Lara Morgan

I'm Lara, I'm from Aotearoa New Zealand. I like writing poetry and stories and making art. I work in a small community library and I also dabble in theatre.

Question 1: What inspired you to start writing?

I was a big reader growing up, and I had so many story ideas that I wanted to get out there. And I just really enjoyed the creative writing aspects of English classes and I wanted to keep going. Although, I never really got any good marks in English and I was close to giving up until I had a new teacher in my final year of high school. He kept pushing me to improve my writing and was getting very specific with feedback and things to change before submitting the final piece. He started picking out the little things, lending me poetry books, and giving me feedback when I asked for it. My grades drastically improved, and one of my classmates had read a piece I'd written and said that it was really good and I should pursue writing. Then a friend told me an idea for this book he wanted to write and asked if I wanted to collaborate with him, and I said yes. I had this idea of becoming a big YA author with books as popular as The Hunger Games and Percy Jackson and Divergent. But I think I'd be happy with a smaller success: writing things that people just enjoy, that resonate with people. I don't think I want to become as big as say Rick Riordan or Sarah J Maas. I just want people to find comfort in what I've written.

Question 2: How have your past experiences influenced you as a writer?

A lot of my poems draw on my past experiences, evoking the emotions I felt or events I've experiences. I managed to find three main categories my poetry falls under: queer identity, religious trauma, and a lack of connection to my heritage. Those, along with the relationships I have with people are huge influences on my poetry. In terms of fiction, I include a lot of queer characters because those are the types of characters I want to see.

Question 3: What do the words “writer’s block” mean to you? 

It's a temporary setback. It's annoying as hell, but I think it means I just need to try something else. Switching mediums. I'll rotate between writing fiction, scripts, poetry, and making art. It means I get to take a break on whatever I was working on before getting writer's block, and then I can come back to it fresh.

Question 4: When did you first call yourself a writer? 

Mid-way through my undergrad (which was creative writing and theatre). It's when I changed from calling myself an aspiring writer or poet or artist and just called myself a writer or poet or artist. My friends referred to themselves as writers or poets, so why couldn't I? If you write or make art then you're already an artist or writer or poet.

Question 5: What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?

I write a lot of my things out of order. Especially with my last two fiction pieces, I've written snippets in a non-linear order. I have a rough timeline written out and if I think of something that fits within that timeline then I'll write it. Sometimes I'll have things all planned out, sometimes I have a rough idea of where I want to go with the story, sometimes I go in with zero planning and just a character or two and an idea and just go for it.

My poetry is also sporadic as well. Sometimes something comes up and I write the poem then and there (or as soon as I can), and sometimes I just have a title or the first line but nothing else, so I note those down to come back to. I have basically a collection of lines and potential titles and beginnings of poems. They're like seeds in a garden, waiting to grow into fully fledged poems.

Question 6: If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose?

I would just love to spend some time with some of the more well-known New Zealand poets like Chris Tse, Tayi Tibble, essa may ranapiri, Rebecca Hawkes. I'd just love to hear all about their creative processes and how they write and what inspires them and so on.

Question 7: Do you play music while you write — and, if so, what’s your favorite?

Sometimes. It's usually indie, pop punk, and musical theatre.

Question 8: Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing? 

My friends, 100%. They're always the ones to hear my 3am ramblings on the latest idea I've had or to talk processes or bounce ideas off.

Question 9: If you had to describe yourself in just three words, what would those be?

Supportive, emotional, optimistic

Question 10: How many books have you written and which is your favorite?

I've written one. It hasn't been published yet, but I'm working on it. It's a queer poetry collection that tells the story of discovering and exploring your sexuality, and becoming comfortable with it.