Meet Trailblazer Renée A. Moses

Today we’d like to introduce you to Renée A. Moses.

Renée, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Writing has always been my escape. I was better at writing what I felt than actually talking about it. Even as a kid, my expression was with a pen and paper. My grandmother would tell me all the time that I’d be a great writer one day.

I started writing short stories and only allowed a few people to read them. When they pumped me up to write more, I shared my work with a few more people and got the same reaction. My confidence grew enough to write for them but not actually publish my work. That meant opening myself to strangers, and it terrified me.

Storytelling pulled at me so much that it changed my mood when I didn’t write. I understood that it was bigger than me. Even then, I put it off until I couldn’t anymore. Now, I am so relieved to finally have enough guts to write the stories I want to tell.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No. Besides life happening and bad timing, I dealt with a lot of anxiety about being seen — not only me but my words, my stories. I would make excuses about why it was never a good time, and based on what I thought it took to get published, it was enough to hold me back. There was school, work, marriage, then kids. It all took precedence over the very thing that made me feel complete.

My self-confidence slowly deteriorated because I felt like no one would care about what I had to say. I had to find other things that were worth my time or better ways to make a living because being an author was not a guaranteed career in my mind. I told myself whatever I could to avoid putting myself out there and possibly failing — failing by way of criticism from readers. That’s what I used to think.

But then, I remembered a question my grandmother asked me as a young adult. What’s the one thing that you want to do so bad that you’d do it for free? I knew right away that the answer was to write fiction.

I believe that when you have a calling on your life, it never goes away. It’s that one thing that you may put off for various reasons, but it comes back time and time again. At some point, you have to submit to it. Find a way to fulfill whatever is pulling at you. Know why you are doing it and what you expect to get out of it, realistically.
Don’t ever base your worth or capabilities on what others will think. If it feels right to you, trust yourself and take a leap of faith. When it’s the right thing for you, I believe all the pieces will fall in place.

Lastly, learn what you don’t know. There will be times when you do not know what to do. It doesn’t mean another excuse to hold off but to search for answers. If you can learn new skills on the way, do it.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I’m a self-published fiction author. I wrote a series called Turns in Love. My books are based on Black characters, usually in love or looking for love. I live to write drama-filled situations with various outcomes. Life is complicated, and I want to depict that in the stories I tell.

I say All Phases of Love Count because love isn’t usually a straight line and it doesn’t always work out. To me, love mimics oscillations at different points in life and certain relationships. I want to write about all of it.

I also have a new podcast called Same Book, 3 Time Zones with two other ladies. We choose a book each month and discuss the entire story. We also write reviews on the books we read throughout the month to support other Black authors.

As an author, one main thing I’m proud of is my name, which is also my brand. Renée A. Moses is a pen name dedicated to my great-grandmother who was also a writer but didn’t get a chance to publish her work. Through my name, I honor her with every book I write.

All writers have their own style, which usually sets us apart. One thing for sure is that I am not one to chase trends or to do what everyone else is doing. To stay true to my style, I write about topics in relationships (especially marriage) that matter to me personally. I write stories I want to read. I’m just getting started.

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
For notes, I use Evernote. You can do so much with this app and organize any resources or research. I use Scrivener for my writing tool. The layout of my manuscripts is much smoother with this software. Amazon Music all day! I need music to concentrate, for inspiration, and for my breaks. I use both Grammarly and ProWriting Aid. Both offer features that help me put my best foot forward before I send my work to anyone. I also use Canva and GIMP for my book cover design.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.authorramoses.com
• Email: renee@authorramoses.com
• Instagram: @reneeamoses
• Facebook: @authorramoses

Image Credit:
Images by Ashley Riser

Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.