For as long as Joshua Moses can remember, language and music have been powerful forces in his life.
“For me, my writing typically happens at night, but I also get creative spawns of thought whilst listening to music. I love the emotion of music, even without words. It’s been since childhood that I’ve found peace in music, so I’d say my love of creative writing came from my love of music,” he ponders.
Although reluctant to label himself a “well-educated” writer, Mr Moses expresses a unique honesty that resonates with readers.
“Poetry helps me hone my storytelling as I try to convey narrative in my writing. It keeps me in check, forces intentionality and helps me clarify my thoughts,” he explains. “For me, writing is very natural. My poetry probably emphasises metre and rhyme more than structure and poise.”
Originally from Texas, Mr Moses enjoys living with his family in regional NSW and attends Port Macquarie Adventist Church.
“I enjoy the peace and quiet it brings,” he says. “We’ve been meeting on the beach or in parks when possible during COVID-19. Throughout COVID, I’ve found a lot of peace in writing. I’ve enjoyed writing for myself for around seven years now, but it’s been this year that I’ve placed more emphasis and time into it.”
Writing about topics like identity, relationships, masculinity and spirituality, Mr Moses says his writing is about the “big picture” topics of life.
“Admittedly my journey of understanding God comes in waves,” he says. “I’m not ashamed to say it as I think it’s important to note the lows and highs of spirituality. I feel that by sharing about my lows and highs it may help someone else feel less anxious about the fragility and finality of life and focus on enjoying the journey of self-discovery.”
Mr Moses, who writes purely for the enjoyment, says discovering that these topics resonated deeply with people from various faiths or walks of life was surprising.
“My writing has been, and I hope will always be, for me,” he notes. “I got to the point that I braved sharing it with a few people who told me I should be sharing it broadly. I started doing so via Instagram and the response has been surprising and humbling.”
Although Mr Moses doesn’t anticipate what lies ahead on this creative path, he hopes that it will continue to improve the lives of his readers.
“I have no idea what’s next, but I do know that my writing contributes greatly to a sense of wellbeing for myself and, as such, will be a part of my life as much as I can. Beyond that, I’m open to whatever happens. My only hope in sharing it is that it makes others think more deeply about their journey and that they think of how they can maximise their positive impact on others.”
To read Josh’s writing, you can follow him on Instagram @itsjoshmoses.
