Eight(teen) Questions – Interview with Sean Platt from Writer Dad

Sean Platt is living his dream.

In two short months, Platt’s blog, Writer Dad, is already enjoying tremendous success. If his large community of active readers isn’t enough of a testament to Platt’s quality writing, consider this – after only a few weeks of blogging, Platt earned a coveted guest post at the immensely popular Copyblogger.  That post has opened up WriterDad.com to a whole new audience of readers that are learning what longtime (well, as long as two months can be considered) readers already know, this guy is good.

Writer Dad doesn’t narrow his choice of topics to a specific niche. Platt’s posts are a combination of stories from his life, stories he’s made up, commentary, things he enjoys and inspiration. On Fridays, he often unveils a new wee-book, (including one which I collaborated on by providing the artwork). His love for the written word and lust for life springs forth in every post. Platt’s message to his audience (including several writers and aspiring writers) is clear – believe in yourself and follow your dreams. Platt isn’t just talking the talk though. Soon, he will walk the walk.

Platt is about to dive into uncharted waters with the recent announcement that he and his wife (whom he calls ‘Daisy’ on the blog) are leaving behind the security of their day jobs running a preschool for the great unknown. Together, they will follow their dreams of writing their own success story.

Recently, Platt agreed to grant us the first of what will likely be the first of many interviews in his career. This interview went a bit longer than the typical eight questions; but I doubt you’ll mind.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself:
   I’m in my early thirties, married to my best friend.  We liked each other so much, we decided to try to clone ourselves.  The science wasn’t there, so we did it the old fashioned way.  Both children (called Max and Mia on the blog) are amazing, but it’s a family recipe and I’m afraid I can’t share.
2. What prompted you to start your blog?
   Practice.  I’d been writing for about nine months, and finished a lot of children’s material and two drafts of a novel.  I wanted a forum to force discipline and develop my voice.
3. Is this your first website/blog?
   Writer Dad is my first, but it will not be my last.
4. How much time and preparation were involved in the birth of WriterDad?
   Most of the preparation went into finding an appropriate theme.  That took me a while.  I was pretty unhappy until I found Thesis.  Then I felt like I was home.  I never cared about what anyone else was doing, and I figured I could decide what to write day by day. I did my homework.  I read ProBlogger.  Leo at Zen Habits was a big inspiration, as far as how quickly he built his audience.
5. What prompted the decision to use pseudonyms for yourself and your family and what effect (if any) do you feel that using an alternate name will have on personal branding and your publishing goals?
   Writer Dad was always meant to be a temporary name.   It will be harder to reach Mecca traveling the trail of Writer Dad.  I was born Sean Platt, that’s how I’ll get published.  Daisy, Max and Mia; that’s different.  There’s no reason to dim their privacy.  I can tell a story, painting in broad strokes.  Real names are irrelevant, and if I need to provide a picture, I probably didn’t do a good enough job.

It’s been rewarding to speak to an audience. I get immediate feedback on what works and what doesn’t.

6. What were your expectations for WriterDad prior to starting the site?
   A podium.  Writing had been mostly solitary until Writer Dad.  I read Daisy everything, but I shared my words with no one except immediate family, and some people who helped along the way.  Neither occurred until a few months ago.  It’s been rewarding to speak to an audience.  I get immediate feedback on what works and what doesn’t.  That feedback allows me to sharpen what I have, so long as I’m willing to pay attention.
7. What do you want people to get from WriterDad?
   Entertainment, and good thought.  If you take the time, five minutes at the most, your day might be better because of it.  Maybe not always, but most days.  That’s my intention.  That’s what I get from my favorite sites, and it’s what I believe my audience deserves.
8. Tell me about your first blog entry. What thoughts went into that first post and how much time did you spend writing and re-writing it?
   I had two first blog entries.  The first I wrote on a blogspot blog I had for maybe two weeks preceding Writer Dad.  It was called Husband, Daddy, Writer.  The name change stands as my best edit so far  (thanks for leaving me the window, Dave).  I wrote the first post in probably twenty minutes, then read it through again when I reposted it on Writer Dad.  The first post, after Writer Dad went all Thesis, was written on the first morning of my regular weekday posts.  Twenty minutes max, including the edit.
9. You seem to have found a regular audience fairly quickly, to what do you attribute that?
   Good communication on both fronts.  People are willing to speak because they know they’ll get an avid response.  The better the serve, the more rewarding the volley.
10. What is your occupational background?
    I ran a flower shop with my father and sister for 12 years before opening a preschool with my wife.  We’ve run the school for three years.  It has been a positive experience on every level, but we would like to move on to other endeavors.  We’re closing the school at the end of this year.
11. How long have you been writing and at what point did you decide it is something you want or need to pursue?
    I’ve been writing for a year, almost exactly.  I’ve known I wanted to do it professionally for about four months.

Living my dream means following my muse while providing for my family. Times might be tough a year from now, but I’ll be closer to Nirvana than I am now.

12. You mention in your Sink or Swim post that it is your intention to be living your dreams within a year. Where do you see yourself in a year and how will you get there?
    Living my dream means following my muse while providing for my family.  Times might be tough a year from now, but I’ll be closer to Nirvana than I am now.  We’ll have a lot of seeds planted, and some will have been watered for a while.
13. Your blog features several motivational posts. You say that almost anyone who can breathe can carve a life for themselves in which they don’t have to conform to others. In an age where there is an overwhelming abundance of free quality content available on the web (not to mention thousands of websites each claiming to know the secret to making money on the web), how does one make the leap from artistic success to monetary success?
    By being the tortoise instead of the hare, and paying attention as I do it.  If something isn’t working, there’s a reason.  I need to find the reason, and build a solution.  I think Writer Dad has a new model, at least to my knowledge.  I’ll be talking about it next week.
14. Tell us about the book you are working on and where you‘re at in the process.
    The main novel I’m working on is exceedingly grand in scope; couldn’t be bigger.  The story, however, is actually kind of small.  It has some extraordinary potential and I’m super excited, but I’m not in a hurry at all.  It will probably spawn multiple books and I want the first one to be just right.  Even though it’s the first book I started, it’s highly unlikely it will be the first to see light.  I have a chapter book in the works that I’ll be discussing shortly.  A couple more will likely follow before the big guy.
15. What is the concept of WeeBooks?
    WeeBooks are bite sized e-books.  They should be easily digestible.  I see them as almost like a tip to the writer at the end of the week.  One of my favorite comments was from Ellen Wilson.  She said, I’d rather buy a WeeBook than a pack of smokes.  Thanks, Ellen.

I read my posts to Daisy before I publish. I study her face as I’m reading. There isn’t much she can do to hide her thoughts. I pay attention, then tweak.

16. How much input does your family have on what goes in (and what stays out) of WriterDad?
    I read my posts to Daisy before I publish.  I study her face as I’m reading.  There isn’t much she can do to hide her thoughts.  I pay attention, then tweak.  Sometimes, she’ll tell me if something sounds especially awkward, but as far as content, she trusts my judgment.  I share all my wee-books with Max and Mia, of course.
17. Is your wife a writer, also? What sort of work is she doing and is it on the web?
    She is a writer, and we will all see her soon.  Right now she is devoting her time to our preschool, and propping me up so I can do what I’m doing.  There’s no way Writer Dad could exist without her holding my hand, squeezing me extra moments, and listening to my words every single day.
18. What are your goals, both for the website and other writing?
    I’d like for Writer Dad to keep doing what it does, just getting better as it does it.  I hope it continues to connect me to the articulate and talented people it has.  As far as writing, I’d like to try my hand at penning a plethora of material, in a steady stream of creative output.

Eight Questions is my weekly interview with the people behind some of your favorite blogs. For prior updates, check out the interviews page.

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