Drag Teen, the first young-adult novel from writer-actor Jeffery Self, follows the adventures of JT, a high school senior enters a drag competition to win a much-needed college scholarship.

It's a lighthearted and refreshing take on queer youth without all the typical coming-out angst.

Known for his viral videos and guest spots on shows like 30 Rock and Difficult People, Self sat down with NewNowNext to discuss Drag Teen, life as a homeschooled "idiot" (his word, not ours) and working with the legendary RuPaul.

So, is Drag Teen autobiographical?

I wish I could say that, but the reality is I'm far too insecure to achieve the greatness of drag queens. One of the seeds of the book was that I wanted to live vicariously through someone who could muster up that kind of zest for life.

That's where it came from. And the gender fluidity of queer youth today is so impressive and so interesting, it was something I wanted to explore.

What were you like as a teen?

Oh, I was a monster. I just wanted to get through high school and get out of my small town in Georgia. I knew this was not where I wanted to be, even as a teenager.

I convinced my parents to let me homeschool myself, so I didn't even go to high school. My high school was pretty much just home schooling myself by day and dominating local community theater by night.

In the process of not having to deal with people my own age, I lived in this sort of bubble. That allowed me to be a total monster and a free thinker, living life outside of the box, I guess.

That carried over to today, and I'm still a free-thinking monster. I don’t even have a high school diploma—I’m an idiot! I know absolutely nothing but I can tell you everything that happened on The View from the year 2001 to 2005.

What was your first drag show?

When I first moved to New York, Bianca del Rio was performing a lot in all of the gay bars I would go to. She was one of the first New York drag performers I'd see a lot. Lady Bunny, as well, and Sweetie. Those three are the ones I saw the most.

I moved to New York when I was 18, and I had a fake ID. So I saw far too many drag shows—I lived above The Ritz in Hell's Kitchen, which is a terrible place for any 18-year-old to live.

Do you have a drag name?

I always say that mine would be Beverly Center, which is the name of a mall here in L.A., but that would only work if I was a Los Angeles drag queen.

If I were going to be a drag queen I would want to take over the world, of course, so I would really have to re-think that.

Are you a Drag Race fan?

Oh my God, of course! I'm watching Drag Race this season, but I did not watch this past week’s yet. I had to go out to dinner, and I got too drunk—so don't spoil anything.

That’s when you know you’ve had too much—when you’re too drunk to watch Drag Race. It’s a bleak level of alcoholism. So far my favorites are Bob the Drag Queen, obviously, and Naomi Smalls.

You're a writer on Logo's Gay For Play. How was working on thw show?

It was really fun! It was the first time I ever got to work with RuPaul. Just to be around him and his genius point of view and work ethic is incredible.

And it was an exciting opportunity to write for a show where you get come up with questions about Shirley MacLaine and bottoming.

Are you a fan of game shows in general?

I definitely grew up watching reruns of Match Game and Hollywood Squares. I don't watch a bunch of game shows now.

What was your favorite question on Gay for Pay?

On the first episode I wrote the question about what Debra Winger did to Shirley Maclaine’s face on the set of Terms of Endearment—which is that she held her fart in on it. It's a crazy chapter in one of Shirley MacLaine’s millions of memoirs.

Every time I work on a show I try to work in something about that in, and no one ever let me before!

The book is out and You're Killing Me was just released digitally. What else is coming up?

I'm writing a new young-adult novel, which I have to turn in by July, but I can't really talk about it. I have another network show in development that I can’t talk about, either. [Laughs] But I’m also on a new show this summer called Search Party. I play boyfriends with John Early, so that's really fun.

It’s so smart and funny, and I don’t think there's ever been anything like it on TV. It manages to be both really, really funny and, at times, really sad. It's also an interesting thriller mystery.

Lastly, what advice would you give to teenage Jeffery Self?

As a teen I always did the things I said I was going to do. I was never hung up on "Is this good" or "Do people give a shit about what I have to say?" I just did stuff.

That carried over to my early adult years, but—at least for me as a young gay man—you start to get really insecure about how you look or how you fit in. You're in competition with the people you're also attracted to.

I feel if I could go back I would tell myself not to lose yourself to those fears... be confident and always make stuff. Ad don't get hung up on the fact that being gay can seem terrible at times.

Drag Teen is available now on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

Drag Teen is available on Amazon and in stores. RuPaul's Drag Race and Gay For Play air Mondays nights on Logo.