Meet Briana Morgan: Horror Author & Playwright

We had the good fortune of connecting with Briana Morgan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Briana, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve wanted to be a writer for a long, long time, ever since I understood what being a writer meant. As a self-published writer, I love the degree of control and agency I have over my work. Being an independent author has afforded me so many opportunities I might not have gotten otherwise. Self-publishing is a great fit for me, and I think I’m finally settling in to my career as an author.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
With my work, I employ the philosophy that “art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable” (Cesar A. Cruz). In my writing, I explore topics and themes that I’m curious about, that might make people uncomfortable, but will ultimately inspire critique and introspection. I’m most proud of how I’ve grown as a writer, although it wasn’t easy to get here. When I write, I am primarily writing for myself. It wasn’t like that when I started. That’s perhaps the biggest lesson I’ve learned over the years: if you write for everyone, you write for no one. It’s much better to write for yourself. Everyone else be damned.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Assuming it was safe to do away with social distancing and go back to “normal” life, I’d love to take them to Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Party. It has excellent food and drink, as well as atmosphere. We could then visit the High Museum, maybe head over to Fernbank. Atlanta has so many great cultural spots to explore.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I owe a lot to my English teachers and professors through the years, especially Mrs. Landreth, Mrs. Britt, Professor Selgin, and Professor Lammond, all of whom believed in me and instilled a sense of pride in my work. Also, my friends, who support me in everything I do, especially in my creative endeavors. And my partner, Gabe. I don’t know where I’d be without all those people in my life.