It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no it’s Superblogger, Ron Mattocks, who pens Clark Kent’s Lunchbox. Mattocks, a mild mannered 36-year old former executive turned stay at home dad, lives in Houston with his wife, fellow blogger, Ashley, and his two giggly step daughters. Clark Kent’s Lunchbox is a mix of humor and discussion on things such as parenting, marriage and deeper issues such as his feelings about being separated from his sons and depression. His witty and thoughtful writing style has earned Mattocks two nominations for this year’s Blogger’s Choice Awards for Hottest Daddy Blogger and Best Humor Blog.

Recently, the Blogger of Steel flew in to answer eight questions and beat the bad puns out of this writer. We discussed his blog’s secret origins, his greatest weakness, comic books, parenting and his biggest blogging mistake along with a host of other topics.

As is becoming tradition around here, Eight Questions was that in name only, as the interview went a bit longer.

1. What prompted you to start your blog and why did you name it Clark Kent’s Lunchbox?

My sister actually got me started blogging sometime around May of 2007. I really didn’t have a clue what I was doing. It was like that joke by actors, “What’s my motivation?” Maybe the only thing I did right was the name. I’d fallen in love with the Superman story not, and wanted to incorporate it into the title without being cheesy. I also wanted it to sound a little offbeat to reflect my personality. In a sugar-rush from a bowl of Captain Crunch, Clark Kent’s Lunchbox hit me. Really, my blog has been like having a child grow up. It was born and I named it, then the next ten months were spent just babbling, drooling and learning how to walk, which is to say I was still figuring things out, but I was growing too.

When I lost my job in March of 2008, that was like hitting puberty.  My voice literally even changed, as some of the writing started getting more honest and consistent, but like a teenager, there was still was this search for identity. I went out and got the ProBlogger book reading it cover to cover. I tried to monetize it and seek out advertisers. Like 95% of people out there starting blogs, I had delusions of grandeur in that I thought I’d be the next Dooce or Dad Gone Mad. Things were pretty awkward, and basically it came down to the fact I was just trying to hard to be something I wasn’t. Right about then, I noticed a few patterns taking place, one being my sense of humor and the other, being the chronicling of the transition from single working executive to married stay-at-home dad with stepdaughters balanced with my long-distance relationship with my sons. Then the blog became an adult, sticking with the analogy.

I hope through the writing they might one day read it and go, “Dad was pretty funny, but he also loved us alot.”

The Lunchbox now has something of a purpose, to make people laugh without trying too hard through experiences they can relate to particularly in the area of parenting. There’s also an underlying goal of providing resources to parents, specifically dads, who are in situations similar to mine, laid off, stay-at-home, divorced, step kids and kids from previous marriage. They can have all these going on, or pick and choose any combination like a salad bar.

But going back to the Superman theme, I got hooked on the TV show Smallville, mainly because of the strong themes on fatherhood found in every episode. That got me started on the thought of what kind of dad would you have to be in order to raise a child that could pretty crush your head if you grounded them. The conclusion I came to was teaching strong character and taking responsibility for your actions and the ensuing consequences. That was the kind of father I wanted to be in the hope my kids could become supermen or superwomen one day.  So the theme worked out pretty good, and I hope through the writing they might one day read it and go, “Dad was pretty funny, but he also loved us alot.”

2. Have you heard from anyone at DC Comics (or their lawyers)?

No, but that issue has crossed my mind a few times. I’ve toned down alot of the Superman imagery from the early days, while using the old Fleischer themed pictures, that I know don’t have copyright patents. Copyrights on blogs are fairly loose because one of the ideas behind blogging was to not restrict the flow of ideas, so I’m kind of safe based on the pertinent laws I’ve looked up. Besides there are a ridiculous amount of blogs out there using Superman themes, but it’s always a possibility.

3. Kryptonite was Superman’s greatest weakness, what is yours?

For Superman, kryptonite had many types, red, blue, silver, black in addition to green, and you can say the same of me. My weaknesses come in many forms. I have Attention Deficit Disorder, which can really throw me off track. I’m like a gnat on amphetamines sometimes. I take meds for it, but they have side effects that influence my ability to be a productive writer. People with ADD tend to be really hard on themselves too. I can have a great idea in the morning and by the afternoon, I’m convinced it’s the stupidest thing ever.  Depression is also a weakness of mine. It’s miserable sometimes, but I write about it in hopes other men will see they’re not alone. I just don’t want to come off sounding whiny.

Funny story. – an A list blogger read my site for the first time on a day I posted something on my depressed state. They left a comment about staying off the bottle and never came back again. Guess I spooked him? For a guy that tries to make people laugh, I know I’m sounding kind of heavy here. “Why so serious?”

4. You were nominated for both best humor blog and hottest daddy blogger, what are your thoughts regarding the nominations?

On one hand, it’s nice to be included with a list of bloggers in those categories who are well-know and respected by thousands of readers, but in another sense it’s just a form of marketing.  Don’t get me wrong, Hottest Daddy Blogger would be a fun title, but I’m not going to cry in my keyboard over it. The awards and nominations that mean the most are the ones that other bloggers give out on their own, because you know it’s because someone real out there appreciates what you are doing. That’s one reason I started spotlighting “Blogs that are Super” each week. To let them know I appreciate their work and get other readers to appreciate it too.

5. What sort of preparation is involved in each of your posts?

Hmmm, well first there’s the stretching right before I do about 100 push ups, then I grab a set of jumper cables and a car battery…  Okay, no. Getting into the mood is such an inconsistent thing and I wish it wasn’t.  There are days I force myself, because I need to have something ready for a post the next day or an assignment is due. On other days, I can’t shut myself down and will crank out 30 pages while simultaneously making notes about other ideas in a little notebook I carry around with me. I use sticky notes like crazy and post ideas on the wall in front of the computer. There are two times of day I write, when the girls are gone at school or late at night when everyone is in bed. Night tends to yield better material because for some reason my brain slips into a state of Zen.

6. Since you write about your family, what rules do you have for what you will and won’t write about?

I take some freedoms, but I temper it with common sense. For me there are some absolutes though. People know I live in Houston, but I make sure not to reveal anything that people could pinpoint where exactly. The same goes for where my sons live. I say Chicago would get me closer to them, but I’m vague about everything else. Another hard and fast rule is not putting anyone of my family members down or being mean to them. I may poke fun but it’s no more than what I would if I were with them. Personal information is off limits, like the location of any moles.  My biggest rule, however, is not to portray my ex-wife unfairly. Unfortunately, we do not have a good relationship, which opens up the door to looking for the validation on my feelings from readers. I do mention her, but I’m quick to qualify why and the intent behind it. I always post stuff with the idea my kids are reading it, and for my boys to see me going on tirades against their mom totally undermines her as a mother. She’s a good person and loves our boys. Personal hurt has to be pushed aside to make your kids the priority.

7. Since your wife is also a blogger, how often do you “talk shop” with one another? Do you find yourself comparing your blogs?

Oh yeah. We’re pretty comical about it. We used to check our stat counters and yell out the number at each other to see who had more readers. If we don’t leave a comment on the other’s site, then we pout claiming that the magic is gone in the marriage. My wife really was the one who helped me find my voice and encourages me. I let her read most of my posts beforehand to see if they make her laugh (I love making her laugh more than anyone other than my kids). I also owe her for a huge number of regular readers who are fans of her and go to my site after hers. In terms of subject matter, however, we are very different. I’m sort of a goofball, where she is amazingly honest in her writing over serious issues pertaining to her. People read it and are like, “Wow! When are you going to come out with a book?” I envy her, but at the same time, it wouldn’t sound like me. Lately, she’s pulled back on her writing, partly because of her work schedule and partly, because she feels like blog writing is holding her back in what she wants to express. Her extended family started reading it and now she feels like there are things she can’t write anymore. We’ve had some good discussions about this, along with my feelings that blogging has overshadowed my efforts to finish the final edits on my book. So we’ve had some serious talks about giving it up altogether until we finish the goals we have in getting published.

8. What is your book about?

This was a complete transformation for my image as a man. I mean, to go from a successful executive and provider to the guy folding Disney Princess underwear prioritizing which bills get paid and which ones have to wait is a big leap.

On the book, it’s a collection of essay-type stories that give context to the events in my life over the last year. In that amount of time, I met my wife, lost my job, got married, gained two stepdaughters, became a stay-at-home dad, all while trying to fight bouts with depression and still being a father to my three sons. This was a complete transformation for my image as a man. I mean, to go from a successful executive and provider to the guy folding Disney Princess underwear prioritizing which bills get paid and which ones have to wait is a big leap. The book (I’m holding out on the title) captures that transition, mostly with humor, but with reflective passages too.  It’s perfect for the Lifetime channel or maybe access cable. Right now, I have it about 95% written and running through the final edits. I want to have it ready for submission by the end of November.

9. What are your favorite posts and why?

My favorites tend to be the ones that get big laughs like Hitting Below The Belch, Make Me Some Pancakes Funnyman, The Timeline for CK Mommy Chronicles Part 2, and Appropriate/Inappropriate.

My other favorites are the more reflective posts about my relationship with my boys and the trips I get to be with them. There was a series I did on each day of Spring Break, and one about really listening to my son titled Mr. High and Mighty.  Getting Closer and Taken For Granted talk about how it feels to be a dad living so far away. These are posts that help keep my boys real to me when I can’t see them.

10. What is the biggest mistake you’ve made in your blogging career?

There a couple that come to mind. I wrote a post about the Dugger Family announcing they would be having their 18th child. The point of it was to question how you could adequately share yourself as a parent with so many kids, but it came off maybe a tad too critical. My sister lives near the Duggars and through mutual friends, the Duggars were likely to have read it. Then I found out our pastor is a firm believer in the same parenting beliefs as the Duggars and when he read the post I don’t think he was too happy either. I alienated a bunch of readers, which is something you try not to do.

The other was trying to gain traffic by leaving fake, insincere comments on other sites, particularly the big guys. That was dumb, going back to the growing up analogy again, it was like being a nerd trying to hang with the cool kids. I got away from that realizing it’s better to build a community with blogs you really enjoy and can contribute to the discussion.

11. What is the best blogging advice you’ve ever received? What is the worst?

To be yourself and you will find your niche. That niche could be one that’s never existed or that niche can be loaded with all kinds of similar blogs. In either case just be sincere, and provide well-written content.  And along with that, be patient and stick with it (Dooce wasn’t built in a day).

The worst was to try to find a way for your blog to make money. Being laid off, it’s easy to get fixated with money and in the process, lose focus on what you should be sticking to. That’s why I don’t intend to use advertisers of schemes anymore.

12. What are your goals (blogging and otherwise)?

As far as the blog, to stay consistent, while continuing to improve the quality of my writing. I really want it to be a magnet to meet other interesting people like it has thus far. I’d also like it to be a jumping off point for a book I have in the works. A number of the posts are either in it or are used as the basis for content. I’d like to blog to show to agents and publishers that there are people who would buy the book.

Personally, the goals are, finish my book, find a job, and move to Chicago. Not necessarily in that order, but I’ll take whatever comes.

13. Other than Superman, which is your favorite comic hero and villain?

I’m going to say Batman. He appeals to my dark side, slight as it may be. But he fights by whatever means necessary to achieve his objectives. I like the determination he shows even though he has no superpowers. Besides, if I didn’t say Batman my kids would kill me.

And the villain? The latest versions of the Joker both in the comics and movies scare the crap out of me, but Heath Ledger’s performance was just  so incredible it was hard not to like him. But I’m going to go back to the Superman side of things and say Bizzaro. In most cases, Bizzaro is downright goofy and even pathetic at times as he believes he’s the real Superman. I see a part of me in the character when I try too hard to be a superman, but only mess things up worse than they were before.

14. Which is the lamest comic character?

Vigilante. 1941 Action Comics. The back story is basically a regular guy that gets transported into the 1800’s and is later rescued by the Justice Society. His power? He can shoot real fancy-like with a couple western revolvers. I mean, really. How’s that hold up against invincible strength, flying and umpteen million other real super powers?

15. Describe your perfect day.

That would be any day my boys are with me. They would be here, playing with their stepsisters, while I write a couple things, then we all go out for the day and do something together. Later I get to say goodnight to them and my wife and I split a bottle of wine watching Heroes.

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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Barbara Swafford has been doing just that since March 2007, when she went live with two different blogs. It was her pursuit of ways to improve her first blog, Observation Mountain, that she came up with material for her second blog, Blogging Without a Blog. She would use BWOB to chronicle her blogging efforts in attempt to both learn more about the process and help instruct others.

Since then, BWAB has become a one stop resource for links, helpful hints, lessons and inspiration for both rookie bloggers and vets looking to improve their game. With thoughtful posts such as how bloging can be a lot like a one night stand, the power of comments, and the unwritten rules of blogging etiquette, Swafford discusses topics which affect every blogger. Combining her incredible knowledge with that of her numerous readers, Swafford has created one of the best blogging communities on the web.

Earlier this year, Swafford began helping new bloggers overcome one of their biggest hurdles – getting traffic. She did this by starting her weekly New Blog of the Week feature, inviting her readers to welcome the new bloggers to the web. Swafford is a one woman welcoming committee of her own. She not only personally greets each new reader to her site, but she also visits and comments at their websites.

Swafford was kind enough to recently talk a bit about blogging. We discussed her sites, common traits of succesful blogs, her favorite posts, what ticks her off and a host of other topics. While I tried to keep the interview true to its title, Eight Questions, this interview went a bit longer.

1. What are the origins and missions of each of your blogs?

In 2007 as I was searching my soul for other passions in life, I read “The Secret”.  Additional research on the law of attraction lead me to Steve Pavlina’s blog.  After reading dozens of his early entries, I realized blogging would be a great way to help others by sharing what I had learned in my life and possibly generate a passive income.

Knowing I would need a name for my blog, I began checking to see which domain names were available.  All of my top choices were already taken so I began writing down ideas.  Being a listener and observer, I came up with the “observation” part, and as a lover of scenery; especially mountains, I added “mountain”, hence, Observation Mountain.

As a self taught blogger, I wrote everything I was learning in a journal. Many of the blogging terms and behind the scenes procedures confused me.  I feverishly studied my notes and kept writing.  It was while I was working through this process, I wrote, “here I am blogging without a blog”.  That was the birth of my second blog.  Knowing I wasn’t the only one who was confused with the beginning blogging process, I turned my notes into what has become Blogging Without A Blog (BWAB).

Initially my goal was to build Observation Mountain (OM) into an income producing blog.  I dedicated most of my time to writing (unpaid) product reviews, hints, tips and observations. I also posted to BWAB, but didn’t take it as seriously as my readership was very low.  When I began receiving daily comments from loyal readers I found myself spending more time on BWAB and building its community.  Although BWAB’s mission has always been to help others, it wasn’t until I began receiving feedback that I realized it was.  And in my attempt to make my readers think, learn and be more informed, I found their answers were helping me become a better blogger, as well.

Although OM continues to receive traffic and generate income (enough to cover my overhead), it basically runs by itself.  The majority of my time is now spent on BWAB; a blog that gives me more joy than I could ever have imagined.

2. What goes into the preparation of a typical post?

Like everyone, I build off of an idea.  In the past I would write a lot of posts in advance, but recently have been using my readers’ comments as inspiration for daily posts.  I “read between the lines” and also listen to my commenters for what they would like to discuss further.

Time spent on posts can vary drastically depending on how creative I feel. Although I can put a draft together fairly quickly, most of my time is spent on editing and finding a photo for the post.  I continue to edit up until the time I hit “publish”.

For me it’s extremely important to visit the blog authors who frequent my site. It’s a two way street and under no circumstances would I expect someone to read my blog, if I don’t reciprocate.

3. Which of your posts do you consider your favorites?

One of my favorite posts is one I wrote for my Observation Mountain blog. It’s titled :“Wood Recycling – A Green Opportunity” It’s a lengthy post, but it describes how we turned an idea into a “green” business.  Although we have since closed that part of our operation, I like the fact it may help others to pursue a dream of helping the environment via recycling.

On Blogging Without A Blog, the favorites of mine are the interview series I did with Lorelle VanFossen and Liz Strauss.  I was honored they took time out of their busy schedules to answer my questions which in turned helped all who have read them.  The series with Lorelle is recapped in Interview With Lorelle VanFossen – Part 9- A RecapPlus A Bonus”, and Liz was part of my A.S.K series (Answers Sharing Knowledge).  They can be read here and here.

4. Two part question: How many blogs do you follow and how much time do you spend commenting on them? How integral do you feel such activities are to a blogger’s success?

I continually add blogs to my Google Reader and currently follow 134.  My commenting time varies based on my work schedule and life, but on a good day, I spend up to four hours visiting other blogs.  My problem is I run out of time and haven’t been able to zero out my reader for more than two months.

For me it’s extremely important to visit the blog authors who frequent my site. It’s a two way street and under no circumstances would I expect someone to read my blog, if I don’t reciprocate.  Following others may not be necessary to succeed as a blogger, but for me it’s a respect issue. Although the day may come when time restricts me from visiting others on a regular basis, for now the process is manageable.

I’m always so excited when I receive comments; I wanted to find a way to help other bloggers experience that same joy.

5. What prompted you to start the New Blog of The Week feature?

In January (2008), in an attempt to pay it forward, I began thinking how I could help new bloggers “get found”.  I’m always so excited when I receive comments; I wanted to find a way to help other bloggers experience that same joy.  I then began searching online, in the comment sections of other blogs, and also asked my readers for nominations of new bloggers I could showcase. The series has blossomed and thus far has highlighted over 35 new blogs.

6.  What has been the most memorable experience helping another blog, either with NBOTW or with your daily posts?

That’s easy. Debbie Yost of Three Weddings was on a mission to get a YouTube video taken down. It poked fun at children with special needs.  As a mother of a child with Down syndrome, she asked fellow bloggers to help.  I wrote a post about it, those in my community joined in and we Stumbled and Digg(ed) her post. Within days, the clip was removed from YouTube.  Although it wasn’t just my efforts that helped, it did teach me how powerful a blog can be.

7. What blogs helped or inspired you when you were first starting out?

There were three: Steve Pavlina, Problogger, and Lorelle On WordPress

8. What qualities do you feel that the most successful blogs on the web have in common?

What I see in the successful bloggers is tenacity, patience, perseverance, and a dedication to unselfishly helping others.  Although they do receive incomes from their blogs, it is small compared to what they freely give back to blogosphere.

9. Since you always seem to be so positive, I’m going to ask you to go negative for a moment. What are your blogging pet peeves?

My biggest pet peeve would be plagiarism.  Another would be bloggers who slam other bloggers and show no respect when they are visiting another blog. I feel our blogs are our home in blogosphere and just like in real life, we must be considerate.

10. What sorts of things do you enjoy when you’re not working or blogging?

When I’m not working/blogging I enjoy spending quality time with my husband, family and friends.  My hobbies include cooking/baking, faux painting, reading, and photography.  I also enjoy going on road trips and seeing the country (or my state) close up.

11. What are your plans for your blogs?

This is a great question.  I feel I’m at a fork in the road.  Although I love how my blog is progressing, I’m feeling it’s time to do more with it. Whether that means converting some of my work into ebooks, furthering my career via blogging, or something else, I’m not sure. Whatever it is, I know I’ll enjoy the journey.

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

Want BloggerDad delivered to your email every time I post? Well, you’re not alone. Join the literally tens of others who have already subscribed for free!

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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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1. What inspired you to start this blog?
   Truly, nothing inspired me to start this blog.  I had been having a rough time. (I have been disabled with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy or, by it’s catchier name, Comprehensive Regional Pain Disorder for over 15 years.)  I was going through a very nasty bout of pain, and a friend phoned me.  He knew that when I was in a lot of pain, I tended to avoid people, and keep to myself.  A friend of HIS had bought a blog, and was looking for somebody to “take over the writing.”  Not knowing what I was getting into I said “Sure, why not.” I love to write, so I figured it would be sort-of “therapeutic.”
2. Why did you choose to blog under a pseudonym (I assume since you say you want to keep your anonymity)?
   I chose to blog under a pseudonym for a number of reasons.  First, I wanted to talk about the people in my life – particularly my students – without getting “permission notices.”  Second, I have always been a private person, and I try to protect other people’s privacy.  Outside my home, my students are my life.  Unless I literally can’t move, they get me out of the house two days a week.
3. Do any of your friends and family read the blog? If so, how does that alter the content?
   Occasionally, my husband will read my blog – if I ask him to.  My dearest friend in the world also occasionally reads my blog.  Believe it or not, she figured it out on her own. She knew I was blogging, and showed up one day. I don’t know how, with the myriad blogs out there, but she found me.  I imagine she did some Googling of some of my “trademark phrases;” the name might have given me up. She never told me, and I never asked.  Our relationship continues as normal, and we don’t talk about blogging.

I am inspired by two things:  my mom, who died way too young, and instilled in me the maxim:  “write what you know and know what you write,” and believe it or not, by pain.

4. What, or who, inspires you?
   I am inspired by two things:  my mom, who died way too young, and instilled in me the maxim:  “write what you know and know what you write,” and believe it or not, by pain.  I used to read around 3 books a week as a means of escape into another world.  I also used to “journal,” but not in the usual way – sometimes I’d write five words, sometimes I’d write five pages.  It depended on my mood.
5. What blog post are you proudest of and why?
   This may sound strange, but I’m proud of all of them.  “A Tale of Two Kitties” is probably my favorite, as I got to play around with Dickens, and turn it into a funny story.  I believe it got 0 comments.  And “How I Almost Got Expelled From College” — Part I, was pivotal.  It showed that I could use the blog as almost a “chapter book.”  People were anticipating what happened next, as I left off with a cliffhanger for one reason:  I ran out of room!  For some reason, people got excited about that one:  the subject matter, the general weirdness of the story.  I don’t really know.  All I know is that commenters came back the next day – and I hadn’t let them down with the ending, something that I was afraid might happen.  It gave me faith in my story-telling ability, given that it was written when I had just submitted a manuscript for publication.  (Trust me, it took a bit longer than the “10 days” I mentioned to hear back from the editor!)
6. What advice do you wish you’d received when you first started blogging?
   Honestly, the only advice I wished I had received was that this is a serious time commitment.  I miss reading.
7. You recently sold your first book, a feat many aspiring authors dream of, and you have a contract for a second book, yet you don’t want to write another. Instead, you are seeking a group of writers. What made you think of this unique approach to writing? Why don’t you want to author a second book yourself?
   

   After so many years of reading in the genre, I got a good idea of “whodunit” – and “why” very quickly.  It was a game for me:  how many (or few) pages do I need to read before I “figure it out.”

   Yes, I have a book in for publication, a mystery novel of which I am quite proud.  That novel wrote itself, for the most part, in my head, over a 12-year period.  It was another means of escape, and it addressed my anxiety with the formulaic writing that I was seeing in that genre. When I was forced to stop working, I devoted myself mainly to mysteries.  After so many years of reading in the genre, I got a good idea of “whodunit” – and “why” very quickly.  It was a game for me:  how many (or few) pages do I need to read before I “figure it out.”  I got too good at the game, because I had so much time on my hands.  After 12 years of plotting out the story and “peopling” it, one day I sat down at the typewriter.  A bit over 8 months later, I had what I considered to be a non-formulaic novel.   As for what I am doing now, I have a contractual obligation to the Publisher for a second book if my first book hits a certain sales point. I had just spent over 12 years on this one – I didn’t have another one in me.  What I noticed however, was that there were some TREMENDOUS writers of blogs who caught my attention, who had dreams of writing a novel.  I had a Publisher – and no novel.  They wanted an entrée into publishing.  So I literally “threw out” a call for authors.  My publisher was fine with the idea, once I sat down with my Agent and Attorney, and got everything down on paper.  Rather than planning a novel, I was planning a novel idea – and they knew that they could pay me less because I was committing all of the money to charity.  Publishers, I have found, are not terribly altruistic.  It’s a cut-throat business, and they’re all looking for the next “INSERT FAMOUS AND PROLIFIC AUTHOR HERE.”  
   

8. What are your future plans for the blog, your writing career and your family?
   For now, my blog is being turned over to the writing of a second novel, with some very talented and interesting people.  It is an experiment that I hope gets others noticed.  I also hope that others will come to Rita’s Digest and see how we are constructing a novel, so that we can get some feedback from “the public” on how they feel about the direction of the story, how much it takes to really write a book, and ensure that the interest is there.  Most of the work, however, is being done “behind scenes” where I am connecting so many different voices and trying to get a cohesive plot and prose going. I plan on “revealing” certain portions of what everybody writes as a “blog” perhaps twice a week, to see how the potential audience – and the Publisher – believe we’re doing.  As to the long-term future of the blog, I’d really like to get back to the old “Digest.”  It was always enjoyable.  I DO NOT SEE MYSELF PUBLISHING ANOTHER BOOK.  What I am hoping is that enough “new talent” will emerge that the Publishers – and the reading public – don’t care.  As to my family, I’d like for the four of us to be healthy and happy.  I think that’s a good enough “plan” for now!

(photo credit: old books)

Today, Cain opens up about her experiences since March, the origins of her blog, balancing home and work life and the differences between print media and blogging.

1. What prompted you to launch From Dawn Till Rusk?
   I was asked to start this blog by my editor as we were relaunching the paper’s website and they were keen to get a ‘family friendly’ blog up and running.  I agreed to write it from the perspective of a working mum trying to juggle a career with raising two young children and running a home and thought it would take me a couple of minutes at the start of my working day. Then I realised that just knocking out a couple of lines every day wouldn’t cut the mustard and instead of just writing something for work, I was hooked and actually taking it home to work on. The name was chosen for me and was supposed to reflect the fact that, as a working mother, you never ever stop. But then, as a non working mother you never ever stop either and to be honest, coming to work is rather a rest!

I think having children is the best source of material a writer can have

2. How do you choose blog topics and what kind of preparation goes into each post?
   I have absolutely no shortage of blogging topics. In fact, I have a huge backlog of things waiting to post, and I have to hold myself back. I think having children is the best source of material a writer can have, from the funny things they say and do to the feelings they engender in you, the impact they have on your life and your relationships, how they change you as a person, the questions you constantly ask yourself. I cannot imagine ever getting writer’s block, only the lack of time to sit down and actually write. I now have a bloggy notebook on hand at all times to jot down any ideas that come to me –  usually on a car journey or while doing the washing up funnily enough. I am not aiming to win any prizes for my words so I tend to just write each blog as a stream of consciousness rather than actually sit down and map it out.
3. Two part question: How did you determine how much of your family life will make its way into the blog and have you written anything which you have since regretted?
   I have read a number of blogs where identities are changed and I totally understand why. But that’s just not me and while I do share my children’s names I never reveal where we live or anything else that could identify them. I also never use my married name. There are many blogs out there that share every cough and spit of their lives which I personally find rather boring. I want to be entertained and aim to write the sort of posts I would like to read myself. I haven’t written anything I regret – I do think long and hard before putting up anything controversial or provocative. There are some big bloggers out there who use colourful language or intimate details of their life and they are really popular (and, by most parts, well written) but that’s just not me. I’m all for good, clean fun.

Everybody can write, they just need to find their voice.

4. Since you are a journalist, you have a bit more writing experience than the average blogger. What differences stand out to you in writing for the two different medias (print and the web)?
   I think that blog writing is a totally different animal. Some of my favourite bloggers are not professional writers and have no training to speak of and yet they write entertaining tales that make me revisit them time and time again.  I do not think I have any edge over any other blogger because I am a journalist. Quite the opposite in fact, because as a media writer you are taught to keep your emotion out of your copy and stick to the facts. Just the facts, ma’am (as they said on Dragnet). Blog writing is so much more honest, down to earth and ‘grubby’. Everybody can write, they just need to find their voice.
5. What lessons, if any, have you learned from other bloggers and how can those lessons be applied to traditional print journalism?
   My favourite bloggers just seem to have a very natural style and can make you laugh/cry/growl with a few carefully chosen words. I can find myself totally immersed in a piece of writing and it could be about something as trivial as watching High School Musical DVDs to something remarkable like discovering your unborn child has a disability. As a features editor I think more papers should go down this route of human stories, which can be so powerful to the reader. One of our most popular pages in the paper is when we run a short story competition where we set people up with an intro and ask them to write a yarn from there.
6. How do you balance your family life and work-life?
   With the support of my great husband (we’ve been together for 17 years now, married for 7) and a lot of organisation. I work four days a week and am lucky to have hours sympathetic to being a parent and I am very lucky in that my children are really sociable and love nursery and after school club (my son often begs me to go there weekends, which makes me think I must be a bit of a dull mum!). It is tough and I do agonise over whether I should stay or devote my time to my family, but at the moment this is what works for me – and for us.
7. In reading a large number of parenting blogs from around the world, what parenting or blogging differences, if any, have you noticed between bloggers from the UK and elsewhere in the world?
   I have read many many many blogs in research for my own. In America it is BIG business and there are quite a few blogging celebrities and even an annual conference dedicated to it. But other than that the quality and styles are as varied here as they are the world over. There are a lot of parent bloggers being offered book deals I have noticed, so it seems the word ‘blog’ isn’t going to be greeted with the “uh, what’s that?” grunt it did when I told many of my friends I was starting one up!
8. What are your future writing, blogging and family goals?
   As I said before, I don’t really get to write much with my job – blogging seems to have become my writing outlet. Like many others, I enjoy it because I get to put much of my thought process down in print – things that would ordinarily fade into history without another thought. And having children makes me want to remember every precious thing about them.