Meet Brooke Dowd Sacco of Incredible Things! It’s Our “Mutual-Admiration Society” Feature!

Brooke Dowd Sacco, writer and blog editor!

At Knock Knock, we like cool people. You know, because it makes us feel cool to know them. First we were like, they’re so cool, and we have questions about what makes them so cool. Then we were like, we should interview them for our blog, which is a really good excuse to ask people things. We’re calling it “Mutual-Admiration Society” because we flatter ourselves that they feel the same way.

It doesn’t get much more narcissistic than to be into a website because it features your stuff regularly, like Incredible Things does. But truth be told, we’re more into it for the incredible things that we didn’t know about already—stuff that ranges from the hella awesome to the far-fetched to the truly head-scratching. We love knowing how people find the things they find on the Internet (does anybody find things in real life anymore?), so we decided to get down with Brooke Dowd Sacco.

1. Name: Brooke Dowd Sacco.

2. Title: Writer and blog editor.

3. Tell us about Incredible Things: Incredible Things began as and has remained a place to feature things that make you say “wow.” Whether we’re covering an artist that works with pushpins or something as silly as bacon-flavored lip gloss, our content manages to inspire that reaction. The site has evolved to include equally cool videos and a gift guide that gathers some of the best unique presents the web has to offer.

4. What’s your background? I hold a degree in English. Right out of college I went to work for a web-based luggage company as a customer support specialist. Based on my background, I became the company’s go-to writer. We even started a company blog way back in 2006. So I’ve been writing for a long time. Later, I became the assistant buyer. Those skills translate well to sourcing content for Incredible Things. I select products based on what our readers have previously “liked,” shared, and purchased by reviewing analytics reports (essentially, it’s a lot like buying, without all the math).

5. What’s a typical day like for you? Well now that I have a six-month-old baby and I work from home, I don’t know what a typical day is! I work while my daughter naps and plays quietly. If you’re a parent, you know that really means that I work at night once she’s asleep! Throughout the day I pop in to update our Twitter and Facebook accounts or poke around my Google reader.

6. What do you love writing about for Incredible Things? I enjoy writing about clever kitchen products, which is weird because I don’t really cook. Regardless of what I’m working on, I keep in mind that this might become a momentary, much-needed break in a reader’s day. If they are super-stressed or feeling down, something we feature could make them laugh or smile. I love that.

7. What websites do you find yourself “accidentally” checking every day and/or every hour? Twitter! I get excited about reading feedback from our readers.

8. What’s been your favorite story or product to cover so far? (Okay, you can choose three!) 1. These adorable salt and pepper shakers make me smile big. 2. I truly appreciate the simplicity of this phone. 3. This pirate ship bedroom I featured on Kid Crave was such an amazing find. I love the story behind its creation and I wish I could do something awesome like this for my daughter. Can you imagine being a kid and sleeping here?!

9. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve covered? Oh there have been so many! Incredible Things’ other writer and current editor, Jenni Chasteen, covered this body modification movement in Japan, where people were getting bagel-esque implants in their heads. The image still keeps me up at night.

10. What’s your favorite Knock Knock product, and why? Definitely the Social Media Citation Nifty Note. I’ve been in this game since the beginning and there are rules! Follow ’em or you will be cited!

11. You write for Incredible Things and upkeep Kid Crave and your own personal blog, Solitary In Sanity. How do manage to do it? Do you have any organizational tips for fellow Knock Knock fans that are just as busy? (Or for us, with our blog?) I love what I do. That definitely keeps me going. Honestly, I am not very good at routines or schedules, which is why working from home and being constantly busy suits me. Each day is truly different and I avoid boredom.

12. What advice would you give to people who want to pursue blogging as a career? It’s been said over and over again, but you really have to have a passion for what you’re writing about. I’m very lucky that (for the most part) I curate my own content, because in the past, when I was assigned to cover something that didn’t excite me, it would come through in my writing. Select a niche that holds a special place in your heart and both you and your readers will reap the rewards.

13. Lastly, if your life depended on it: Twitter or Facebook? Facebook. I use it to keep in touch with far-off family and friends. And the pictures? The stalk factor? No competition!