What do you mean by having Clark unpowered?
His powers are gone. He lost them a couple of years prior to the opening of the story. (Yes he gets them back)
Without the need to hide his powers, and with his strong need to help people, Clark has written many attention getting stories.
Several fanfic stories have Clark reporting on Superman's efforts to help at disasters.
They have Clark writing stories that draw the attention of the world and make readers see the people trapped in the events and want to help.
This unpowered Clark does some of that. Because of Professor Lang's influence Clark had been publishing Travel articles for years. When he loses his powers during a natural disaster where he was trying to help, he sends a long detailed article to the travel editor of the Daily Planet via fax.
It gets published and draws him some attention as more than a travel writer.
Clark also has a number of skills that he picked up as camouflage for his abilites. (Again Professor Lang's influence.)
In Shayne Terry's story "Duet" a lack of airline flight records trip up Clark.
To provide an explanation for a lack of airline flight records Clark has developed a history of flying some of the ultralight aircraft (powered parachutes, powered paragliders, motorized hang gliders and so forth) and has a regular pilot's license.
Anyone looking deep enough into his travels to notice anything odd is going to see this history and accept it as the reason for any odd gaps. It has also been useful for clearing customs and thus being in the county legally.
It also allows him to fly in circumstanes where he might be seen. If someone sees a guy flying in an ultralight no one wonders if it seems to be going too fast or flying too high.
These various skills, intended as camouflage, serve him very well during his time without his powers.
Thus the Clark who arrives in Metropolis has a name as a reporter. His back trail for the last couple of years has NOTHING that would tip off Luthor to Clark being more than human.
(Just don't let him do any mind wipes, okay... [Big Grin] - btw, I hope you like what I did with that after he did what he shouldn't have done....)
Ahh, well I wanted to keep my mouth shut regardless so I've been checking to see if it is done, and holding off till it is finished rather than reading sections and launching into a diatribe.
I figure reading the entire thing will allow me to focus on your main story not nit pick at bits and pieces.
