Photographed by Ben Ritter.
Photographed by Ben Ritter.Why I write
“Being an actor means I’m depressed a lot of the time. Writing is a great outlet, and I’m able to take control of my own life by writing my own path. They asked for my occupation at the vet, and I just put ‘Weirdo.’ I don’t really know what I am. I just want to tell my story.”
Life with no filter
“I just say everything that I’m thinking on Twitter. I’m not embarrassed by the crazy things I disclose. I feel like everyone has these feelings, so why don’t I just fucking say them? I find it cathartic. I like being called crazy. Everyone asks me if I get offended, but I think it’s a good word. Crazy means you’re fun.”
The fans have spoken
“I never thought I’d become a New York Times bestseller. In the beginning all I hoped is that my book would sell more copies than the number of ex-boyfriends I had. But, in the first week, I started to realize this might have some legs to it. Then, about two weeks later I got the call saying I made the list, and I think I almost drove my car off the road. It was so exciting. When I’m doing book signings, everyone that shows up is like me. It’s like a bunch of MEs and that’s so cool! It’s my voice and vision that I’m putting out there, and the people responding are just so similar to the person I am. I could hang out with all of them.”
On being honest with yourself
“I never wanted to write a book that wasn’t honest. There were certain things I didn’t want to put in at first, like about when I had an eating disorder or thinking my parents did not love me as a child. But, I couldn’t help myself. I had to just tell it the way I experienced it, and I also wanted to make sure I was as self-deprecating to myself as I was to the other people in the book. I didn’t feel like I could ever write something that wasn’t completely who I was, flaws and all.”
We’re all crazy, and that’s normal
“It just makes me happy when women write me and say they feel less crazy going online and stalking their boyfriend’s ex-girlfriends, because I’m like, ‘You’re not crazy. You’re normal! You’re doing what all of us are doing. You’re just owning it and admitting to it.’ I think of my book as a feminist manifesto that says, ‘embrace your crazy.’ Don’t worry about who’s judging you because people are going to judge you anyway. You have permission. Just do it. Sometimes you need to get in the trunk of a car and spy on someone. Sometimes you need to follow someone on Instagram because you like her outfits and just find out a little bit about her life. These things need to happen.”
Photographed by Ben Ritter.