John Green’s success with The Fault in Our Stars brought immense readership, film adaptations and public attention, but also intrusive behaviour and an uneasy relationship with fame. His new adult novel, Hollywood, Ending, explores the pressures of celebrity culture and the attention economy, arguing that art and genuine relationships may offer more lasting value than online popularity.

The Fault in Our Stars has sold more than 20 million copies, while its 2014 film adaptation earned over $300m worldwide; Green’s Vlogbrothers channel now has more than 4 million subscribers. He says online creators remain trapped in a morally complex competition for clicks, and discusses how he would approach YouTube differently, the limits of parasocial relationships, and his brother Hank’s recent controversy over using AI in his work.