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Trish was a writer - this site captures a bit of her incredible sense of humor.
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Wimpy Kid Goes Widescreen

Author Jeff Kinney Talks about Wimpy Kids, the Kinney Family

Published in baystateparent Magazine, Memphis Parent and Baton Rouge Parent

Zachary Gorden as Greg Heffley in Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Zachary Gorden as Greg Heffley in Diary of a Wimpy Kid

While famed Wimpy Kid character Greg Heffley is always scheming ways to notch up his popularity at middle school, his creator Jeff Kinney of Plainville, MA is having no trouble getting noticed these days.

Jeff’s wildly popular “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” book series have consistency topped the New York Times Bestseller list for children’s books. In 2009, Kinney was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 “Most Influential People.”

Now, with the newly released “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” movie, companion book “The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary,” and Book Five of the Diary series in the works, Jeff’s popularity with young readers, pre-teens and parents alike are set to keep soaring.

Jeff’s quirky, laugh-out-loud humor in his books and onscreen success is tempered by a concerted effort to be a down-to-earth, “regular” Dad in real life.  Amidst the string of successes with everything “wimp” Jeff has created, he still keeps his day job as a design director for the Family Education Network. And, when he’s not travelling, he’s a work-at-home dad, taking time out to play with his two young sons Will (7) and Grant (4) or spend time with his wife, Julie.

I recently spoke with Jeff about The Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series phenomenon, the smash hit movie, and how he balances storybook success at Westmore Middle School with his own family life in Plainville, MA.

Trish: Who qualifies as a “wimpy kid”?

Jeff: Anybody who has felt small at some point in their lives would qualify as a wimpy kid. Anybody who has been in middle school, or at the bottom of totem pole in any social setting, knows what it’s like to feel powerless.  “Wimpy kid” is less as a physical designation, and more about a power designation.

Trish: Were you a middle child growing up?

Jeff: I was the third of four children. Like Greg, I had an older brother and a younger brother. I also had an older sister.  I used to relish my fights against all three of them at once.

Trish: How was “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” born?

Jeff: I had aspired to become a newspaper cartoonist. I couldn’t break into the business. I’m sure it was because my illustrations weren’t “professional grade.” So I decided to start cartooning as a 7th grade boy. That’s how I figured how I could get around the quality issue. I originally did not intend the book to be for kids. I was trying to write a nostalgia piece for adults, like the Wonder Years or A Christmas Story. So it was a great surprise to me when my publisher told me that they wanted to make this into a children’s book series.

Trish: Where do you get your creative inspiration?

Jeff: I love real-life stories the most—ordinary humor and things that you just can’t make up. When I was a kid I used to like the Judy Bloom books because they were real and relatable stories. And they’ve certainly stood the test of time. So I try to tell that same kind of a story. Something that a kid might enjoy if they pick up my books 20 years from now.

Trish: What makes the Wimpy Kid series and movie unique?

Jeff: I think it’s the voice of the characters. And I hope it’s the humor. I work really hard at writing my humor. I take it very very seriously—oddly. There’s also something appealing and clean about the drawings of the characters. They’re not over-complicated, but they’re recognizable and expressive.

Trish: It’s not just middle-schoolers who love your books. There’s a universal appeal that you’ve tapped into? What is it?

Jeff: I think it’s telling stories that people can relate to.

Trish: Are you happy with the movie?

Jeff: I really am. I was heavily involved with the production of it. I’ve had about as complete an experience as any writer could hope for.  I’m especially happy with the emotional through line of Greg and Rowley‘s relationship. I’ve seen the movie three times now, and I’ve been touched each time by the ending.

Trish: What’s your favorite part?

Jeff: My favorite moment is when Greg sings “Total Eclipse of the Heart” for the middle school play tryouts. I thought that was very funny.

Trish: What’s it been like for you to see your characters come to life in the movie?

Jeff: It’s been great. Greg was the hardest to cast because he’s got be a kid that’s a bit of a jerk but makes the audience root for him anyway. And that’s hard to do. Zach (Zachary Gordon) delivered on that. Robert Capron was a no-brainer. As soon as the producer saw him, they said, “That’s Rowley, period.”  All the kids did a great job.

Trish: How has your success impacted your family life?

Jeff: I used to have a pretty normal situation where I would write at night, and then have my full-time job during the day. The movie has really added a wild card. Being a Dad and having success at the same time is the most agonizing part of my life. This work takes me away from my family so much.  I fight for every chance I can to be with them and have some sense of normalcy. That’s the biggest conflict I have, to try to figure out when to go away, when to be there, and it’s not always easy.

Trish: Are your boys budding cartoonists?

Jeff: My older son (Will) is a manic artist. He gets into these phases where he can’t do anything but draw. His drawings are really abstract. My younger son (Grant) is really into sports at an incredible level. He throws a football to himself all day long.  He just recently got into drawing and it’s really empowering him, to know that he can do this, too. So that’s been really cool to see.

Trish: A new book, “The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary” book was released with the movie.  Why did you write this book?

Jeff: I got to be on the movie set and see the whole process, and I thought that kids might be interested in the process as well. I tried to capture the spirit of wonder that my readers would have if they were able to see everything that went into making the movie. It’s more interesting than funny. And I hope that my audience is willing to follow me there.

Trish: Can you give fans a sneak peek into Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Fifth Book?

Jeff: It’s going to be about the resolution of Greg and Rowley’s friendship— whether or not these two characters will stay friends. And it’s also going to be about growing up. The roles are going to reverse a bit, with Rowley having an eye towards getting older and Greg wanting to hold onto his childhood.

Trish: Is there another movie in the works?

Jeff: I think that everybody hopes we’re going to make another movie. It feels like we’ve created this universe of characters. And we have a lot more stories to tell.

Trish: What’s your wish for your own boys when they approach their middle school years?

Jeff: My first grader (Will) said to myself and my wife recently,  “I’m happy.” You really can’t ask for anything more than that. I want them to feel happy and safe and secure. I don’t care what they do or what their interest are, I just want them to feel they are supported and can forge their own path.

Trish: What do you hope kids will come away with after they’ve read the Wimpy books and/or seen the movie?

Jeff: For the movie, my hope is that they feel like they’ve been entertained and that they’ve laughed and that maybe even that they’ve been touched by the movie.   In my books,  I just want them to laugh. That’s my “low-minded” hope. My “high-minded” hope is that the books will turn kids into life-long readers.

Trish: What about parents?

Jeff: Some parents have had difficulty accepting Greg as character because he’s imperfect, and he doesn’t always do the right thing.  I hope with the movie, that argument goes away.  It’s clear (in the movie) that Greg isn’t perfect, but he’s not a bad kid—he’s just a kid that’s caught in the camera’s glare at the wrong time. And I also hope parents see that it’s OK to have a laugh.

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