Recently, I was featured on three podcasts for writers and book lovers, and wanted to tell you a little bit about each appearance. As you may know, I LOVE talking about books and writing. I’m grateful to have had the chance to do both during these interviews.
Between the Covers
First, host Stephanie Larkin of Red Penguin Books interviewed a few contributing writers to the new release, Launch Pad: The Countdown To Writing Your Book. This craft book is designed to help writers navigate the emotional ups and downs of finishing a novel, and was led by Emma Dhesi and Grace Sammon.
The episode features interviews with Susanne Dunlap, author of The Courtesan’s Daughter and a certified book coach; Meredith Stoddard, author of The River Maiden: Once & Future Series; Carol Van Den Hende, author of Goodbye, Orchid; and myself.
We discussed our writing processes, what’s inside the Launch Pad book, and valuable tips for writers.
I also had a lively discussion with Liz Bullard on the eReads Podcast.â We discussed things like the perfect desk chair and how my chiropractor reprimanded me for working on my recliner. âıï¸
Last year, when I was having neck and upper back soreness, he advised me to buy an ergonomic desk chair with a headrest. Some of you know my obsession with office supplies.
I mean, it takes me 45 minutes to pick out pens. Imagine how long it took for me to pick out a $300 chair.
I felt like Goldilocks, sitting on all the office chairs at Staples.
Too hard.
Too soft.
Unfortunately, I didn’t find anything just right, but I found one that was comfortable enough . . .
Well, after I bought a special cushion on Amazon.
I still occasionally use my Chromebook on my recliner, but I’m much more aware of my posture!
Anyway, Liz and I talked about a lot more than desk chairs and chiropractors.
During the episode, Liz also asked me to share a writing prompt. I gave her one that I used to use a lot: I remember. All you do is free write starting with the words, I remember . . . and see what comes out.
Last but not least, my good friend Kat Caldwell interviewed me on her Pencils & Lipstick podcast. This was the third or fourth time I’ve been on the show, and Kat and I always have a good time. The topic of the day was body language and nonverbal communication.
We delved into what those terms mean for writers, why it’s important, common mistakes that writers make, how to freshen up your characters’ emotions, and how to write creative emotional descriptions. You can listen to the episode here or watch it on YouTube below.
Hi there! I’m Stacy Juba, an author, freelance editor, and the founder of Shortcuts for Writers. I’d love to connect. If you’re a writer, here are a few ways we can work together:Â
If you could use some editing tips, then I’d love for you to check out my interview on The Writer’s Tribe Talk Show. Host Elsa Kurt asked me lots of insightful questions about my writing journey, how I became an editor and online course creator, and the common mistakes that writers make.
We talked about the ups and downs of the publishing path and why most new authors are flabbergasted when they read their first editorial letter. You’ll hear about the shock I experienced as a teen author receiving editing feedback.
We also shared some helpful advice for busy authors. You can watch the interview on YouTube (see the video below) or listen on your favorite podcast app including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Be sure to check out other episodes of the podcast as well. Elsa talks about all things writing, publishing, and promoting. She has interviewed authors in many genres and has also discussed topics like TikTok for Authors, Imposter Syndrome, your elevator pitch, and roadblocks to writing.
Hi there! I’m Stacy Juba, an author, freelance editor, and the founder of Shortcuts for Writers. I’d love to connect. If you’re a writer, here are a few ways we can work together:Â
Do you know you need editing, but are worried about how you’re going to afford it? Would you love to do a lot of it yourself, but know you have blinders on when it comes to your own work and that self-editing may not be your strong suit? Never fear! Recently, my friend Liesel Hill interviewed me on The Prolific Author Podcast. The topic was self-editing tips for the indie author. You can also find the interview at the bottom of this post.
I’m an author herself, and as someone who also does a lot of editing for other indie authors and has created a self-editing online course, I have a unique perspective. Give the interview a listen to learn some self-editing tips and find out how you can improve your revision and rewriting skills. You just might save yourself tons of time and expense on editing!
If you haven’t listened to The Prolific Author Podcast before, you’re in for a treat. Liesel is a USA bestselling author and Story Clarity Coach, and her podcast is a wealth of information on everything from story craft to book marketing tips. Here is her description of the podcast:
Do you dream of making your living writing fiction, but donât know where to start? Believe me, I understand. I worried and struggled over my writing for years, afraid it was cheesy and amateurish, and not TRULY resonating with readers. Meanwhile, at every turn, I was told I couldnât make money this way. It takes too much time and hard work. Itâs not a ârealâ job. I bet you can relate, right?
Well, Iâm gonna let you in on a secret the traditional publishing industryâand letâs face itâmost of society at large, donât want you to know: itâs VERY possible to become a career author. To make your living writing stories full emotion, passion and morality.
With all the upheaval and negativity in our world, people NEED your stories more than ever before. Stories only you can bring to them. I created this podcast to show you how. And I promise it will take less time than you think. So, join the revolution of authors following their passion and changing lives, both their own, and those of their readers. WEâĤare prolific authors!
Hi there! I’m Stacy Juba, an author, freelance editor, and the founder of Shortcuts for Writers. I’d love to connect. If you’re a writer, here are a few ways we can work together:Â
I’m always excited to tell my followers about another helpful website for writers, and today I’ve got a terrific one to share. I recently met Justin Cox of The Writing Cooperative, which provides advice and encouragement for writers of all genres. Founded by Justin Cox, Jessica Jungton, and Sand Farnia, The Writing Cooperative strives to connect writers and help them grow. Below is an interview with Justin, chock full of valuable resources.
How did The Writing Cooperative come about? When was it founded?
The Writing Cooperative was formed in 2015 as a publication on Medium. Initially, the publication was formed to give people an opportunity to share and peer-edit each others work. It was a small band of people committed to bettering each other. The publication and community grew from there. Weâre now one of the largest publications on Medium, publishing writing advice and interviews to over 200k followers.
How did you know your co-founders?
Jessica, Sand and I have never actually met in person. We came together to create The Writing Cooperative because we all were passionate about writing and helping others improve their abilities. We initially communicated and built everything through very long email chains and have since moved to other collaboration tools like Slack and Discord.
What is the goal of The Writing Cooperative?
Our goal is simple: help writers improve. The primary way we reach our goal is through the publication, providing between five and ten new articles each day. In the years since our inception, weâve also expanded to an active Facebook Group where people from around the world connect and help each other out, a podcast, a store, and a presence on every social media network.
What types of articles have you published on the blog?Â
Our most popular stories contain quick pieces of advice, often gleaned from working writers. Our Write Now series interviews writers about their habits and styles. Thereâs a lot writers can learn from authors like Andy Weir, Kristen Arnett, and Pierce Brown.
How does the blog work – how much of it is written in-house and how much comes from submissions? Do readers need to be members of Medium to read the articles?Â
The vast majority of our publicationâs content comes from our open submissions process. Anyone with a Medium account can request to contribute to our publication. So long as the submission is unique and meets our standards, weâll publish the story to our audience. Whatâs great about being publishing within Medium is our stories are often distributed outside our publication throughout Mediumâs network. This brings an even greater exposure to our contributors’ content. Plus, since Medium pays writers through their Partner Program, writers receive compensation based on the engagement their stories receive. This helps us get great content to share with the world and helps writers earn money for their words.
Since everything we publish is behind Mediumâs paywall, a membership is required to read more than three articles a month. Medium only curates stories throughout their network and to people beyond the authorâs follower list if theyâre behind the paywall. With the added bonus of writer compensation, itâs in everyoneâs interest to publish accordingly.
What types of discussion and events happen in your Facebook group?Â
We have guided discussions a few times a week based on topics that bubble up in the publication or through other discussions. Though most of the conversations happen organically with people looking for support or asking for editing advice.
We run a few writing challenges a year. Most recently we partnered with Inspired Writer for a personal essay contest. Again, our goal is supporting and encouraging writers, and sometimes that means giving away free things.
Tell me about your podcast.Â
Our podcast, This Week In Writing, launched in July. Itâs a different way to engage with writers around the world. Episodes typically include some of our more popular content along with a discussion from our community, though there are a few special edition episodes coming out soon featuring interviews with content writing experts and the authors behind some of our favorite series.
Since weâre all about engaging our community, we wanted the podcast to feature people from our community. Each week we have a discussion segment where listeners can âcall inâ and be part of the show. This uses a voice message feature, but gives everyone an opportunity to be part of the show. Itâs been a lot of fun to hear people âcall inâ from around the world.
The website talks about live and virtual events. What are some types of events youâve held?Â
Earlier this summer we hosted two live comedy events over Zoom. Each show featured four working comedians or comedy writers. They performed a stand-up set or read one of their pieces live and then provided tips for writing comedy. These were great events and a lot of fun to produce. We sold tickets so we could compensate the comedians. We have ideas for additional live shows later this fall, so stay tuned to learn about those.
What can people expect if they sign up for The Write-Up?
The Write Up is our monthly newsletter. Over 63k people trust us with their email address, so we strive to make The Write Up something they want to read. The Write Up is where we make our big announcements, like when we launched our podcast or if weâre hosting a giveaway. It also typically includes an actionable quick tip and links to some of our favorite stories from the past month.
Tell me about your Patreon program.
Our Patreon is a way for people who want to support us monetarily to do so. We donât run ads on anything we do, so Patreon is a way to help keep Jessica, Sand, and I going. For the financial support, our patrons receive perks, like discounts on ProWritingAid and access to our priority submission system.
Tell me about your own writing? What do you write?
I write across genres, but mainly in the realm of personal essays. Because of my work with The Writing Cooperative, I write a lot of writing guides and encouragement for writers. Some of my most popular stories include my guides to all things Medium and freelance writing. Though, what Iâve been exploring lately is old-fashioned blogging through the resurgence of newsletters. My weekly newsletter, This Just In, provides a new outlet for creativity that goes directly to my readers. Itâs been a lot of fun to experiment with.
More About Justin
Justin Cox is a content writer living in Orlando, FL. His work has appeared in Wired, Film School Rejects, Heart Support, The Billfold, ProWritingAid, PS I Love You, The Writing Cooperative, and more. Justin is also the co-founder of The Writing Cooperative, a publication and community for writers.
Hi there! I’m Stacy Juba, an author, freelance editor, and the founder of Shortcuts for Writers. I’d love to connect. If you’re a writer, here are a few ways we can work together:Â
Every story is worth sharing. That’s the philosophy behind The International Connection Podcast, which aims to connect with creative entrepreneurs from around the world to share inspiring stories.
Host Jag Sandhu, a passionate young creator, says that helping people recognize their creativity has been his biggest dream. I have that dream as well, and was honored to be interviewed for Episode 42, titled Inside A Writer’s Mind. Among the topics discussed were overcoming the fear of putting your work into the public eye, dealing with rejection and negative feedback, having multiple streams of income, keeping up with technology, getting ideas, and lots more.
Here is the description of the episode from The International Connection Podcast website.
The 42nd episode of this podcast gives you a glimpse inside a writerâs mind. It features an amazing interview with an extremely passionate creative writer, Stacy Juba.
Stacy has always had a passion for writing and creating stories. In her childhood, she fell in love with the process of documenting ideas, thoughts and experiences & creating interesting stories out of them. In this episode, she breaks down her process of creating content. Thatâs right! Stacy describes each and every step from writing your first idea to getting your story published in detail. Our conversation also lists various ways in which one can use todayâs cutting edge technology to improve his/her writing.
Stacy has successfully recognized her creative passion, which has enabled her to write stories in the genres of Sports, Mystery, Romance and even online writing courses. Her personal journey is a story in itself that inspires various other struggling writers (like myself) to take their creativity to its next level.
So, if you find yourself stuck in the process of writing and hence, want to get yourself âunstuck,â this episode is the right fit for you.
You can watch the episode here. You can also find The International Connection on Apple Podcasts. You can learn more about the show and its host at the below links:
Hi there! I’m Stacy Juba, an author, freelance editor, and the founder of Shortcuts for Writers. I’d love to connect. If you’re a writer, here are a few ways we can work together:Â
