We recently connected with Morgan DeVivo and have shared our conversation below.
Morgan, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
I keep my creativity alive by using it every day. Ever since childhood, I’ve been able to envision magical and awe-inspiring things just by looking at the world around me. A boring doctor’s office could turn into chamber of potions and spell books while a mundane book would come to life, pulling me into a second dimension of sights and colors. For a kid, this type of thinking isn’t unusual, however, for an adult or teen, it’s rather looked down upon. See, many people think that once you reach a certain age, all “childish” activities become strictly forbidden. But that’s not true. It pains me to see adults who are trapped in the ‘everyday’, stuck in a world of misery and monotony with no light at the end of the tunnel, I wish that more people could see the hidden beauty of the world, one that you can’t look at with your eyes. And while I can’t physically hand you my imagination, I do hope you’re able to find yours through me.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a 14-year-old author. I wrote a children’s book and a novelette both in elementary school, but this year, I became a part of Solstice Publishing and released my first novel, 40 Days. Writing, in my opinion, is what I’m best at, and it’s a great way for me to share my stories and imagination. However, I enjoy everything artistic and have many hobbies in other creative areas. Something I’ve been putting a lot of effort into recently is songwriting and development with my upcoming concept album, Ocean. It’s about a young sailor who gets caught up in a deadly storm, drowns, and is reborn as a sea monster. The story is told through music, each song focusing on an aspect of this sailor’s new life. I put my writing skills to use when creating the lyrics, paying close attention to visuals and catchy phrases. Other things I like doing includes video/photo editing, drawing, and even scrapbooking. No matter what it is, my main goal is and has always been to inspire others. I hope everyone who finds my creations are able to take something out of it and share their own creativity with even more people.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The most impactful qualities for me when writing is patience, being open to criticism, and dedication. Making a book, especially one that’s good, takes time… it won’t just happen overnight. Every single day, through all my sicknesses, daily errands, after school activities, and homework, I sat down and wrote 1,000 words of my book. Before I even got to editing, it took months to simply complete writing the first draft. Now, I’m generally an impatient person, but when it comes to writing, I have to accept the fact that it won’t be a quick thing.
Now, being open to criticism is equally important. When my dad read the first chapter of 40 Days, he flat out said it wasn’t good and gave me tons of things I needed to work on. Thankfully, he enjoyed the rest of my chapters, but had I just given up and stopped him from editing, well, that would have been a whole different story.
Finally, dedication is also impactful when it comes to writing. If you’re not 100% set on a certain idea or know for sure what your purpose for writing is (is it a personal achievement? do you want to publish it afterwards?), then there will probably be some issues down the line.
Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?
I think being well-rounded in areas we’re most passionate is important. Don’t pick up hobbies just to please others or to create a false image of yourself. Instead, try anything that you’re curious about and work to improve that skill if it makes you happy. Wanted to try out baseball but realized it wasn’t for you? Then venture out and try something new! That’s the way to go.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/morgandevivo
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormorgandevivo/?next=%2F
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088276779707
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnUD3pm_R3qtQw3XQ-pOxYQ
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@authormorgandevivo
