We recently connected with Jeremy Mason and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jeremy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I would have to say that my second publication,”The Life and Times of a Black Man”, which was released in 2020. It was birth during a crisis in the nation and for black men in America. The tragic murders of African Americans, like that of George Floyd, were highly disturbing to my spirit and it brought me to tears for several days during the lockdown. This period allowed me to sit in one place and take a deep dive into what my life consisted of as a black man in America. My mind instantly went to the centuries-long fight against racism but in addition, I touched upon topics of sensitivity, vulnerability, love, family, loss, mental health, and strength. I am most proud of this publication for multiple reasons. One is that it was the first book that I intentionally crafted from start to finish. Also, the fact that I believe it to be a time period of isolation where I was at my most creative and took more risks in my writing. But most importantly, it allowed me to be so vulnerable and honest with a subject matter that I deal with the moment I open my eyes every day.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Well, I am a writer: more specifically, a poetry writer. My journey began all the way back in my freshman year of high school when my heart first picked up the hobby. Throughout my high school and college years, I would often write to simply express myself, at times of high emotions but also whenever life inspired me to pick up the pen. I would post my poetry on Facebook and Twitter, and also send them to close friends whose opinions I highly valued. In addition, I performed at pageants, ceremonies, family celebrations, and celebrations of life, as well as a few open mic nights.

Shortly after graduating college, I was stuck in an odd place of pursuing a 9-5 career but also the desire to pursue goals outside of the corporate world. This way of thinking eventually led me to the idea of shifting writing from a mere hobby into a publishing career. I gathered some of my poetry from recent years and then started the process of adding new poems to craft my full book. My first book “Dedicated 2 U”, was dedicated to my late grandmother. My second publication, “The Life and Times of a Black Man”, was inspired by the racial crisis happening in this country in 2020. Now, as of 2023, my third publication has been released entitled “Life is Beautiful”.

My goals are to continue to publish independently, with the hopes of being signed by a publisher one day in the near future. My work will always revolve around the human experience, which encompasses a vast variety of topics. I have created a brand, The Cafe’ Mason, which will grow to be the hub for my art: my books, my spoken word, merchandise, etc.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One lesson that I had to unlearn was the need to mimic or follow the writings of great poets of the past. Early on and even recently, I would attempt to write like Maya Angelou or Langston Hughes: believing that it was the way to success in poetry. This became not only extremely difficult but also felt disingenuous to who I was as a person. I had to switch my way of thinking in order to fully believe in my style of writing and what it could bring to the illustrious history of poetry. This way of thinking was really brought on due to insecurity in my writing which led to a lack of confidence in my final product.

So for all writers, I hope they have faith in their style and do their best not to copy someone else. Go all in on who you are as a creative and don’t hold back. Be unapologetically you!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect for me as a creative is the idea of bringing something to life that once existed inside my mind to be shared with the entire world. My books are something that can last for centuries. Even to this day, books from the 1600s are read with vigor by enthusiastic readers. What I have created, is available for everyone in the world and could possibly still be around even when I’m gone. When I create, I feel like I am giving pieces of myself to everyone. I’m giving the thoughts and emotions of a human being that really gets shared with others. It’s the ultimate reward to have readers identify, relate, and feel passionate about words that I scribed onto paper.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/Jaymason40
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/_jaymason_?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremymason40
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@jeremymason3300

Image Credits
Erin