Interview with Joshua Mason
He is a former detective, a certified SWAT operator, an accomplished writer with a focus on leadership and life lessons, and degrees in management, psychology, and police science.
I also published this interview on Medium and my website.
Dear Readers and Writers, welcome to another interview introducing influential writers. Writing, editing, and content curation allow me to meet authentic and influential writers and leaders from different backgrounds.
I enjoy interacting with people from diverse cultures, countries, and professional backgrounds. One of my hobbies is interviewing influential writers and introducing them to my audience. I have been conducting writer interviews on Medium since 2019.
As part of my leadership studies as a postdoctoral fellow and adjunct professor at Australian universities, I conducted countless interviews with senior leaders and entrepreneurs in large corporate organizations. I still interview many leaders and freelancers, especially those in startup companies or working as solopreneurs or aspiring entrepreneurs.
As I explained in a previous story titled The Importance and Remarkable Benefits of Interviews in My Professional and Personal Life, these conversations helped me gain insights into their learning and leadership patterns and inspired me to collaborate with them.
Each interview opened a new window in my life, allowing me to connect with another kind soul meaningfully. In addition, I use these interviews as a cross-pollination tool to inform and empower my readers, fellow writers, and editors/curators of my publications.
In this episode, I will introduce an accomplished writer,
whom I have been following and mentoring for over a year. Joshua is also a member of my Health and Wellness network on Substack. Therefore, I learned a lot about his background, education, lifestyle, and writing approach.Although his following was fewer than mine, his stories in my publications got more views, and some even went viral for good reasons. Some of his exceptional stories I nominated were chosen for boost, and his following significantly increased, more than my other proteges. Therefore, I want to introduce him to my readers and fellow writers as a role model, both a content developer and a thought leader in his field.
He is relatively new on Medium, but he is not new to writing. For example, his articles, featured in YourTango, document his unique observation skills and deep understanding of human behavior, cultivated during his law enforcement career and furthered by his ongoing Master’s degree in Psychology. Joshua recently started sharing his life experiences on Substack, too, gaining many subscribers quickly. Please enjoy this interview and share it on your socials.
Meet Joshua Mason
Hi Joshua, tell us a bit about your background.
Thank you for the opportunity, Dr Yildiz. I spent over a decade in a large police department where I was a detective who specialized in investigating street gangs, hunting fugitives, and even became a certified Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) operator. I was passionate about the work, but eventually it took a toll on me. In 2017, I knew I didn’t want to do that work any longer and decided to move on. I’d love to talk about the work I do now, but I’m limited due to non-disclosure agreements.
What are your hobbies, or what excites or entertains you?
I already had a degree in management and decided to go back to school for an advanced degree in psychology. In police work, I developed a love for psychology and tried to understand how the mind works. It’s a passion I still have today. I love to write, but I just discovered that at the end of 2023. I’m also an avid reader who loves to travel. The deeper that travel takes me into nature, the better.
What are the top three books that affected your life?
The reading that affected my life the most isn’t a book. It’s a collection of letters written by the stoic philosopher Seneca the Younger wrote to his friend Lucilius. The wisdom in those letters fundamentally changed the way I saw the world. After that would be “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl and “The Almanack of Naval Ravikant.”
Why do you write on Medium?
I first wrote on Medium to get feedback on whether I had anything of value to say. No one read my first articles, but I was shocked when one of my early stories was boosted, and the comments were truly inspiring. That article was about why I left my career in law enforcement. The feeling of having written something so many people resonated with and related to was powerful, and I have been writing on Medium since.
Do you write on other platforms like Substack? If so, how do you find them?
When I first began writing in late 2023, I only wrote on Medium with the exception of a newsletter that I would send out through Beehiiv. It was on Medium that I began hearing about Substack. After doing some research into Substack, I moved my newsletter to that platform. The more I use Substack, the more I like it. Moving forward, I’ll split my time between both Medium and Substack. Here is my newsletter for those who might subscribe:
What are your values as a writer?
My core value as a writer is honesty. That might mean sharing things that don’t paint me in the best light or taking a stance that isn’t popular. In my first articles, I was too worried about what people might think. I tried not to write on topics that might offend others or say things that might be controversial. I do my best writing when I write like nobody is going to read it. I also try to make sure my writing has value to the reader. I’m asking the reader to give me their time, which is the most valuable resource any of us have. I can’t justify asking them for that without believing I’ve given them something great in return.
How do you connect with your readers?
In the beginning, it’s easy because so few people read your writing. You just respond to all the comments and answer all the emails that come in. While I still answer all the emails, I find it difficult to respond to all the comments. I found the best way to connect is through the newsletter. I can fill that with my unfiltered thoughts, and anyone can respond through Substack. I always respond and connect with anyone who reaches out to me there. That feedback and connection is my favorite part of writing online.
Why did you join ILLUMINATION, and how do you find it so far?
I was so new to Medium that I hardly knew what a publication was. A few writers I met suggested I try to write for Illumination, as it had a good community and a large audience. I wrote my first article and was shocked when I was invited to write for Illumination-Curated. There are so many talented writers there, and I didn’t feel like I belonged. Maybe that’s imposter syndrome at play. Your guidance helped me make more progress in a few months than I would have made in a year on my own. The feedback on my writing has helped me grow I would recommend any online writer, new or seasoned, write for Illumination and its sister publications.
Who are some writers you follow on ILLUMINATION?
The main writers I follow on Illumination are you and Tim Denning. I’ve been inspired by how you can take complex topics and make them understandable and enjoyable to read. With Tim Denning, I find that his writing refreshing He doesn’t shy away from telling you what he believes. He’s also found an impressive level of success as an online writer.
What are the top five stories that you want to share with your audience and why?
1. “Why I Quit My Job As A Detective After 12 Years” — This was my first boosted story that started my online career.
2. “Five Ways Skilled Interviewers Get the Information They Need” — I spent years working to perfect my interviewing skills as a detective. This is one of most viewed articles and one that generated a ton of engagement, not all of it safe for work.
3. “A Special Forces Soldier Taught Me How Leadership Works in Three Words” — When I wrote this story, I didn’t like it. I almost deleted it because I thought it failed to do justice to a mentor who had an incredible impact on me. It ended up being one of my highest earning stories. When in doubt, just hit publish.
4. “I’m an (Actual) Detective: Here are 7 Signs That Someone is Lying to You” — This article went viral, and despite being nominated for a boost was rejected by the Medium curators. Easily my most viewed story even without a boost.
5. “The 7 Techniques I Use to Build Trust Quickly (After 1,000+ Interviews)” — I enjoy writing about interviewing skills and the psychology behind it. This was a fun story to write, and I believe the concepts can help anyone create better relationships.
What are the success factors for you as a writer?
Having built relationships with other writers and editors is the main reason I’ve had success on Medium. I try to read their work, and they do the same for me. They have helped improve my writing, resulting in quite a few boosted stories. Those boosted stories skyrocketed my account growth. I also have an incredibly supportive wife who is my biggest fan. Not only is she my sounding board for ideas, but she’s an impressive writer herself. Ironically, when I first started writing online, I didn’t tell her about it. I was so worried my writing was a dumpster fire that I couldn’t bring myself to share it with her.
What do you recommend to the new writers?
Do what others will not. Most people will not set aside time to write every day or continue to write after no one reads their first ten articles. A lot of writers can’t drop their egos and write honest stories that show their faults and mistakes. It’s amazing how just showing up every day and being willing to look silly will take you. You must have an edge to stand out in the sea of online writers. By simply doing what 99 percent of people aren’t willing to do is a great way to obtain one, and it doesn’t require any talent or natural ability.
What are your plans as a writer or as a professional?
I want to write a book in the near future and am working on a content strategy that divides my time between Medium and Substack. I write a newsletter where I share what I’m working on, my life lessons, how I monetize my writing, and my favorite books and podcasts. Join my subscribers here.
Many thanks to Joshua Mason for taking the time to give us a glimpse of his life. You can connect with him on X (Twitter), his website, ILLUMINATION’s Slack workspace, or via Substack Notes for collaboration.
Joshua Mason | Substack
I was a police officer and detective for almost 13 years. Now, I'm a Medium top writer. I write about my experience…substack.com
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Joshua is one of my favorite writers on Medium and I will follow him on Substack too. Thanks Dr Yildiz for interviewing him. I enjoyed this story very much.
Thank you Dr. Yildiz, you’ve supported me since I first began writing online and I sincerely appreciate you.