Local Spotlight! Organized Jane

Books & Nooks believes in strong community ties and supporting local business and entrepreneurs. Local Spotlight! is a new series we will be running on our MishMash blog. Please message me if you would like to be featured.

I had the opportunity to meet Organized Jane at the GEM Conference in Ottawa. We discussed her passion for being organized and helping others get organized. Her approach to being organized has helped me get more productivity out of my busy day and I feel can help all you busy mom/wife boss ladies out there 😉

Jane Stoller is a Swiss-Canadian author, speaker, university instructor, and life-biz organizer. Her signature 4-step organizing approach is about much more than streamlining just “stuff”. Instead, it’s an integrated approach to organizing all facets of life, ultimately leading to reduced stress, increased productivity, and an overall happier life.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I grew up on a dairy farm, and I organized everything, including my pet cats. I dreamed of the big city life when I was a kid, and I wanted to be a lawyer and write books about organizing. Turns out, I’m much more passionate about business than law, but the book dreams have come to fruition.

Q: How long does it take you to write a book?

My first book...years! As I had been taking notes for so long. When I actually starting the compiling process, it took exactly 1 year to finish the manuscript.
My second book I am almost done within a few months as now I better organized and created a solid Table of Contents for planning. So important!

Q: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

I am self-employed and do lots of things: I do a variety of consulting projects mostly related to improving business efficiency, teach undergrad business and an MBA class, write books on organizing, share my advice and tips consistently on my social channels,( weekly on YouTube and blog), sell products that I know will make your life more efficient, speak at corporate events and conferences on organizing (plus I am thinking of organizing a conference in Whistler, stay tuned) facilitate workshops, collaborate with media for articles and tv appearances,  property mange my rental property in the Bahamas, help my parents run their resort business and have a tech Startup designing a video game. Therefore, I make sure to plan at least 2 hours of my day for writing with all that is going on!

Q: What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I write super-fast and I am a “big picture” thinker. But then need my team to help me refine my thoughts

Q: How do books get published?

My first book I self-published and my second I found an agent who helped me secure a publishing deal.

Q: Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

From years of developing my organizing skills. And of course following other gurus and reading a ton!

Q: When did you write your first book and how old were you?

Fred the Frog, was my first book that I wrote when I was 8 and I still have hopes it will be published some day.😊

Q: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Aside from my businesses I love to exercise, snowboard, ski, swim and celebrate with a glass of champagne.

Q: What does your family think of your writing?

They love it!

I would not be where I am today with a second book coming out in November without investing in myself

Jane Stoller

Q: What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

The marketing effort required is double the effort the writing takes.

Q: Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?

Take a course, especially if you’re writing a proposal for publishers. I would not be where I am today with a second book coming out in November without investing in myself and hiring coaches.

Pick up Jane's book, it will help you get organized and get more productive.