Ned Vizzini

HOW TO PRONOUNCE MY NAME

Pictures | Music | Video

HOW TO FIND ME ON SOCIAL NETWORKS

"Ask A Writer"

Favorite Parts of Books | reader artwork

Squip Video | Squip Watch
The Forbidden Chapter of Be More Chill | The Real Metuchen, NJ

How Can I Get a Book Signed?

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.

www.flickr.com

This is a Flickr badge showing public photos from Ned Vizzini. Make your own badge here.

MUSIC

I recorded music from age 13 to age 22. I played bass and some guitar (although I could never play chords). I occasionally sang.

Wormwhole (age 13) - "Pants In The Mail"

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.

Wormwhole (age 13) - "Lumber"

Showing 1 - 2 of 20 (Complete Archive of Music I've Recorded)

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videos

As of 2011, new videos are posted on my YouTube channel.

It's Kind of a Funny Story Student Trailer

From YouTube user JakkJones: "This was a film project for my sister's English class. It's a fake trailer for a movie based on Ned Vizzini's novel It's Kind of a Funny Story."

More Funny Story student projects:

It's Kind of a Funny Story soundtrack book report

It's Kind of a Funny Story student film

It's Kind of a Funny Story student film WITH PREVIEWS OF ROB SCHNEIDER'S THE STAPLER

It's Kind of a Funny Story Theatrical Interpretation

In March 2010, Oak Lawn Community High School put on a theatrical performance of It's Kind of a Funny Story called a "Group Interp," or "Group Interpretation" project. They used the text of the book but presented it with a Greek chorus. Very cool and inventive stuff!

BE MORE CHILL [orb#1]

A Be More Chill reader video project. Also see the Be More Chill student film with fire at the end.

"Love And Longing" at the Brooklyn Book Festival 2009

From YouTube user chocochip16: "The brooklyn book festival took place at columbus park by brooklyn borough hall in NYC on Sunday September 13, 2009. At the festival there was a section for young adults.... this video is one of the panels that includes three talented young adult writers, Aimee Friedman ( Sea Change), Anna Godbersen ( The luxe series), and Ned Vizzini ( Be more Chill)."

Attack of the Killer Turtle

Attack of the Killer Turtle, as described in Teen Angst? Naaaah...! It was uncovered after years and is presented here in all its glory.

Be More Chill Play

The theatrical adaptation of Be More Chill! Adapted by Bill Massolia, starring Jake Cohen as Jeremy and Edward Paul as the squip (seen in Keanu Reeves regalia).

Just Craig

An IKOAFS video made with Sims 2 by alexatetris.

"Sonogram" Reading at KGB Bar #1

Audio only: this is a snippet from a book that I abandoned about a man who comes home to find a sonogram taped to his door.

"Sonogram" Reading at KGB Bar #2

Audio only.

"Sonogram" Reading at KGB Bar #3

Audio only.

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HOW TO FIND ME ON SOCIAL NETWORKS

Things I am on:

Things I am not on:

Twitter: no account
Myspace: yes account, but it is disabled/I don't check it

"ASK A WRITER"

As part of my involvement with the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, I take questions from students and writers about the skill and business of writing. Here is an archive of the questions I've answered:

Click through for instructions on how to ask your own!

Favorite Parts of Books

Submitted by readers through the contact page.

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(:

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

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 ïŠ

Tom of United Kingdom says: Hi Mr Vizzini,
I am sure you get emailed this a lot and I'm sorry to needlessly add to your inbox but I was absolutely blown away by the conclusion to your book "It's Kind of a Funny Story". In particular, the last page and the life affirming final few paragraphs gave me a feeling, whilst I was reading them, that left me genuinely inspired and simultaneously moved. It reminded me in many ways of a quotation from one of my favourite films 'A Single Man' :"A few times in my life I've had moments of absolute clarity, when for a few brief seconds the silence drowns out the noise and I can feel rather than think, and things seem so sharp and the world seems so fresh. I can never make these moments last. I cling to them, but like everything, they fade. I have lived my life on these moments. They pull me back to the present, and I realize that everything is exactly the way it was meant to be." I really am grateful that there are people in the world such as yourself (and Bruce Springsteen to name another) that motivate me to believe that everything is worth while despite all the shit. Thanks for everything and I wish you all the best in the future ( also hoping that the film is as good as I believe it can be with the directors involved ). Tom

Valerie of CA says: Thanks so much for writing It's Kind of A Funny Story. I felt like you were echoing my exact thoughts about school and the pressure to do well, but in a horny and neurotic guy's perspective. This was the first book of yours that I read and I immediately bought Teen Angst and Be More Chill. Teen Angst was the one that made me laugh the most, mostly because it was factual I guess. I'm kind of considering becoming a writer, since it's one of the only things I've been doing since I was really young (sports and playing instruments aren't really my thing) and because of the several writers who have inspired me. I guess the thing I like about your writing is it's probably more honest than most people will get and it's funny, painfully angst ridden, but funny. IKAFS and Be More Chill propelled me not to take high school so seriously, since really, it doesn't matter all that much so thanks for that. There should be more funny but intelligent and honest writers like you around. There's this one section in Be More Chill that I really loved because it was real and dark but still really hilarious. Jeremy is saying that "whatever cool is" he missed it and that he's not the freak but Rich is the freak and that when he grows up "that had better be understood" and that he had better be compensated or he'd shoot himself in the head. I feel that way a lot. High school is such a bad place to judge how "cool" people are and I take solace in knowing that things will change eventually. So thanks for those words.

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READER ARTWORKÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

by Maddie Smith

by Holly

by Billy Galant

by farewell_dear

by Andrew Geronimo

by Alex

by Christa Yeung

by Ross Kahn

by Julia

SQUIP VIDEO

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!

SQUIP WATCH

Thanks to readers who have been alerting me to developments in quantum computing and human/machine convergence, we are counting down to when squips really exist.

THE FORBIDDEN CHAPTER OF BE MORE CHILL

Forbidden Chapter of Be More Chill by Ned Vizzini

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.

Â© Ned Vizzini 2000-2011