With a joystick, really as long as it works(i.e. no spiking or calibration issues) and is comfortable to use, its good.
First off, make sure automatic combat trim is on(unless you specificly dont want it) you can turn it on under setup->flight or toggle it with control-x.
For cruising, using auto-trim is probably best. You can hit "x" to use auto-level, which keeps the plane flying straight and level. Also, you can hit "alt-x" to use auto-climb(actually auto-speed, but the effect is the same)