Grab 60 seconds with Jenny Fox-Proverbs, Managing Editor of CrossStitcher and Cross Stitch Collection, and discover how Twitter helped her land her dream job.
First job?
Assistant Editor at book publisher David & Charles, project managing the craft list.
How did you become Managing Editor at Future?
I love using social media, and spotted the vacancy on Twitter. In my first few years at D&C I'd worked on numerous cross stitch books and always had a real passion for the subject. The fact that the mags are monthly publications and strong brands was a lure – a very different proposition to books. I was able to offer Future management experience as well as creative skills and an in-depth knowledge of the subject area.
Favourite mag growing up?
Smash Hits – I bought nearly every issue in the late 80s. Like most teenagers I was mad about music, and loved cutting out lyrics and album covers from the pages and arranging them on my bedroom walls using generous blobs of blu-tack!
I'm thrilled by how rapidly our following on Facebook and Twitter has grown and how engaged readers are both with us and with each other.
What advice would you give to aspiring Managing Editors?
Firstly, most editors don't aspire to be managers, so an editor who can also manage and lead a team is a USP! However you don't have be an expert on every aspect of what your team does to be effective – it's more about helping them to manage themselves while you look at the bigger picture. It helps that I'm so passionate about what I do – you need buckets of enthusiasm, tenacity and versatility to be a creative editor and manager.
Most innovative thing you and the team have come up with?
CrossStitcher has rapidly evolved to meet the needs of the new breed of stitcher who don't want to stitch teddy bears and hedgehogs! No other stitching magazine is anything like CrossStitcher – we offer a completely unique experience. Our contemporary approach embraces the handmade movement and blends this with high street and interiors trends – Commissioning Editor Charlie Moorby could moonlight as a trend forecaster!
Best example of reader loyalty or involvement?
I'm thrilled by how rapidly our following on Facebook and Twitter has grown and how engaged readers are both with us and with each other. Such a direct and immediate form of communication also keeps us on our toes.
Reasons readers are so engaged with your titles?
Both brands, CrossStitcher and Cross Stitch Collection, lead the pack in terms of quality and attention to detail. It's vital for us to create a product that we feel proud of – at every stage of the process from planning an issue to making up projects and seeing the photography, I feel so excited for the readers and hope that they love the finished product as much as I do.