Meet Stephanie Slagle | Book Editor & Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stephanie Slagle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stephanie, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I wanted the flexibility of being able to work from home as little or as much as I desired, knowing that I also planned to be a stay-at-home mom for my future children. I have always loved books–reading them, writing them, and editing them–so becoming a freelance editor felt like the natural step to take. I had gained a lot of experience in the publishing industry as an author of three books, a critique partner for my writer friends, and also as an intern for literary agents. I took this experience and slowly built up a client list, and thus started my own business that has now been thriving for over seven years. And I am pleased to say it has proven to offer the flexibility I hoped for, now that I am working from home while being a SAHM to my six-month-old son.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started trying to get into the publishing industry when I was twelve. It took me six years and three manuscripts–and many, many rejection letters–before I landed an agent and then a book deal at age eighteen. But I was determined and I didn’t give up; I just focused on making each book I wrote better and better and learning more about the craft of writing. EXTRACTION, written under my maiden name (Stephanie Diaz), was released in 2014–a YA sci-fi book about a sixteen-year-old who lives on a planet orbited by a poisonous moon. Think Divergent set in outer space. Two sequels, REBELLION and EVOLUTION, followed over the next two years.

Of course, the income authors make is not exactly the most reliable, and the traditional publishing world is hard to break into but even harder to stay in long-term. So, I knew I would need a day job, and that is what led me to my career as a book editor. It turns out my favorite part of the writing process is, in fact, the editing and revising, and I get so much joy out of helping writers grow in their craft. I would still love (and plan to) publish another book someday, but for now editing books for other people helps me fulfill my dream of telling stories and playing with words while still giving me plenty of time to spend with my family.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would spend one day visiting the San Diego Zoo Safari Park to see the tiger cubs and kangaroos. On another day, we would hike at Torrey Pines and grab gelato at An’s Hatmakers in Del Mar before walking around La Jolla Cove. I would also take them on the ferry to Coronado to get french pastries (particularly, the almond croissant) at Parfait Paris.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have to shoutout the very first teacher I had who really fostered my love of reading and writing–my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Ciriza. She played an integral role in encouraging me to go after my dreams, to the point where I first began trying to become a published author just a few years later. If I had never had the confidence to start writing my own novels that young, I don’t know if I would be a book editor today!

Website: https://www.stephanieslagle.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieeslagle/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Steph_Slagle

Other: https://www.stephaniediazbooks.com/