Stacy Juba is the author of Cozy Mystery, Chick Lit, and YA.
What led you to start working in digital/media publishing?
Once I had children, I decided to work from home by writing and publishing novels and writing freelance articles for various clients and publications. After my kids were older and I had more time, I decided to branch out and establish Crossroads Editing Service, a freelance editing service. I also started teaching online workshops to several writing groups and am in the process of expanding my course offerings and getting up and running on the Thinkific teaching platform. I’m very much an entrepreneur and find it rewarding working in the digital/media publishing field.
What does a typical day look like for you?
All my days are different depending on which project I’m focusing on at the moment, but a typical week involves writing my novel in progress; working on editing, proofing, or book launches for my latest novel; corresponding with editing clients; reading and editing client manuscripts; sending out invoices and updating my expense and income reports; updating my website and/or blog; working on advertising efforts; writing content for my newsletter or social media; and developing the curriculum for my online classes.
What’s your work setup look like?
I work out of my home office with a Dell computer, and I also use a Google Chromebook for responding to emails and working on projects on the drive. I do a lot with Google Docs and Google Sheets. I also use an Alphasmart word processor for typing on the go or when I don’t want Internet distractions, and then it can be connected to my computer and uploaded via a cable. I love Trello for keeping track of projects as well as my hard copy Planner Pad. I use Convert Kit for my newsletter provider and use Canva to design simple social media graphics.
What do you do to get inspired?
I listen to a lot of podcasts such as The Smart Passive Income Podcast, The Creative Penn Podcast, Online Marketing Made Easy With Amy Porterfield, and numerous podcasts devoted to book publishing and writing. I listen in my car and when I’m doing chores around the house.
What’s your favorite piece of writing or quote?
I’ve always liked Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote, “No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent.”
Is there a product, solution, or tool that you think is a good match for your digital publishing efforts?
Since I write books, I am very interested in e-reader technology such as Kindles, Nooks, and tablets with reading apps. I try to stay current on what’s new in the industry. I also recommend ProWriting Aid and Grammarly software to my editing clients to help them clean up their grammar and punctuation.
What’s the passionate problem you are tackling at the moment?
I’m working on the launch of the second book in my Storybook Valley sweet romantic comedy series, Prancing Around With Sleeping Beauty, which is a huge undertaking; and soon I’ll be working on the edits of Offsides, the sequel to my young adult hockey novel Face-Off. Those are just problems in the sense that they are so time-consuming and take away from writing new books. The biggest problem though is figuring out the learning curve for getting classes up and running on Thinkific, such as learning how to use a microphone and dictate as well as design slides. That’s all brand new territory.
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Any advice for ambitious digital publishing and media professionals just starting out?
I recommend learning about writing copy, researching newsletter and website platforms, learning some basic design skills, and hiring help if necessary. For example, if you’re not a web designer, hire someone to get your website up and running and then learn how to maintain it. That will save you a huge headache. If you’re not a writer, hire an editor or copywriter to help make sure your copy sounds professional. When you’re starting out, while it’s important to spend money wisely, you will need to invest in some tools and resources to get up and running. It’s important to look professional.
