10 Interesting Facts About Jeff Kinney You Never Knew

10 Interesting Facts About Jeff Kinney You Never Knew

Jeff Kinney is one of the most well-known and successful children’s authors of our time. His literary creation, ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’, has taken the world by storm and has sold millions of copies worldwide, becoming a staple in children’s literature. However, how much do we really know about Jeff Kinney? In this article, we will explore 10 interesting and lesser-known facts about the creator of the Wimpy Kid.

Fact 1: Jeff Kinney’s first book was a flop

Before he made it big with the Wimpy Kid, Jeff Kinney’s first attempt at writing a book was a complete failure. Titled ‘Igdoof’, the book was pitched to multiple publishers but was rejected by all of them. Despite this setback, Kinney persevered and continued to develop his writing, eventually finding success with the Wimpy Kid.

Fact 2: Jeff Kinney’s inspiration for the Wimpy Kid came from his own childhood

The character of Greg Heffley, the protagonist in the ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ series, is loosely based on Jeff Kinney’s own childhood experiences. Kinney has stated that the series is partly autobiographical, with many of the events and characters in the book being inspired by his own life.

Fact 3: Jeff Kinney is a self-taught cartoonist

Despite having no formal training in art, Jeff Kinney is a talented cartoonist and has created all of the illustrations in the Wimpy Kid series himself. He learned how to draw by studying cartoons in newspapers and comic books and by practicing his own art.

Fact 4: Jeff Kinney initially planned for the Wimpy Kid to be a webcomic

When Jeff Kinney first started writing and illustrating the ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ series, he intended for it to be a webcomic. He created a website called Funbrain on which he posted his work, but it wasn’t until a publisher contacted him that he decided to turn it into a book series.

Fact 5: Jeff Kinney is a video game designer

In addition to being a successful author and cartoonist, Jeff Kinney is also a video game designer. He is the creator of ‘Poptropica’, a kid-friendly online game that has over 500 million registered users worldwide.

Fact 6: Jeff Kinney had to quit his job to become a full-time writer

Despite the success of his first few ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ books, Jeff Kinney still had a day job as a software developer. It wasn’t until the fourth book in the series that he was able to quit his job and become a full-time writer.

Fact 7: Jeff Kinney is a philanthropist

Jeff Kinney is a charitable person and has donated millions of dollars to various causes over the years. He has contributed to organizations such as First Book, which provides books to children in need, and the 826 National writing program, which helps to improve literacy skills in children.

Fact 8: Jeff Kinney is a Guinness World Record holder

In 2019, Jeff Kinney broke the Guinness World Record for the most people reading aloud from one book at the same time. The event took place in Massachusetts and involved 2,136 people reading from the latest ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ book, ‘Wrecking Ball’.

Fact 9: Jeff Kinney is a family man

Despite his busy schedule, Jeff Kinney prioritizes his family above all else. He is married with two sons and has stated that he spends most of his free time with them.

Fact 10: Jeff Kinney has no plans to stop writing the Wimpy Kid

Despite having written 16 books in the ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ series so far, Jeff Kinney has no plans to stop anytime soon. He has said in interviews that the character of Greg Heffley still has more stories to tell, and he intends to keep writing as long as people continue to enjoy the books.

Conclusion

Jeff Kinney may be best known for creating the ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ series, but there is so much more to this talented author and artist than just that. From his humble beginnings to his numerous philanthropic endeavors, Jeff Kinney has carved out a unique and inspiring path for himself. We hope that this article has provided some interesting insights into the life and work of this remarkable individual.