We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Serena Morrigan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Serena, thanks for joining us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

I wish I had started my creative career sooner since I had always been creative, but depression and anxiety kept me from doing so.

I started writing poetry when I was ten or eleven years old. My parents had bought our first computer (yes, I know I’m old) and for some reason, the first thing I wanted to do was open a document and write poems. I remember they were mostly about nature.

At thirteen, I started writing song lyrics and at seventeen I joined my first and only band as the singer and songwriter. But that’s when it slowly went downward. I had suffered from complex trauma for all these years and it started to take a toll on me. I just couldn’t get out of bed anymore. It took me six years to get out of that slump, during which I, of course, did not write anything at all. After all that time I thought my creative vein had dried up and I wouldn’t be able to write songs or poems again.

Then, at 29, trauma hit again. My husband and I had wanted to start a family, but my first pregnancy ended in a missed miscarriage. I was devastated. That night I wrote my first poem in over a decade. It was like the floodgates had opened and the words just poured out of me.

I started writing regularly after that again, about anything, even nature.

So, yes, I wish I had started sooner, but I am happy I got back into writing at all.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hey, I’m Serena, a writer who delves into the depths of the human experience through dark poetry and mental health themes. My words aim to resonate with those who find solace in exploring the shadows, giving a voice to the often-unspoken struggles we face. I believe that poetry has the power to heal, to confront, and to comfort.

My first poetry collection, “A Song for Every Scar,” captures the raw, unfiltered emotions of life’s challenges, while my upcoming collection, “Tea for the Wicked,” dives into even darker themes, blending the mystical with the macabre. My work has also been featured in several print and online publications, including Train River Poetry and Eve Poetry Magazine.

Beyond poetry, I’m passionate about languages, having studied both English and Japanese, which enriches my perspective and approach to writing. I also enjoy immersing myself in classic literature, with favourites like Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ or Edgar Allan Poe’s short stories and poems, influencing my fascination with the darker sides of storytelling. By day, I am a mother of an 18-month old and I teach English as a second language, helping others find their own voices.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to raise awareness around mental health issues, like depression and anxiety, through poetry. There is still so much stigma going around, and I would love to do my little part in helping people understand mental disorders and their impact on people more.

I also want those impacted by mental illness to feel like their voices are heard, that they’re not alone and that there’s hope.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I think consistency is key here. If you want to grow your audience on social media you have to post regularly. That doesn’t have to mean daily – once a week would still be consistent! I would also suggest engaging with your readers and building a network of fellow writers to create your creative support network.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @serena.morrigan
• Facebook: Serena Morrigan Poetry