SZ Estavillo

5 years ago, I had an agent and big dreams but zero book deals. After 150+ rejections, I parted ways with my agent & signed with a small press. The duology they said would “die on sub”? Now it’s a 6-book deal. Rejection isn’t the end. Keep going. #WritingCommunity

Proud to say I wrote my entire manuscript in under 12 weeks! Started August 1 and finished yesterday, including cutting 8,000 words and completing line-by-line edits. And here’s the kicker: I used only ONE em dash in the entire manuscript! 😂 #AuthorSky #BookSky

One thing I discovered while writing my latest thriller is how much I enjoy speculative fiction when it’s woven into a grounded crime story. I never expected to love writing about complex technology as much as I did. It’s exciting to discover new things about yourself as a writer. #AuthorSky

I had my standalone crime thriller all plotted out, especially with the complex tech & speculative elements. Along the way, I fell in love with my villain & ended up discovering who the real antagonist was. Plotting helps, but you have to learn to trust where the characters lead you. #AuthorSky

It’s finally feeling like fall, my favorite time of year! 🍂 Cooler weather, changing leaves, cozy evenings, and the holidays around the corner. This year feels extra special. Standalone finished, revisions underway, & hoping to query before the holidays. A perfect way to spend fall! #AuthorSky

I DID IT! I finished my standalone thriller! 99,566 words in just under 12 weeks. A techno-crime thriller with speculative elements, complex plotting & a LOT of technology. It was one of the most challenging books I’ve written & honestly emotional right now. I love this story so much. #AuthorSky

I just cut over 7k words from my standalone thriller, bringing it from 104K to 97K, and I’m really happy about it! I knew exactly where to make the cuts without sacrificing the story. Now I have more room to finish the ending, and I’m so close to being done! #AuthorSky

Any other authors get sad when finishing a book because you hate to see it end? I can’t believe I’m writing the very last chapter of my standalone thriller, which I started August 1. Hoping to finish this week. But I’m incredibly sad because I love these characters so much.😭 #AuthorSky #BookSky

I’ve been in such a good place creatively lately. The writing’s flowing, and I’m excited to write daily. I’m nearly done with my standalone thriller and reviewing the print proof for THE SERPENT OF FLESH & FIRE, out in December. It isn’t always like this, so enjoying it while I can. #AuthorSky

Meet Kiko, my long-haired #guineapig who looks like a toupee that came to life. She’s been my little writing partner while I finish my manuscript. She has absolutely no idea what I’m writing, but she’s been very supportive. But it’s hard to tell under all that hair. 😅 #AuthorSky

After writing a series & several standalones, I’ve gotten faster at drafting & better at revising as I go. But as I near the end of this book, I keep fighting the urge to go back & make major cuts. Line edits are fine. Big changes can wait. Never pause momentum. Finish the first draft. #AuthorSky

I’m 96k words into my standalone, with a handful of plot points left to wrap up. Hoping to stay under 100K for querying, but writing a crime thriller with speculative elements means technology + world-building add up. If I go over, the hardest part will be figuring out what to cut. 😭 #AuthorSky

They say to write the book you’d love to read & create characters you can’t stop thinking about. As I get closer to finishing my standalone, I realize I’ve done exactly that. I’ve been editing as I write, but genuinely excited to go back through the entire manuscript during revisions. #AuthorSky

There’s something bittersweet about reaching the final chapters of a novel. You spend months getting to know your characters, putting them through impossible situations, & watching them grow. Now that I’m nearing the end, I’m excited to finish, but I’m not quite ready to say goodbye. #AuthorSky

One of the things I love about writing is giving characters agency by putting them in impossible situations. When they choose to do something selfless, knowing exactly what it could cost them, I think it can create one of the most powerful emotional moments in a story. #AuthorSky #BookSky

There’s something special about writing a story you genuinely love. I think readers can feel when you’ve poured your heart into it. Don’t worry if your concept is too unconventional or whether everyone will like it. Trust your instincts and stay true to your vision. #AuthorSky #BookSky

One thing I’m proud of is enjoying a Metallica concert in Vegas without a single drink. I started writing my standalone in August, completely sober & I’m almost finished. Aging is a privilege & sobriety has taught me that you can enjoy life without needing to escape it. ❤️ #AuthorSky #HealthSky

I was a little disappointed #Metallica didn’t play “Master of Puppets” in Vegas, but they still brought plenty of energy after all these years. A couple times they sounded flat & the ending felt a little transactional. But hearing “One” live was definitely my favorite part! 🤘🖤 #MusicSky #AuthorSky

Hubby surprised me with Metallica tickets in Vegas for my 50th birthday!🤘🖤 My favorite band! Then I looked around & noticed the entire crowd was mature-aged. It hit me. I’M THE OLD CROWD. 😂 I’m officially part of the generation that remembers when #Metallica had long hair! 🤣🤘 #AuthorSky #MusicSky

It’s my bday. This is me at 50 today! 🎂 We focus so much on achieving things young that we forget success has no age limit. I got my publishing contract at 47. Since then, I’ve published 5 books in my series & almost done with a standalone I started in August. It’s never too late.❤️ #AuthorSky

I feel the pain of sci-fi writers now.😅 My standalone is still a crime thriller, but the techno-thriller/speculative elements could easily make it 150K. I’m aiming for 95K, so I’m constantly deciding what actually needs to live on the page. #AuthorSky #BookSky

I’m at 78,400 words on my WIP, and for the first time, I’m actually sad about finishing a book. I’ve grown so attached to these characters that I’m not ready to say goodbye. I’ve loved writing them, and I think a part of me just wants to stay in their world a little longer. #AuthorSky #BookSky

I think I may have accidentally written a crime thriller with techno-thriller and speculative sci-fi elements. 😂 The technology is complex but grounded in reality, and somehow I’ve hit 78,400 words in 66 days while revising every chapter as I go. Comp title: Blake Crouch territory. #AuthorSky

I’ve been writing all day and somehow I’m still going tonight. I just hit 76k words, and I’m starting to realize this book may go over my target word count. Which is great… except I’m already dreading the part where I have to go back and cut things. #AuthorSky

Yes, I do hear voices. I went to bed thinking about my characters and woke up at 5 a.m. thinking about them, so I got up to write. There’s something magical about reaching the point where your characters start speaking to you before you even open the manuscript. #AuthorSky #BookSky

Looks like I’m not as much of a procrastinator as I thought. 😂 I started this standalone crime thriller/techno-thriller on August 1 and just hit 70k words. Personally, I think that's average pace. Hoping to crank out another 25k and finally have the first draft complete this month. #AuthorSky

What’s your biggest clue that you’re procrastinating on a hard chapter or stubborn sentence? Mine is suddenly deciding I absolutely need to play Monopoly on my phone. Apparently buying imaginary property is easier than figuring out what happens next in my own book. 😂 #AuthorSky

I started my stand-alone #WIP on August 1, and I’m at 66,254 words in. A lot of those words were written late at night, and some weeks I’ve written more than 10k. I’m hoping October is the month I finally finish this one. #AuthorSky #BookSky

What I learned from a free BookBub promo on a series book: Your rating may dip with a broader audience. Some love it. Some don’t. Some hate an unresolved ending. Fair enough. Most standalones resolve neatly at the end, but with a series, a cliffhanger ending is the point. #AuthorSky #BookSky

Wrote 2,227 words today and hit 64K on my #WIP. I’ve been averaging about 1,400–2k or more words a day. Started Aug 1st. Some writers move faster, but considering how much life stress I’ve been dealing with, I feel good about this pace. Two more days in this month to see how far I get. #AuthorSky

Writing the book isn’t always the hardest part. If you’re trying to query agents or reach a bigger publisher, sometimes it’s everything that comes after. Rejection is scary, but you can’t let fear stop you from putting the work out there and trying. #AuthorSky

Weekend warrior time. Hit 60K on my WIP tonight. Started August 1st, and it feels damn good. I wasn’t sure I had it in me to write a standalone between books in my series because I was feeling pretty burnt out, but somehow, the story came together. #AuthorSky

I’ve had some down days lately, but writing a dark, offbeat character in my crime thriller has been an unexpected bright spot. There’s something freeing about finding humor in dark places. Stephen King does it so well. Sometimes dark comedy makes the darkness hit even harder. #AuthorSky #BookSky

Using your life experiences and channeling them into your work can be incredibly powerful. The pain. The betrayal. The fears. The trauma. Finding a way to put those experiences on the page and turn them into something meaningful. There’s no better cathartic experience than that. #AuthorSky

Despite a really stressful week, I still wrote 1,892 words today, bringing me to 54K in my #WIP. Those are the days you should feel the proudest. Not the easy days when everything is going great, but the hard weeks when life kicks your ass and you still sit down and write. #AuthorSky #LifeSky

I’m dealing with an incredibly stressful situation involving my daughter’s safety. Bullying in youth sports is REAL & I will NOT put up with it. Period. Being a parent means sometimes you have to be the loudest voice in the room for your child. I will always be that voice. #ParentSky

Last week was rough, but somehow I still managed to write 12,017 words in 6 days. I’m hoping to carry that momentum into this week, though it’s been hard to focus with my daughter recovering from a concussion after a soccer incident. Some weeks, you just do what you can. #AuthorSky #ParentSky

My 11 yr old drew this on a napkin while we were eating breakfast at a restaurant. She did it in 5 minutes, just sitting at the table. She’s been taking art classes for years. The painting on right she did in class. Love watching how naturally art comes to her. She’s so talented. #ArtSky #Art

Some writing days surprise you. I wrote from morning until about 1 a.m yesterday and finished 2 chapters, close to 6k words yesterday. That’s not a normal word count for me, but when the characters are leading, I’ve learned not to fight it. Sleep is patient. A story on a roll is not. 😅 #AuthorSky

Have you ever fallen in love with your villain? I do it all the time. The best villains are the ones you understand, even when you hate what they do. Sometimes villains have the most powerful arcs because the distance between who they were and who they become is the greatest. #AuthorSky #BookSky

Have you ever been a multi-genre reader but discovered there’s one genre you just cannot get into, no matter how many times you try? Unpopular opinion: for me, it’s YA. The last YA I loved was The Book Thief. Ever since, I’ve tried, but nothing has clicked. What genre is that for you? #BookSky