There’s a moment in every writer’s life where you stop asking, “Am I really doing this?” and start saying, “Yes. This is the phase.”
I’m in my self-publishing era—and I genuinely love it.
I like designing my own covers. I like obsessing over typography and negative space. I enjoy learning the mechanics of editing, formatting, metadata, distribution. Some writers treat that side of the craft like it’s tax season. I treat it like lab work. Controlled experiments. Hypotheses. Revise. Relaunch. Improve.
Self-publishing isn’t a fallback. It’s a forge.
Recently, I graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a BA in English and Creative Writing, fiction concentration, minor in professional writing. Highest Latin honors—Summa Cum Laude—and inducted into Sigma Tau Delta. That wasn’t just a line on a résumé. It was proof of discipline. Craft matters. Precision matters. Language matters.
Now I’ve shifted fully into fiction.
I just completed my first espionage/thriller novella, Ghost Asset. It’s lean, sharp, and unapologetically in its lane. And I’ve begun my MFA in Creative Writing, along with a certificate in teaching writing online. That next phase isn’t about collecting letters after my name. It’s about deepening the system. Business of writing. Advanced editing. Publishing ecosystems. Agents. Marketing. The architecture behind the art.
Through this program, I’ll produce a complete 75,000+ word novel—publish-ready—within one of four genre tracks. Mine lives squarely in contemporary fiction, specifically espionage/conspiracy thriller. It’s a book I’ve been researching and developing since 2012. That’s not a whim. That’s a long burn.
After the MFA, the plan is clear: pursue adjunct work in creative writing while continuing to build my own catalog. In the meantime, I’m actively looking for work in editing, proofreading, or technical writing. I want to operate inside language professionally while building my own body of work. I just haven’t found the right fit yet. That’s timing, not defeat.
For now, my day job is as an EMT on an ambulance. High stakes. Actual blood. Real adrenaline. I also drive for Uber. And in the margins—between calls, between shifts, between human emergencies—I build fictional ones.
That contrast does something interesting to a thriller writer.
My website is about to evolve as well. Poetry and memoir will move to their own dedicated space. The espionage/thriller brand will standalone. Clean architecture. Clear signal. No genre confusion.
So where am I?
I’m in the building phase.
I’m self-publishing because I want to understand every bolt in the machine. I’m earning credentials not for prestige, but for leverage and literacy in the industry. I’m writing long-form fiction with intention. I’m stacking skills.
This isn’t wandering. It’s controlled expansion.
Careers in writing rarely move in straight lines. They move in spirals—each pass higher, wider, more informed. The key is knowing which spiral you’re in.
Right now, I’m in the phase where I learn everything, build everything, and refuse to wait for permission.
That’s not chaos.
That’s trajectory.
If you are interested in any of my poetry, you can get a copy of my latest book, Whiskey and the Autumn Wind
Join the March of the Writers
March of the Writers is a month-long celebration of creativity, connection, and storytelling. Each day in March offers a new prompt designed to help writers engage with readers, reflect on their craft, and share their journey.
There are only two rules: be respectful and have fun.
Whether you post daily, weekly, through video, podcast, or blog format—participation is entirely your own. The goal is simple: connect and create.
To view the full list of daily prompts, visit J.D. Estrada’s blog here: March of the Writers 2026
Use the hashtags #MOTW2026, #MOTW, and #MarchOfTheWriters to connect with fellow writers and readers throughout the month.