tech
February 2, 2026
Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney: ‘I’ve sold 300m books. What’s next?’
As the 20th book in his Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is published, the author shows no signs of slowing down – scripting films, opening a bookshop and making plans to rebuild his hometown
TL;DR
- Jeff Kinney's book signings are described as performance art, a stark contrast to traditional author events.
- The "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series has sold over 300 million books worldwide.
- Kinney transitioned from software engineering to writing, creating the "Wimpy Kid" series for Funbrain.
- He now juggles writing books, screenplays for Disney adaptations, and town planning in his hometown.
- Kinney uses a systematic process involving journaling and 'Systematic Inventive Thinking' for joke generation.
- He sees his character Greg Heffley as a cartoon character with the potential for longevity, similar to Charles Schulz's "Peanuts."
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