brainstorm ways to continue to promote awareness and also for them to think about the passions they may want to pursue in life! (The little notebook was a great connection)
On a personal note, I commend your bravery with telling this intimate story. I too, went through a shockingly similar downward spiral in my early twenties and am very grateful for people like you for shedding more light this intricate topic.
I wish you great success with this novel, good luck with the film premier on Friday.
Kind Regards,
Amy McCarthy
The First Question Asker
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READER ARTWORKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
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| A sample. For more, see the Flickr set. |
by Andrew Geronimo
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by Kendall R. Romero
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by Jordan
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by Maddie Smith
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by Holly
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by Billy Galant
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by farewell_dear
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by Alex
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by Christa Yeung
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by Ross Kahn
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by Julia
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Feast your eyes and ears on this recap of the squip campaign, 2004-2005, which was created to promote Be More Chill. This video is dedicated to all of the readers who helped spread the word about the book. Thank you!
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This chapter of Be More Chill, which goes into explicit detail about what Jeremy does on the internet, was included in the first draft of the book but taken out (wisely) by my editor. Here it is for those who are curious.
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 © Ned Vizzini 2000-2011
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