We were lucky to catch up with Morgan DeVivo recently and have shared our conversation below.

Morgan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.

I’ve always wanted to be an author. Ever since I knew how to grab a book, there was this natural desire within me that yearned to write. And from the ripe age of four, I began putting together my own ‘pieces of literature’. I’d tell my mom what to type, and she’d print out the pages from her computer. Then I’d do some illustrations and bind the pages together with tape and staples. Next came the journals. I’d go through hundreds of journals filled cover to cover with childish tales and narrations: stories that made no sense but satisfied my youthful heart. It was in this phase when my writing journey truly started to take form. It all began one day when I got the idea about a girl named Rosey Redberry. She was a clumsy kid who always found herself in fantastical situations, traveling across the world to save her sister, Bella Blueberry Vine. So, I went to work. My journal came with me everywhere I went, and I spent all my time at summer camp crafting this idea. I even remember sitting down with my teacher one day as she watched. I asked her for help naming a character, and we had a nice discussion about the elements of a good novel. With assistance from my mom, I was able to finally bring the story to life. At just six years old, my first book, Rosey Redberry and the Magic Carpets, was released to the public. Of course, it’s not exceptional literature, but for a second grader, it was a huge achievement. From that point forward, my passion only grew, and I wrote to myself for the next few years.
In 4th grade, I released my second book, Don’t Mess with Magic. This time, it was a novelette, and double the length of my first. However, I still had a desire for more, and my passion kept growing.
When Covid hit, I spent many hours writing. All of my ideas hit the trash, including a fantasy called House Royals about a mystical tournament, and a re-imagining of the zodiac signs called The Chosen Children. It wasn’t until 8th grade when I finally found the perfect idea. The inspiration came after taking some strange Buzzfeed quizzes, and the premise was relatively simple: a mysterious sci-fi about a girl trapped in a science facility. I knew right away that I was serious about this idea, and for the next few months, I wrote, committing to 1,000 words a day. It was a long and troublesome process consisting of editing, crying, and editing some more (thanks, Dad). But finally, it was complete, and I was ready for another self-publish. However, my parents gave me a shocking suggestion- submitting my book to a publishing company.
With even more help, I teamed up with Solstice Publishing. 40 Days went through another round of edits, and eventually production. Later, it travelled to stores and websites. That brings us to where I am today. Currently, I work on advertising my book by posting on social media and going to conventions. I also have another story in the works that I hope to publish next year. My journey is long, difficult, but most importantly, rewarding. I’m so glad that I’ve been able to bring my childhood dreams to life, at fourteen, nonetheless, and I hope to continue into my adult years.

Morgan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a 14-year-old author with dreams to inspire others about all things creative. My first novel, 40 Days, was published early 2023, and I’m currently working on another project that I hope to finish within the upcoming months. Aside from writing, I enjoy video/photo editing and post collections of short films on my YouTube channel, Morgan High Studios. While writing is my passion, I aspire to get a career in editing and producing movies, as it allows me to be the most creative visually and expresses my ideas in a very vibrant light. My main goal is to help others find their voice, and to provide beauty in a world that needs it most.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The end result. I love seeing something I made and pointing at it, going, “This is mine.” It’s almost unreal in a way, because after working on a project for so long, it’s strange just getting the opportunity to relax. Like when 40 Days was finally published, I was actually able to read it without looking for errors or cringing over sentences. It was nice.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

As a creative person, my entire life revolves around daydreams and ideas. I just don’t think non-creative people realize how much I actually use my imagination. Ever since childhood, I’ve been practically living inside my head, so much to the point where I would get in trouble at school for daydreaming. While the rest of my classmates were off learning, I’d be in my own world on the other side of the room, envisioning ‘movies’ and cartoons in my mind. But I always had fun doing it. I love being creative because I never get bored. I’m practically my own source of entertainment, and mundane days always serve as good times to think. I can also create stories out of the most normal occurrences, and a lot of my ideas are rooted in real observations. Plus, it’s nice going outside and being able to think up new worlds and colorful images. Life will just keep on coming, so you may as well have some fun with it and look at it from all angles.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sites.google.com/view/author-morgan-devivo/home
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormorgandevivo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088276779707
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@morganhighstudios9917/videos
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@authormorgandevivo (tiktok)